Five Things We Learned 2024/25 - Gameweek 38
Thu 17th April 2025 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
1. That’s all she wrote for the First Divisions
It has been a long season, but the First Divisions North and South are now finished. It is worth, once again congratulating our league champions – Atherton LR and Winsford United, who will face one another in First Division Champions Cup Final this weekend. The play-off places were sewn up last weekend, and those will begin on Saturday too.
We’ve known for a while who the three teams in the drop zone for the North will be, but, as of Saturday, we also know that Foley Meir will join Shawbury and Wolves Sporting in the running for a reprieve from relegation. It has been a long, hard season, but now its time for the teams not involved in any further matches to rest, recover and get ready to go again in 2025/26.
2. Irlam are Manchester Premier Cup Champions!
In other news, on Tuesday the Manchester Premier Cup Final take place at FC United of Manchester’s Broadhurst Park. Irlam were the NWCFL representatives, going up against Hyde United, of the NPL Premier Division.
The underdogs on paper, Irlam fought to a 2-0 lead by the hour mark thanks to goals by Jack Mitchell and Aidan Roxburgh, but were pegged back to 2-1. Ethan Cartwright scored 12 minutes from time to re-instate Irlam’s two-goal cushion, and they held on to eventually win 3-2 and bring the cup back to Silver Street. Congratulations to John Main and his team!
3. The Prem title goes down to the wire
There is one game to go in the NWCFL Premier Division, and we still don’t know if it will be Bury or Lower Breck lifting the trophy on the final day. As it stands, the odds are heavily in the Shakers’ favour. They have a three-point gap and a six-goal advantage on their Liverpudlian rivals.
However, Breck cut the goal gap massively last weekend, hitting Barnoldswick Town for six. A similar turnaround like that, and an in-form Burscough shocking the system at Bury could wel, tip the scales in the second-placed team’s favour. Grab. Your. Popcorn.
4. Pilks and South safe
Shooting right the way down the Prem table now, as we look to the relegation battle that has been going on all season long, and is still not 1000% concluded with a game to go. Colne were beaten by AFC Liverpool on Friday night, which meant that their maximum points tally for the season could only be 36. As a result, both Pilkington and South Liverpool were officially safe, no matter their results on Saturday.
They both won anyway, against Squires Gate and Padiham respectively, just for good measure. Additionally, third-bottom side Prestwich Heys overcame Irlam at the weekend to all but secure their own safety. Colne will need a win, Heys to lose, and a 13-goal swing to save themselves from potential relegation now.
5. Squires Gate are relegated
And speaking of relegation. Last weekend saw the first of two teams to be condemned to the drop in the NWCFL Prem, subject to a reprieve. Squires Gate have been going almost game for game with Colne and Prestwich Heys, constantly flip-flopping between safety and the drop zone.
But their defeat last Saturday to fellow relegation candidates Pilkington was enough to see them officially reserved to the bottom two. That, and results elsewhere also means that they will finish the campaign bottom of the division and so will play Step 6 football in 2025/26.
Five Things We Learned 2024/25 - Gameweek 38
Thu 17th April 2025 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
1. That’s all she wrote for the First Divisions
It has been a long season, but the First Divisions North and South are now finished. It is worth, once again congratulating our league champions – Atherton LR and Winsford United, who will face one another in First Division Champions Cup Final this weekend. The play-off places were sewn up last weekend, and those will begin on Saturday too.
We’ve known for a while who the three teams in the drop zone for the North will be, but, as of Saturday, we also know that Foley Meir will join Shawbury and Wolves Sporting in the running for a reprieve from relegation. It has been a long, hard season, but now its time for the teams not involved in any further matches to rest, recover and get ready to go again in 2025/26.
2. Irlam are Manchester Premier Cup Champions!
In other news, on Tuesday the Manchester Premier Cup Final take place at FC United of Manchester’s Broadhurst Park. Irlam were the NWCFL representatives, going up against Hyde United, of the NPL Premier Division.
The underdogs on paper, Irlam fought to a 2-0 lead by the hour mark thanks to goals by Jack Mitchell and Aidan Roxburgh, but were pegged back to 2-1. Ethan Cartwright scored 12 minutes from time to re-instate Irlam’s two-goal cushion, and they held on to eventually win 3-2 and bring the cup back to Silver Street. Congratulations to John Main and his team!
3. The Prem title goes down to the wire
There is one game to go in the NWCFL Premier Division, and we still don’t know if it will be Bury or Lower Breck lifting the trophy on the final day. As it stands, the odds are heavily in the Shakers’ favour. They have a three-point gap and a six-goal advantage on their Liverpudlian rivals.
However, Breck cut the goal gap massively last weekend, hitting Barnoldswick Town for six. A similar turnaround like that, and an in-form Burscough shocking the system at Bury could wel, tip the scales in the second-placed team’s favour. Grab. Your. Popcorn.
4. Pilks and South safe
Shooting right the way down the Prem table now, as we look to the relegation battle that has been going on all season long, and is still not 1000% concluded with a game to go. Colne were beaten by AFC Liverpool on Friday night, which meant that their maximum points tally for the season could only be 36. As a result, both Pilkington and South Liverpool were officially safe, no matter their results on Saturday.
They both won anyway, against Squires Gate and Padiham respectively, just for good measure. Additionally, third-bottom side Prestwich Heys overcame Irlam at the weekend to all but secure their own safety. Colne will need a win, Heys to lose, and a 13-goal swing to save themselves from potential relegation now.
5. Squires Gate are relegated
And speaking of relegation. Last weekend saw the first of two teams to be condemned to the drop in the NWCFL Prem, subject to a reprieve. Squires Gate have been going almost game for game with Colne and Prestwich Heys, constantly flip-flopping between safety and the drop zone.
But their defeat last Saturday to fellow relegation candidates Pilkington was enough to see them officially reserved to the bottom two. That, and results elsewhere also means that they will finish the campaign bottom of the division and so will play Step 6 football in 2025/26.
