2012/13 - DARLINGTON 1883
The reformed Darlington Football Club dropped down to Step Five and won it at the first attempt scoring 145 goals and getting a point's total of 122. They are currently 16th in the Vanarama National League North.
2013/14 - SPENNYMOOR TOWN
FA Vase winners 2013 - Town dominated the league in the early 2010's winnig the title in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 with a second place finish to Darlington in 2013. The club were formed in 2005 when Spennymoor United folded and merged with Evenwood Town to form Spennymoor Town. They didn't apply for promotion to Step Four until they were financially stable. They finished fourth in the Vanarama National League North last season and narrowly missed out on promotion to non-league's top table losing in the play-off final on penalty kicks. They are currently in sixth place.
2014/15 - MARSKE UNITED
See 2017/18
2015/16 - SHILDON
FA Vase Semi-Finalists in 12/13. Members of the Northern League since 1932 where they won the title five times (34, 35, 36, 37 and 40) prior to the Second World War. The Railwaymen had to wait until 2016 to win the title again where their Chairman was quoted as saying they'll apply for promotion when the time is right. It was announced over the summer of 2019 the club now have a business plan and are looking at two promotions in the next five seasons as a target.
2016/17 - SOUTH SHIELDS
FA Vase winners 2017 - Won three successive promotions from 2016 to 2018 moving from Division Two of the Northern League to Northern Premier League Premier Division. Finished second in that division last season and lost in the play-off final to Warrington Town. They are currently top and looking at promotion to Step Two. Averaging 1,497 for their home league games this season.
2017/18 - MARSKE UNITED
FA Vase - Quarter-Finalists in in 00/01 and 08/09. Semi-Finalists 2018. Declined promotion in 2015 but were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One North West after finishing 2nd and 5th in 2016 and 2017. The Seasiders are currently in sixth position at Step Four on the edge of the play-off places.
Runner's up MORPETH TOWN (2016 winners of the FA Vase) were also promoted this season and won the NPL D1 (E) at the first time of asking - they are currently in 12th place of the Step Three NPL Premier Division.
2018/19 - DUNSTON UTS
FA Vase winners 2012 - Promoted to join Marske United in the Norther Premier League Division One North West last season after being members of the Northern League since 1991 - Currently in 15th place at Step Four.
THIS SEASON SO FAR
THIS SEASON SO FAR
Stockton Town (2018 FA Vase runner's up) currently lead the way in Division One as the table shows below. After moving up from the Wearside League in 2016 they won Division Two at the first time of asking and then finishing in 6th and 7th place on Division One. Their solitary defeat so far came at Sunderland Ryhope CW on Saturday 19th October.
Hebburn Town (Division Two runner's up on 17/18 and then Division One runner's up in 18/19) were doing very well but have lost four of their last five league games against Whitley Bay, Billingham Town, Shildon and Stockton Town. Billingham Town struggled towards the bottom of Division One after a second placed finish in 06/07 and were eventually relegated to Division Two for the 14/15 season - they won the D2 title last season and will be very happy with their showing so far this season.
Hebburn Town (Division Two runner's up on 17/18 and then Division One runner's up in 18/19) were doing very well but have lost four of their last five league games against Whitley Bay, Billingham Town, Shildon and Stockton Town. Billingham Town struggled towards the bottom of Division One after a second placed finish in 06/07 and were eventually relegated to Division Two for the 14/15 season - they won the D2 title last season and will be very happy with their showing so far this season.
DIVISION ONE CURRENT TABLE - TOP SIX ONLY
| POS | TEAM | P | GD | PTS | FORM |
| 1. | STOCKTON TOWN | 19 | +38 | 46 | WWWDW |
| 2. | SHILDON | 20 | +28 | 42 | WWWWW |
| 3. | HEBBURN TOWN | 22 | +18 | 42 | LLLLW |
| 4. | CONSETT | 20 | +23 | 38 | DWWWW |
| 5. | BILLINGHAM TOWN | 20 | +11 | 35 | DWWWW |
| 6. | NEWTON AYCLIFFE | 18 | +10 | 34 | LWLLW |
Northallerton Town (promoted from D2 after a 3rd placed finish last season) are struggling at the bottom of the table with just four wins in nineteen games played. They are followed by Whickham, Thornaby, Ashington and Penrith.
