1980–81 Alliance Premier League

Football league season

Alliance Premier LeagueSeason| 1980–81[1]

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Champions| Altrincham (2nd Alliance Premier League title)
Promoted to the Football League| None
Runners-up| Kettering Town
Relegated to
Level 6| Bangor City,
Nuneaton Borough,
Wealdstone
Promoted for the next season| Dagenham,
Dartford,
Enfield,
Runcorn,
Trowbridge Town
Matches played| 380
Goals scored| 1,048 (2.76 per match)
Top goalscorer| Colin Williams (26 goals)[notes2 1]
Biggest home win| Kettering Town 6–1 Frickley Athletic
AP Leamington 5–0 Telford United
Bath City 5–0 AP Leamington
Frickley Athletic 5–0 Barrow
Biggest away win| Yeovil Town 0–5 Weymouth
Highest scoring| Bangor City 4–5 Altrincham

← 1979–80

1981–82 →

The 1980–81 Alliance Premier League season was the second season of the Alliance Premier League. Altrincham were the winners of their second Alliance Premier League title.

## New team(s) in the league this season[edit]

* Frickley Athletic (promoted 1979–80)

## League table[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation

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1  | Altrincham[a] | 38  | 14  | 2  | 3  | 40  | 21  | 9  | 6  | 4  | 32  | 20  | +31  | 54  | Alliance Premier League champions, no promotion
2  | Kettering Town | 38  | 13  | 4  | 2  | 38  | 12  | 8  | 5  | 6  | 28  | 25  | +29  | 51  |
3  | Scarborough | 38  | 10  | 7  | 2  | 25  | 11  | 7  | 6  | 6  | 24  | 18  | +20  | 47
4  | Northwich Victoria | 38  | 12  | 4  | 3  | 32  | 13  | 5  | 7  | 7  | 21  | 27  | +13  | 45
5  | Weymouth | 38  | 11  | 4  | 4  | 30  | 18  | 8  | 2  | 9  | 24  | 22  | +14  | 44
6  | Bath City | 38  | 9  | 6  | 4  | 23  | 8  | 7  | 4  | 8  | 28  | 24  | +19  | 42
7  | Maidstone United | 38  | 12  | 4  | 3  | 42  | 18  | 4  | 5  | 10  | 22  | 35  | +11  | 41
8  | Boston United | 38  | 10  | 4  | 5  | 39  | 30  | 6  | 5  | 8  | 24  | 28  | +5  | 41
9  | Barrow | 38  | 10  | 3  | 6  | 25  | 18  | 5  | 5  | 9  | 25  | 31  | +1  | 38
10  | Frickley Athletic[b] | 38  | 10  | 4  | 5  | 36  | 22  | 5  | 4  | 10  | 25  | 40  | −1  | 38
11  | Stafford Rangers | 38  | 10  | 4  | 5  | 34  | 22  | 1  | 11  | 7  | 22  | 34  | 0  | 37
12  | Worcester City | 38  | 10  | 4  | 5  | 33  | 25  | 4  | 3  | 12  | 14  | 29  | −7  | 35
13  | Telford United | 38  | 7  | 6  | 6  | 25  | 23  | 6  | 3  | 10  | 22  | 36  | −12  | 35
14  | Yeovil Town | 38  | 9  | 2  | 8  | 37  | 30  | 5  | 4  | 10  | 23  | 34  | −4  | 34
15  | Gravesend & Northfleet | 38  | 8  | 4  | 7  | 26  | 21  | 5  | 4  | 10  | 22  | 34  | −7  | 34
16  | AP Leamington | 38  | 6  | 7  | 6  | 29  | 26  | 4  | 4  | 11  | 18  | 40  | −19  | 31
17  | Barnet | 38  | 8  | 5  | 6  | 27  | 26  | 4  | 2  | 13  | 12  | 38  | −25  | 31
18  | Nuneaton Borough | 38  | 6  | 5  | 8  | 27  | 31  | 4  | 4  | 11  | 22  | 34  | −16  | 29  | Relegated to Southern League Midland Division
19  | Wealdstone | 38  | 6  | 8  | 5  | 27  | 19  | 3  | 3  | 13  | 10  | 37  | −19  | 29  | Relegated to Southern League Southern Division
20  | Bangor City | 38  | 5  | 6  | 8  | 25  | 34  | 1  | 6  | 12  | 10  | 34  | −33  | 24  | Relegated to Northern Premier League

