English National League North: Promotion/Relegation Battles
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All eyes will be on the promotion and relegation battles across the 5 Divisions of National Football in England over the Easter weekend. However, in the National League North (in the 6th tier of English Football, 2 tiers below EFL League Two), there is huge game in Lancashire, which will go a long way to seal the league championship, and deliver promotion to National League Football.
Former, Football League club Stockport County F.C. make the 30-mile trip to Chorley, with Stockport County one point ahead of Chorley FC, both having just three games left to play.
It is difficult the emphasize the level of competition in this division, littered with ex-league teams. These include Boston United F.C., Kidderminster Harriers F.C., Southport F.C., York City F.C., and perhaps the biggest of all these clubs Stockport. The borderline fanaticism that English fans have with their beloved sport of football is on full display in this division. Surely, there are not many countries in the world, where a team can have attendance of over 6000 in the 6th division of play. This happened when Stockport entertained Spennymoor Town F.C. earlier in the season. Not only that, but Stockport County has regularly attract crowds in excess of 4000 this season.
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The Proud Histories Of Chorley FC And Stockport County F.C.
In the 1990’s it was a different story for Stockport. During this time, they spent five years in the second tier of English Football (EFL Championship), and in the 1996-1997 season, only missed out on a play-off position for the Premier League by two points!
Chorley themselves have a proud history, being a senior club in Non-League circles in the North of England for many decades. They have twice reached the second round of the FA Cup, including a victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 24 November 1986 for the ‘Magpies’.
All eyes will be on Victory Park this Saturday, for a massive game in the history of both clubs. These two clubs, incidentally, have a little bit of history to fall back on, 136 years to be precise, as both clubs were formed in 1883! This year, the winner of the game has an excellent chance to become champion of the English National League North.
