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10th August 2005
Welcome to another season of Northern Premier League action that will again be sponsored by UniBond taking one of the longest and most successful partnerships in football in to a twelfth campaign.

The League welcomes back ASHTON UNITED, BRADFORD PARK AVENUE and RUNCORN FC HALTON who were all relegated from the Conference North at the end of last term. They effectively replace the expelled Spennymoor United along with the two promoted clubs Hyde United and Workington in the Premier Division.

Joining the new clubs in the top tier are First Division Champions NORTH FERRIBY UNITED, runners-up ILKESTON TOWN and play-off winners AFC TELFORD UNITED who replace relegated clubs BAMBER BRIDGE, BISHOP AUCKLAND and BRIDLINGTON TOWN.

At the bottom of the First Division the League bade farewell to Rocester after just one campaign whilst Willenhall Town are transferred to the Southern League with North West Counties League champions FLEETWOOD TOWN and Northern Counties East League winners GOOLE returning to the UniBond scene after a number of years absence. Indeed, Goole's forebears Goole Town were founder members of the League in 1968/9 maintaining continuous membership until their relegation in 1994/95.

Fleetwood, too, in another guise were founder members of the League in 1968/9 but were relegated in 1976 only to bounce back as founder members of the League's newly formed First Division in 1987/8 when they made an immediate impact winning the inaugural title. After six seasons in the top flight they were relegated and two seasons later suffered the same fate from the First Division.

This season's sponsorship package includes a new initiative to reward success on the playing field with prize money being re-allocated to reward clubs down to eighth place rather than the first four as in previous years. The eventual Premier Division champions will this time round take home £4,500 as against £3,900 last season, Runners Up £3,500 (2004/5 - £3,300), 3rd place £3,000 (£2,700), 4th £2,600 (£2,100), 5th £2,400 (£1,500), 6th place £2,200 (£1,500), 7th place £2,000 (£1,500), 8th place £1,800 (£1,500). Clubs placed 9th to 14th will remain at £1,500 whilst clubs from 15th to 22nd will drop slightly to £1,250.

Similarly in the First Division the champions will pocket £2,250 as against £1,950, the Runners-up will take £1,750 (£1,650), 3rd £1,500 (£1,350), 4th £1,300 (£1050), 5th £1,200 (£750), 6th £1,100 (£750), 7th £1,000 (£750) and 8th £900 (£750). Clubs in 9th to 14th place will stay on £750 with the 15th to 22nd placed clubs receiving £625. The restructured prize money ensures most clubs will have something to play for right up the last game be it promotion, reaching the play-offs, relegation or simply gaining extra prize money. The ninth place club, could for example, with three points from the final game perhaps climb as high as sixth and gain an extra £700.

The domestic cup competitions also see the winners in the battle for all three trophies far better rewarded with the League Cup winners set to take home £3,000 against £1,000. The winners of the President's Cup will pocket £1,500 instead of the previous £800 and the successful club in the Chairman's Cup will receive £750 against last season's £600.

In addition, of course, the League Sponsors continue to put up £5,000 in prize money as their commitment to see standards in discipline improve. The winners of the UniBond "Fair Play" table in each Division will receive £1,000, the runners-up £750, 3rd place £500 and 4th place £250.The season kicks off on Saturday, 20th August and with play-offs now a permanent and popular feature it is bound to be another exciting nine months ahead!

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