Source: [1]
Notes:

1. ^ Alliance Premier League Cup winners
2. ^ New club in the Alliance Premier League

Note: FA Trophy winners (Bishop's Stortford, Isthmian League Division One)

## Results[edit]

Home \ Away  | ALT | APL | BAN | BAR | BRW | BAT | BOS | FRK | GRN | KET | MDS | NOR | NUN | SCA | STA | TEL | WEA | WEY | WRC | YEO

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Altrincham |  | 4–1  | 2–0  | 2–0  | 2–2  | 3–1  | 2–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 0–3  | 4–3  | 4–2  | 0–2  | 2–0  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 2–1
AP Leamington | 2–4  |  | 1–0  | 0–1  | 2–2  | 0–4  | 0–0  | 2–2  | 4–1  | 3–3  | 2–3  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 5–0  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 2–1  | 1–0
Bangor City | 4–5  | 1–0  |  | 4–2  | 2–6  | 0–1  | 1–1  | 4–3  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 1–1  | 0–0  | 2–5  | 0–3  | 0–0  | 2–0  | 0–2  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 0–2
Barnet | 3–2  | 1–0  | 0–1  |  | 0–0  | 1–5  | 2–2  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 4–1  | 1–0  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 3–0  | 0–3  | 0–2  | 4–4
Barrow | 0–4  | 0–2  | 3–0  | 1–1  |  | 0–0  | 0–2  | 0–0  | 3–1  | 2–1  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 0–1  | 5–1  | 0–1  | 1–0  | 0–1  | 1–0  | 2–1
Bath City | 0–1  | 5–0  | 0–0  | 1–0  | 2–1  |  | 2–0  | 3–0  | 1–0  | 0–0  | 0–0  | 0–0  | 0–0  | 0–1  | 0–0  | 0–1  | 2–0  | 2–3  | 3–0  | 2–1
Boston United | 1–1  | 2–3  | 1–1  | 3–0  | 0–2  | 4–2  |  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 2–3  | 3–1  | 0–3  | 2–2  | 5–3  | 2–1  | 2–1  | 3–1  | 3–1
Frickley Athletic | 0–2  | 0–0  | 4–0  | 3–0  | 5–0  | 2–1  | 0–1  |  | 2–4  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 0–1  | 4–3  | 1–0  | 3–2  | 4–1  | 1–1  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 2–1
Gravesend & Northfleet | 0–2  | 4–0  | 1–0  | 0–2  | 0–2  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 3–1  |  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 0–1  | 4–0  | 1–1  | 1–1  | 2–2  | 0–1  | 1–0  | 2–1  | 2–2
Kettering Town | 1–1  | 3–0  | 3–1  | 2–1  | 0–1  | 2–2  | 0–0  | 6–1  | 2–0  |  | 3–0  | 3–3  | 3–0  | 1–0  | 1–0  | 2–1  | 0–1  | 1–0  | 1–0  | 4–0
Maidstone United | 1–2  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 4–1  | 1–0  | 2–1  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 1–1  | 1–2  |  | 4–0  | 1–3  | 1–1  | 4–1  | 3–0  | 4–0  | 3–0  | 2–0  | 4–2
Northwich Victoria | 1–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 4–1  | 0–0  | 3–1  | 3–1  | 1–3  | 4–0  | 1–1  | 2–1  |  | 2–0  | 0–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 0–0  | 0–0  | 3–0  | 1–2
Nuneaton Borough | 0–0  | 3–0  | 3–2  | 0–1  | 3–1  | 0–0  | 0–2  | 0–1  | 1–2  | 1–5  | 1–1  | 2–0  |  | 0–4  | 2–2  | 3–3  | 2–0  | 1–4  | 2–3  | 3–0
Scarborough | 1–0  | 0–0  | 1–1  | 3–0  | 0–0  | 1–0  | 3–2  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 1–2  | 0–0  | 2–1  |  | 0–0  | 1–1  | 4–0  | 2–0  | 0–0  | 2–1
Stafford Rangers | 1–3  | 1–1  | 4–0  | 1–0  | 1–0  | 0–2  | 2–3  | 3–3  | 2–3  | 3–1  | 3–1  | 2–0  | 2–2  | 2–1  |  | 0–1  | 3–0  | 2–0  | 1–0  | 1–1
Telford United | 3–2  | 2–3  | 1–1  | 0–0  | 5–2  | 2–1  | 2–0  | 1–0  | 0–0  | 0–2  | 1–2  | 1–3  | 2–2  | 0–0  | 1–1  |  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 0–1
Wealdstone | 1–2  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 2–0  | 2–0  | 0–1  | 3–0  | 0–2  | 3–1  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 0–0  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 4–0  |  | 1–1  | 1–2  | 1–1
Weymouth | 0–0  | 3–2  | 4–0  | 3–0  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 0–1  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 4–3  | 1–0  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 2–1  |  | 1–0  | 0–1
Worcester City | 0–0  | 3–3  | 1–1  | 4–0  | 2–4  | 0–2  | 1–4  | 3–0  | 3–1  | 2–1  | 2–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 0–3  | 4–1  | 2–1  |  | 0–1
Yeovil Town | 1–1  | 3–0  | 1–0  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 5–3  | 1–3  | 1–2  | 2–1  | 1–2  | 5–1  | 0–0  | 3–4  | 1–2  | 4–0  | 0–5  | 3–0  |