DIVISION ONE - CURRENT TABLE BOTTOM SIX ONLY
In Division One it's been a great season so far for one of the best named teams in non-league football - West Allotment Celtic sit top of the division with just one defeat so far and an amazing 71 goals netted in just 18 games played. Celtic don't actually play in the village of West Allotment - they played at Whitley Park in Benton in 2001 after ground sharing with near neighbour's Whitley Bay from 1995. They stayed at Whitley Park until the end of the 16/17 season when a major rise in rent for the facilities the club's existent was under threat and they did actually initially resign from the Northern League - thankfully they found another ground (Druid Park) in Woolsington which is the former home of Newcastle Blue Star and Gosforth RFC. So although further away (around a 20 mile round trip compared to around 4 miles to Benton) the future of the club is now safe.
Redcar Athletic are another club on the up having joined from the Wearside League in 2018 they finished 7th last season and are looking at moving up to Division One.
It's also great to see the historic name of Crook Town AFC towards the top of the division. Aside from a stay in the North Eastern League from 1930 to 1936 as 'Crook FC' where the club went professional and a period after World War II when Crook Colliery Welfare played in the Northern League adopting the name Crook Town in 1949 the club have been members of the league since 1896 and famously won the FA Amateur Cup five times (01, 54, 59, 62 and 64) along with the league title five times (15, 27, 53, 59 and 63).
Aside from a two season stay in Division One between 2013 to 2015 (Division Two winner's in 2012/13) they have been members of Division Two since 2001. Their 2014/15 campaign in D1 was highly forgettable for their loyal fans as they only won one game of forty-two played in the league and conceded 182 goals!
Crook Town's record attendance is 17,500 against Walton and Hersham in the 1951/52 FA Amateur Cup Quarter-Final - Their average crowd for league games this season is 172 with 454 seeing their game against Willington recently at The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield. There are many Step Six teams up and down the country who would love to have an average of 172 people.
DIVISION TWO - CURRENT TABLE TOP SIX ONLY
At the bottom of the table it's been another struggle for Brandon United who in the past ten seasons have finished 15th, 19th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 15th, 14th, 19th and 19th. They have only one league win in fifteen games played which came against Tow Law Town on the Saturday 18th August.
At the top end of the Northern Football Alliance (Step Seven) there is a name from non-league's past who may well move up to the Northern League if they can win the title although Blyth Town and AFC New Fordley are giving the newly re-formed Newcastle Blue Star a real run for their money. The club ceased playing in 2009 and had been members of the Northern Premier League Division One (North) where they won the play-off final and would of moved to the Premier Division were reformed in 2018 and have plans to move up the pyramid. Their clubhouse at The Scotswood Sports Centre is named after the North East's most famous and favourite footballing person - the Sir Bobby Robson Lounge was officially opened by Lady Elsie Robson in October 2018.
Blue Star's next game is on Saturday in a Bill Gardner Cup tie against FC UNITED OF NEWCASTLE who play in Division One of the Northern Football Alliance.
