2002–03 Northern Premier League

Premier Division

Gateshead Hyde United

The Premier League featured three new teams:

• Stalybridge Celtic relegated from the Football Conference
• Harrogate Town promoted as champions of Division One
• Ashton United promoted via 3° play-offs from Division One

League table

|win_W&E=14|draw_W&E=18|loss_W&E=12|gf_W&E=46|ga_W&E=49

|hth_W&E=From this season onwards Emley were known as Wakefield & Emley.

Results

|match_ACC_W&E=1–1

|match_ALT_W&E=0–1

|match_ASH_W&E=2–2

|match_BRW_W&E=1–1

|match_BLY_W&E=2–1

|match_BPA_W&E=1–1

|match_BUR_W&E=1–0

|match_COL_W&E=3–2

|match_DRO_W&E=1–0

|match_FRK_W&E=0–3

|match_GAI_W&E=4–1

|match_GAT_W&E=0–1

|match_HAR_W&E=1–2

|match_HUC_W&E=1–1

|match_HYD_W&E=0–1

|match_LNC_W&E=5–2

|match_MAR_W&E=2–1

|match_RUN_W&E=4–1

|match_STL_W&E=0–0

|match_VAU_W&E=1–0

|name_W&E=Wakefield & Emley |match_W&E_ACC=0–0 |match_W&E_ALT=2–1 |match_W&E_ASH=1–1 |match_W&E_BRW=0–1 |match_W&E_BLY=1–1 |match_W&E_BPA=2–0 |match_W&E_BUR=1–0 |match_W&E_COL=2–1 |match_W&E_DRO=2–2 |match_W&E_FRK=0–0 |match_W&E_GAI=2–1 |match_W&E_GAT=2–1 |match_W&E_HAR=0–0 |match_W&E_HUC=1–1 |match_W&E_HYD=1–1 |match_W&E_LNC=1–4 |match_W&E_MAR=1–1 |match_W&E_RUN=0–0 |match_W&E_STL=0–0 |match_W&E_VAU=1–1 |match_W&E_WTB=1–0 |match_W&E_WKS=1–0

|match_WTB_W&E=0–1

|match_WKS_W&E=2–1

Division One

Radcliffe Borough Spennymoor United Trafford

Division One featured four new teams:

• Bamber Bridge relegated via play-offs from Premier Division
• Bishop Auckland relegated from Premier Division
• Alfreton Town promoted as champions of the Northern Counties East League Premier Division
• Kidsgrove Athletic promoted as champions of the North West Counties League Division One

League table

Results

Play-offs

The Division One play-offs saw the third to fifth placed sides in the Division and the team that finished 21st in the Premier Division compete for one place in the Premier Division.{{cite news | access-date = 2011-07-11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190717050544/http://www.nonleaguefooty.co.uk/archive/northern03-fixtures.html | archive-date = 17 July 2019 | url-status = dead

| RD1-seed1=3°D1 | RD1-team1=Radcliffe Borough | RD1-score1=1 | RD1-seed2=4°D1 | RD1-team2=North Ferriby United | RD1-score2=0 | RD1-seed3=5°D1 | RD1-team3=Chorley | RD1-score3=5 | RD1-seed4=21°PD | RD1-team4=Gateshead | RD1-score4=2 | RD2-seed1=3°D1 | RD2-team1=Radcliffe Borough | RD2-score1=2(4) | RD2-seed2=5°D1 | RD2-team2=Chorley | RD2-score2=2(2)

Promotion and relegation

In the thirty-fifth season of the Northern Premier League Accrington Stanley (as champions) were automatically promoted to the Football Conference. Gateshead, Colwyn Bay and Hyde United were relegated to the First Division; these three clubs were replaced by relegated Conference side Southport, First Division winners Alfreton Town, second placed Spennymoor United and third placed Radcliffe Borough (via a Playoff). In the First Division Eastwood Town and Trafford left the League at the end of the season and were replaced by newly admitted Bridlington Town and Prescot Cables.

Cup Results

Challenge Cup: Teams from both leagues.

• Marine bt. Gateshead 3–0 on aggregate{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030622063504/http://gateshead-fc.com/fixtures.php | archive-date = 2003-06-22 | access-date = 2011-07-11| url = http://gateshead-fc.com/fixtures.php

President's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.

• Stalybridge Celtic bt. Ashton United

Chairman's Cup: 'Plate' competition for losing teams in the NPL Cup.

• Hucknall Town bt. Droylsden

Peter Swales Shield: Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup.

• Accrington Stanley bt. Marine

References