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1981–82. Queen Anne Press, Macdonald Futura Publishers, London & Sydney, 1982.[1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Altrincham

Bangor City

Barnet

Barrow

Bath City

Boston United

Gravesend & N

Frickley

Kettering Town

AP Leamington

Maidstone

Northwich Victoria

Nuneaton Borough

Scarborough

Stafford

Telford United

Wealdstone

Weymouth

Worcester City

Yeovil Town

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 1980–81 Alliance Premier League clubs

## Tops scorers[edit]

Rank  | Player  | Club  | League  | FA Cup | FA Trophy | League Cup  | Total[1][notes2 2]

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1 | Williams | Northwich Victoria |  |  |  |  | 26
2 | J. N. Evans | Kettering Town |  |  |  |  | 25
3 | Graham Heathcote | Altrincham |  |  |  |  | 19
= | John Rogers | Altrincham |  |  |  |  | 19
= | Graham Withey | Bath City |  |  |  |  | 19
6 | Frank Ovard | Maidstone United |  |  |  |  | 17
7 | Clive Green | Yeovil Town |  |  |  |  | 16
8 | Colin Cowperthwaite | Barrow |  |  |  |  | 15
9 | David Mather | Telford United |  |  |  |  | 13
10 | D. Gardner | AP Leamington |  |  |  |  | 12
= | Hickton | AP Leamington |  |  |  |  | 12
= | Aniello Iannone | Weymouth |  |  |  |  | 12
= | Mick Wadsworth | Frickley Athletic |  |  |  |  | 12
= | Woodall | Frickley Athletic |  |  |  |  | 12

1. ^ Williams' goals include also goals scored in the League Cup.
2. ^ The number of goals is the sum of league and league cup goals.

## Promotion and relegation[edit]

### Promoted[edit]

* Dagenham (from the Isthmian League Premier Division)
* Dartford (from the Southern League Southern Division)
* Enfield (from the Isthmian League Premier Division)
* Runcorn (from the Northern Premier League)
* Trowbridge Town (from the Southern League Midland Division)

### Relegated[edit]

* Bangor City (to the Northern Premier League)
* Nuneaton Borough (to the Southern League Midland Division)
* Wealdstone (to the Southern League Southern Division)

## Election to the Football League[edit]

As winners of the Alliance Premier League Altrincham won (for the second season running) the right to apply for election to the Football League to replace one of the four bottom sides in the 1980–81 Football League Fourth Division. The vote went as follows:

Club  | Final Position  | Votes

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Tranmere Rovers | 21st (Fourth Division) | 48
Hereford United | 22nd (Fourth Division) | 46
York City | 24th (Fourth Division) | 46
Halifax Town | 23rd (Fourth Division) | 41
Altrincham | 1st (Alliance Premier League) | 15

As a result of this, Altrincham did not gain membership of the Football League.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Rollin, Jack (ed.): Rothmans Football Yearbook 1981–82, p. 902–904. Queen Anne Press, MacDonald Futura Publishers, London, 1981.

