1979–80 Alliance Premier League
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The Alliance Premier League season of 1979–80 was the inaugural season of the Alliance Premier League – the first league outside the Football League to cover the whole of England.
Contents
Overview
Between 1979–2004 the single-division Alliance Premier League formed Level 5 of the English football league system. Since 2004 two regional divisions were added at Level 6.
The founder members of the Alliance Premier League were drawn from the Southern League and Northern Premier League, covering the country from Yeovil Town in the South West to Barrow in the far North. One club from Wales – Bangor City – also participated.
Teams
Final table[1]
| Season | 1979–80[1] |
|---|---|
| Champions | Altrincham |
| Promoted to the Football League | None |
| Runners-up | Weymouth |
| Relegated to Level 6 |
Redditch United |
| Promoted for next season | Frickley Athletic |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 972 (2.56 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | G. J. Smith (Northwich Victoria), 29 [notes 1] |
| Biggest home win | Maidstone United – Bath City 6–0 |
| Biggest away win | Redditch United – Bangor City 1–5 Stafford Rangers – Weymouth 1–5 |
| Highest scoring | Northwich Victoria – Barrow 6–3 Kettering Town – Stafford Rangers 3–6 |
| Longest winning run | ? |
| Longest unbeaten run | ? |
| Longest losing run | ? |
| Highest attendance | ? |
| Lowest attendance | ? |
| Average attendance | ? |
|
1980–81 →
|
|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Altrincham | 38 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 26 | 79 | 35 | + 44 | 56 | |||||
| 2 | Weymouth | 38 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 40 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 23 | 73 | 37 | + 36 | 54 | |||||
| 3 | Worcester City | 38 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 21 | 53 | 36 | + 17 | 49 | |||||
| 4 | Boston United | 38 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 40 | 20 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 23 | 52 | 43 | + 9 | 45 | |||||
| 5 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 38 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 26 | 49 | 44 | + 5 | 44 | |||||
| 6 | Maidstone United | 38 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 38 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 54 | 37 | + 17 | 43 | |||||
| 7 | Kettering Town | 38 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 26 | 24 | 55 | 50 | + 5 | 43 | |||||
| 8 | Northwich Victoria | 38 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 24 | 50 | 38 | + 12 | 42 | |||||
| 9 | Bangor City | 38 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 20 | 28 | 41 | 46 | – 5 | 42 | |||||
| 10 | Nuneaton | 38 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 41 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 28 | 58 | 44 | + 14 | 39 | |||||
| 11 | Scarborough | 38 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 32 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 24 | 47 | 38 | + 9 | 39 | |||||
| 12 | Yeovil Town | 38 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 32 | 46 | 49 | – 3 | 36 | |||||
| 13 | Telford United | 38 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 33 | 52 | 60 | – 8 | 34 | |||||
| 14 | Barrow | 38 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 20 | 37 | 47 | 55 | – 8 | 34 | |||||
| 15 | Wealdstone | 38 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 26 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 42 | 54 | – 12 | 33 | |||||
| 16 | Bath City | 38 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 26 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 17 | 48 | 43 | 69 | – 26 | 32 | |||||
| 17 | Barnet | 38 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 30 | 32 | 48 | – 16 | 30 | |||||
| 18 | AP Leamington | 38 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 27 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 36 | 32 | 63 | – 31 | 25 | |||||
| 19 | Stafford Rangers | 38 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 20 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 21 | 36 | 41 | 57 | – 16 | 22 | |||||
| 20 | Redditch United | 38 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 40 | 26 | 69 | – 43 | 18 | Relegated to the Southern League Midland Division |
- Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
- Points were scored until the 1981–82 season as follows: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.
- ↑ G. J. Smith's goals include also goals scored in the League Cup.
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Alliance Premier League Champions, no promotion | |
| FA Trophy winners (Dagenham, Isthmian League Premier Division) | |
| Alliance Premier League Cup winners | |
| Relegated to Level 6 |
Results[1]
| Home ╲ Away | ALT | APL | BAN | BAR | BRW | BAT | BOS | GRN | KET | MAI | NOR | NUN | RED | SCA | STA | TEL | WEA | WEY | WRC | YEO |
| Altrincham | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |
| AP Leamington | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–4 | |
| Bangor City | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | |
| Barnet | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | |
| Barrow | 1–3 | 6–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | |
| Bath City | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | |
| Boston United | 2–5 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | |
| Kettering Town | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–6 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 5–3 | |
| Maidstone United | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 6–3 | 6–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | |
| Nuneaton Borough | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
| Redditch United | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–5 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |
| Scarborough | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | |
| Stafford Rangers | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |
| Telford United | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | |
| Wealdstone | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 5–0 | |
| Weymouth | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | |
| Worcester City | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | |
| Yeovil Town | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
Source: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. Queen Anne Press, Macdonald Futura Publishers, London & Sydney, 1981.
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Promotion and relegation
Promoted
- Frickley Athletic (from the Northern Premier League)
Relegated
- Redditch United (to the Southern League Midland Division)
Top scorers[1][notes2 1]
| Rank | Player | Club | League | FA Cup | FA Trophy | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G. J. Smith | Northwich Victoria | 29 | ||||
| 2 | Tommy Paterson | Weymouth | 28 | ||||
| 3 | John Rogers | Altrincham | 24 | ||||
| 4 | Aniello Iannone | Weymouth | 22 | ||||
| 5 | J. P. Daubney | Maidstone United | 21 | ||||
| 6 | Barry Whitbread | Altrincham | 20 | ||||
| 7 | Bobby Brown | Boston United | 19 | ||||
| 8 | R. O. Gauden | Scarborough | 16 | ||||
| = | David Mather | Telford United | 16 | ||||
| 10 | Roy Clayton | Kettering Town | 14 | ||||
| 11 | M. J. Neale | Nuneaton Borough | 13 | ||||
| = | M. C. Wheeler | Bath City | 13 | ||||
| 13 | Colin Cowperthwaite | Barrow | 12 | ||||
| = | J. N. Evans | Kettering Town | 12 | ||||
| = | D. Gardner | AP Leamington | 12 | ||||
| = | Gerry O'Hara | Worcester City | 12 | ||||
| 17 | Neil Cordice | Wealdstone | 11 | ||||
| = | Barry Howard | Altrincham | 11 | ||||
| = | N. B. Johnson | Wealdstone | 11 | ||||
| = | M. D. Phelps | Worcester City | 11 | ||||
| = | P. Phipps | Kettering Town | 11 | ||||
| = | P. T. Wilkey | Telford United | 11 |
- ↑ The number of goals is the sum of league and league cup goals.
Election to the Football League
As winners of the Alliance Premier League, Altrincham won the right to apply for election to the Football League to replace one of the four bottom teams in the 1979–80 Football League Division Four. The vote went as follows:
| Club | Final Position | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Darlington | 22nd (Division Four) | 49 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 23rd (Division Four) | 48 |
| Hereford United | 21st (Division Four) | 48 |
| Rochdale | 24th (Division Four) | 26 |
| Altrincham | 1st (Alliance Premier League) | 25 |
As a result of this, Altrincham failed to be elected to membership of the Football League, falling just one point behind Fourth Division's bottom club Rochdale.