Northern Football Alliance Premier Division - Current Table Top Three Only
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES (LEAGUE ONLY)
Wednesday 18th December
Division One
Sunderland RCA v Ashington
North Shields v Thornaby
Division Two
Jarrow v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Heaton Stannington v Durham City
Bedlington Terriers v Chester-le-Street
Friday 20th December
Division One
North Shields v Sunderland Ryhope CW
Whickham v Consett
Saturday 21st December
Division One
Newcastle Benfield v Hebburn Town
Newton Aycliffe v Ashington
Northallerton Town v Stockton Town
Shildon v Bishop Auckland
Thornaby v Guisborough Town
Whitley Bay v Seaham Red Star
West Auckland Town v Penrith
Sunderland RCA v Billingham Town
Division Two
Billingham Synthonia v Birtley Town
Brandon United v Durham City
Crook Town v Bedlington Terriers
Heaton Stannington v Easington Colliery
Sunderland West End v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Willington v Carlisle City
Tow Law Town v Chester-le-Street
Jarrow v West Allotment Celtic
Thursday 26th December - Boxing Day
Division One
11am Kick Offs
Guisborough Town v Northallerton Town
Shildon v Newton Aycliffe
Stockton Town v Thornaby
North Shields v Whitley Bay
3pm Kick Offs
Sunderland RCA v Sunderland Ryhope CW
Ashington v Whickham
Bishop Auckland v West Auckland Town
Seaham Red Star v Billingham Town
Consett v Newcastle Benfield
Penrith v Hebburn Town
Division Two
3pm Kick Offs
Crook Town v Carlisle City
Tow Law Town v Sunderland West End
Bedlington Terriers v Willington
Birtley Town v Newcastle University
Brandon United v West Allotment Celtic
Durham City v Washington
Jarrow v Chester-le-Street
Easington Colliery v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Saturday 4th January
Division One
Ashington v Hebburn Town
Bishop Auckland v Penrith
Guisborough Town v Seaham Red Star
Newcastle Benfield v Whitley Bay
North Shields v Sunderland RCA
Northallerton Town v Consett
Sunderland Ryhope CW v West Auckland Town
Stockton Town v Billingham Town
Thornaby v Shildon
Whickham v Newton Aycliffe
Division Two
Easington Colliery v Billingham Synthonia
Bedlington Terriers v Heaton Stannington
Birtley Town v Tow Law Town
Chester-le-Street v Carlisle City
Crook Town v Sunderland West End
Esh Winning v Washington
Jarrow v Brandon United
Newcastle University v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
West Allotment Celtic v Redcar Athletic
Willington v Durham City
| POS | TEAM | P | GD | PTS | FORM |
| 15. | SEAHAM RED STAR | 19 | -18 | 18 | LLWWL |
| 16. | PENRITH | 19 | -17 | 16 | WDWLD |
| 17. | ASHINGTON | 18 | -21 | 16 | LLLLL |
| 18. | THORNABY | 16 | -18 | 14 | DWLLL |
| 19. | WHICKHAM | 19 | -22 | 14 | LLLWL |
| 20. | NORTHALLERTON TOWN | 19 | -21 | 12 | LLLLL |
In Division One it's been a great season so far for one of the best named teams in non-league football - West Allotment Celtic sit top of the division with just one defeat so far and an amazing 71 goals netted in just 18 games played. Celtic don't actually play in the village of West Allotment - they played at Whitley Park in Benton in 2001 after ground sharing with near neighbour's Whitley Bay from 1995. They stayed at Whitley Park until the end of the 16/17 season when a major rise in rent for the facilities the club's existent was under threat and they did actually initially resign from the Northern League - thankfully they found another ground (Druid Park) in Woolsington which is the former home of Newcastle Blue Star and Gosforth RFC. So although further away (around a 20 mile round trip compared to around 4 miles to Benton) the future of the club is now safe.
Redcar Athletic are another club on the up having joined from the Wearside League in 2018 they finished 7th last season and are looking at moving up to Division One.
It's also great to see the historic name of Crook Town AFC towards the top of the division. Aside from a stay in the North Eastern League from 1930 to 1936 as 'Crook FC' where the club went professional and a period after World War II when Crook Colliery Welfare played in the Northern League adopting the name Crook Town in 1949 the club have been members of the league since 1896 and famously won the FA Amateur Cup five times (01, 54, 59, 62 and 64) along with the league title five times (15, 27, 53, 59 and 63).
Aside from a two season stay in Division One between 2013 to 2015 (Division Two winner's in 2012/13) they have been members of Division Two since 2001. Their 2014/15 campaign in D1 was highly forgettable for their loyal fans as they only won one game of forty-two played in the league and conceded 182 goals!
Crook Town's record attendance is 17,500 against Walton and Hersham in the 1951/52 FA Amateur Cup Quarter-Final - Their average crowd for league games this season is 172 with 454 seeing their game against Willington recently at The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield. There are many Step Six teams up and down the country who would love to have an average of 172 people.
