The 2000–01 North West Counties Football League season was the 19th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England.
The league comprised two divisions, Division One and Division Two (at levels 8 and 9 respectively of the English football league system), and there were additionally three cup competitions: the League Challenge Cup knockout competition (known as the Worthington Challenge Trophy for sponsorship reasons) open to all the league's clubs; the Second Division Trophy, a knockout trophy competition for Division Two clubs only; and a Floodlit Trophy competition for all the league's clubs with floodlights which was abandoned without conclusion owing to bad weather. The league also had a reserves team section.
Division One
Division One featured 22 clubs, 19 remaining from the previous season plus 3 additions:
Curzon Ashton, promoted as runners-up of Division Two Flixton, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One Woodley Sports, promoted as champions of Division Two
At the end of the season the champions Rossendale United were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One and the bottom two clubs, Leek County School Old Boys and Cheadle Town, were relegated to Division Two.
League table
Division Two
Division Two featured 20 clubs, 16 remaining from the previous season plus 4 additions:
Atherton Laburnum Rovers, relegated from Division One Bootle, relegated from Division One Padiham, promoted as champions of the West Lancashire Football League Division One Stone Dominoes, promoted as champions of the Midland Football League
At the end of the season divisional runners-up Tetley Walker resigned from the league as they were evicted from the ground they used and were unable to find a replacement. The promotion places to Division One were taken by the champions Warrington Town and third placed Atherton Laburnum Rovers. All the other 17 clubs remained in the division.
League table
League Challenge Cup The 2000–01 League Challenge Cup (known as the Worthington Challenge Trophy for sponsorship reasons) was a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs. The final played at Bury F.C. was won for the first occasion in fourteen seasons by a Division Two club, Formby (who had started in the preliminary round of the competition), on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time (score at 90 minutes: 1–1) against Curzon Ashton of Division One.
Semi-finals and Final
Club's division appended to team name: (D1)=Division One; (D2)=Division Two sources: Semi-finals: Final:
Second Division Trophy The 2000–01 Second Division Trophy was a knockout competition for Division Two clubs only. The winners, in the final played at Skelmersdale United F.C., were Squires Gate who defeated Bacup Borough 1–0.
Semi-finals and Final
sources: Semi-finals: ; Final:
Floodlit Trophy The 2000–01 Floodlit Trophy was a competition open to all the league's clubs with floodlights; it was abandoned owing to bad weather. The competition was not played in subsequent seasons.
Reserves Section Main honours for the 2000–01 season: Reserves Division (regionalised competition) North Division Winners: Salford City Reserves Runners-up: Clitheroe Reserves South Division Winners: Woodley Sports Reserves Runners-up: Glossop North End Reserves
Reserves Division Cup Winners: Salford City Reserves Runners-up: Colne Reserves
References
External links The official website of the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Tables at RSSSF Results & Tables for 2000/01 (Tony Kempster)