The FA has today announced the club allocations for the National League System for 2019/20, which includes allocations for The North West Counties Football League next season.

Once again the League will operate with three divisions across Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System with the Premier Division at Step 5 and the First Division North and First Division South at Step 6.

Heys will again compete in Division One North and will face new opposition in Yorkshire sides Golcar and AFC Emley. However, they will not be making the trip to Carlisle this season as they have been moved to the Northern League.

In the Premier Division, Longridge Town and Rylands have been promoted from Step 6 as Champions of the First Division North and First Division South as expected. They will be joined by Avro who gain promotion as runners up in the First Divison North, who qualified for promotion on a points per game (PPG) basis. First Division South runners up, Vauxhall Motors, miss out on promotion due to their lower PPG record this season gone. Joining them in the Premier Division will be Skelmersdale United, who return to The North West Counties League following relegation from the Evo Stik League First Division West. They rejoin the League after a 13 year absence.

In a surprise move though, The FA has moved Premier Division side Silsden over to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division for next season, leaving the Premier Division with 20 clubs, sadly ending Silsden's 15 year association with the League.

The First Division North will also operate with 20 clubs, with Daisy Hill and Atherton LR being repreived from relegation. Golcar United join the North Division as Champions of the West Riding County Amateur League, and they will be joined by Cheshire League Champions Pilkington FC. In another surprise move, Carlisle City, currently our most northerly club have been latterly moved to the Northern League Division Two and in return we have gained Emley AFC who join us from the Northern Counties East League Division One. Carlisle City leave the League after three years.

The make up of the First Division South remains similar to that of that season, apart from both relegated clubs from our Premier Division, Abbey Hey and West Didsbury & Chorlton being placed in this division. Second to bottom Ellesmere Rangers have been given a reprieve. Stone Dominoes who finished bottom of the division last season have been relegated to Step 7 and are likely to be placed in the Staffordshire Senior League.

The club allocations are subject to FA appeal and will be finalised at the League's AGM on 15th June in Blackpool.

The League Allocations for 2019/20 are as follows:

Premier Division (Step 5)

1874 Northwich

Ashton Athletic

Avro (NWCFL 1N)

Barnoldswick Town

Bootle

Burscough

Charnock Richard

Congleton Town

Hanley Town

Irlam

Litherland REMYCA

Longridge Town (NWCFL 1N)

Northwich Victoria

Padiham

Runcorn Town

Rylands (NWCFL 1S)

Skelmersdale United (NPL 1W)

Squires Gate

Whitchurch Alport

Winsford United

First Division North (Step 6)

AFC Blackpool

AFC Darwen

AFC Liverpool

Ashton Town

Atherton LR (Reprieved)

Bacup Borough

Chadderton

Cleator Moor Celtic

Daisy Hill (Reprieved)

Emley AFC (NCE1)

Garstang

Golcar United (West Riding Amateur)

Holker Old Boys

Lower Breck

Nelson

Pilkington (Cheshire League)

Prestwich Heys

Shelley Community

St Helens Town

Steeton

First Division South (Step 6)

Abbey Hey (NWCFL P)

Abbey Hulton United

Alsager Town

Barnton

Cammell Laird 1907

Cheadle Heath Nomads

Cheadle Town

Eccleshall

Ellesmere Rangers (Reprieved)

FC Oswestry Town

Maine Road

New Mills

Sandbach United

St Martins

Stockport Town

Stone Old Alleynians

Vauxhall Motors

West Didsbury & Chorlton (NWCFL P)

Wythenshawe Amateurs

Wythenshawe Town