DIVISION TWO - CURRENT TABLE TOP SIX ONLY
| POS | TEAM | P | GD | PTS | FORM |
| 1. | WEST ALLOTMENT CELTIC | 18 | +48 | 49 | WWWWW |
| 2. | REDCAR ATHLETIC | 20 | +18 | 43 | WLDLW |
| 3. | CROOK TOWN | 17 | +17 | 34 | WWWWW |
| 4. | RYTON & CRAWCOOK | 17 | +14 | 34 | WLLLW |
| 5. | CARLISE CITY | 19 | -2 | 32 | WDWLD |
| 6. | BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA | 18 | +1 | 29 | LWWWL |
At the bottom of the table it's been another struggle for Brandon United who in the past ten seasons have finished 15th, 19th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 15th, 14th, 19th and 19th. They have only one league win in fifteen games played which came against Tow Law Town on the Saturday 18th August.
At the top end of the Northern Football Alliance (Step Seven) there is a name from non-league's past who may well move up to the Northern League if they can win the title although Blyth Town and AFC New Fordley are giving the newly re-formed Newcastle Blue Star a real run for their money. The club ceased playing in 2009 and had been members of the Northern Premier League Division One (North) where they won the play-off final and would of moved to the Premier Division were reformed in 2018 and have plans to move up the pyramid. Their clubhouse at The Scotswood Sports Centre is named after the North East's most famous and favourite footballing person - the Sir Bobby Robson Lounge was officially opened by Lady Elsie Robson in October 2018.
Blue Star's next game is on Saturday in a Bill Gardner Cup tie against FC UNITED OF NEWCASTLE who play in Division One of the Northern Football Alliance.
Northern Football Alliance Premier Division - Current Table Top Three Only
| POS | TEAM | P | GD | PTS | FORM |
| 1. | AFC NEW FORDLEY | 12 | +27 | 29 | DWWWD |
| 2. | NEWCASTLE BLUE STAR | 10 | +28 | 28 | WWWWD |
| 3. | BLYTH TOWN | 10 | +22 | 25 | WWWWW |
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES (LEAGUE ONLY)
Wednesday 18th December
Division One
Sunderland RCA v Ashington
North Shields v Thornaby
Division Two
Jarrow v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Heaton Stannington v Durham City
Bedlington Terriers v Chester-le-Street
Friday 20th December
Division One
North Shields v Sunderland Ryhope CW
Whickham v Consett
Saturday 21st December
Division One
Newcastle Benfield v Hebburn Town
Newton Aycliffe v Ashington
Northallerton Town v Stockton Town
Shildon v Bishop Auckland
Thornaby v Guisborough Town
Whitley Bay v Seaham Red Star
West Auckland Town v Penrith
Sunderland RCA v Billingham Town
Division Two
Billingham Synthonia v Birtley Town
Brandon United v Durham City
Crook Town v Bedlington Terriers
Heaton Stannington v Easington Colliery
Sunderland West End v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Willington v Carlisle City
Tow Law Town v Chester-le-Street
Jarrow v West Allotment Celtic
Thursday 26th December - Boxing Day
Division One
11am Kick Offs
Guisborough Town v Northallerton Town
Shildon v Newton Aycliffe
Stockton Town v Thornaby
North Shields v Whitley Bay
3pm Kick Offs
Sunderland RCA v Sunderland Ryhope CW
Ashington v Whickham
Bishop Auckland v West Auckland Town
Seaham Red Star v Billingham Town
Consett v Newcastle Benfield
Penrith v Hebburn Town
Division Two
3pm Kick Offs
Crook Town v Carlisle City
Tow Law Town v Sunderland West End
Bedlington Terriers v Willington
Birtley Town v Newcastle University
Brandon United v West Allotment Celtic
Durham City v Washington
Jarrow v Chester-le-Street
Easington Colliery v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
Saturday 4th January
Division One
Ashington v Hebburn Town
Bishop Auckland v Penrith
Guisborough Town v Seaham Red Star
Newcastle Benfield v Whitley Bay
North Shields v Sunderland RCA
Northallerton Town v Consett
Sunderland Ryhope CW v West Auckland Town
Stockton Town v Billingham Town
Thornaby v Shildon
Whickham v Newton Aycliffe
Division Two
Easington Colliery v Billingham Synthonia
Bedlington Terriers v Heaton Stannington
Birtley Town v Tow Law Town
Chester-le-Street v Carlisle City
Crook Town v Sunderland West End
Esh Winning v Washington
Jarrow v Brandon United
Newcastle University v Ryton & Crawcrook Albion
West Allotment Celtic v Redcar Athletic
Willington v Durham City
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