## External links[edit]

* 1980–81 Football Conference Results
* Re-election Results – The Division Four final league table, including the results of the re-election vote.

* v
* t
* e

National League

2023–24
Clubs|

| National|

| Clubs|

* AFC Fylde
* Aldershot Town
* Altrincham
* Barnet
* Boreham Wood
* Bromley
* Chesterfield
* Dagenham & Redbridge
* Dorking Wanderers
* Eastleigh
* Ebbsfleet United
* Gateshead
* FC Halifax Town
* Hartlepool United
* Kidderminster Harriers
* Maidenhead United
* Oldham Athletic
* Oxford City
* Rochdale
* Solihull Moors
* Southend United
* Wealdstone
* Woking
* York City

|

Grounds|

* Aggborough
* Boundary Park
* Court Place Farm
* Damson Park
* Gateshead International Stadium
* Grosvenor Vale
* Hayes Lane
* The Hive
* Kingfield Stadium
* Meadowbank
* Meadow Park
* Mill Farm
* Moss Lane
* Recreation Ground
* Roots Hall
* The Shay
* Spotland Stadium
* Stonebridge Road
* Technique Stadium
* Ten Acres
* Victoria Park
* Victoria Road
* York Community Stadium
* York Road

North|

* Alfreton Town
* Banbury United
* Bishop's Stortford
* Blyth Spartans
* Boston United
* Brackley Town
* Buxton
* Chester
* Chorley
* Curzon Ashton
* Darlington
* Farsley Celtic
* Gloucester City
* Hereford
* King's Lynn Town
* Peterborough Sports
* Rushall Olympic
* Scarborough Athletic
* Scunthorpe United
* South Shields
* Southport
* Spennymoor Town
* Tamworth
* Warrington Town

South|

* Aveley
* Bath City
* Braintree Town
* Chelmsford City
* Chippenham Town
* Dartford
* Dover Athletic
* Eastbourne Borough
* Farnborough
* Hampton & Richmond Borough
* Havant & Waterlooville
* Hemel Hempstead Town
* Maidstone United
* Slough Town
* St Albans City
* Taunton Town
* Tonbridge Angels
* Torquay United
* Truro City
* Welling United
* Weston-super-Mare
* Weymouth
* Worthing
* Yeovil Town

Seasons|

* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

See also: Conference League Cup

* v
* t
* e

1980–81 in English football

« 1979–80

1981–82 »

National teams|

* Ron Greenwood
* Home Championship
* 1982 FIFA World Cup (qualification)

League competitions|

| Levels 1–4|

* Football League (First Division, Second Division, Third Division, Fourth Division)

|

Level 5|

* Alliance Premier League

Levels 6–7|

* Isthmian League (Premier, One)
* Northern Premier League (level 6 only)
* Southern League (Midland, Southern) (level 6 only)

Levels 8–9|

* Isthmian League (Two)
* Athenian League (level 8 only)
* Cheshire County League (One, Two)
* Combined Counties League (level 8 only)
* Town & Country League (level 8 only)
* Essex Senior League (level 8 only)
* Hellenic League (Premier, One)
* Kent League (level 8 only)
* Lancashire Combination (level 8 only)
* London Spartan League (Premier, Senior)
* Midland Football Combination (level 8 only)
* Midland League (Premier, One)
* Northern League (level 8 only)
* South Midlands League (Premier, One)
* Sussex County League (One, Two)
* United Counties League (Premier, One)
* West Midlands (Regional) League (level 8 only)
* Western League (Premier, One)
* Yorkshire League (One, Two)

Cup competitions|

| FA cups|

* FA Cup (Qualifying rounds, Final)
* Charity Shield
* FA Trophy (Final)
* FA Vase

|

Football League cups|

* League Cup (Final)

European competitions|

* European Cup
* UEFA Cup
* European Cup Winners' Cup
* Anglo-Scottish Cup

Club seasons

First Division|

* Arsenal
* Aston Villa
* Birmingham City
* Brighton & Hove Albion
* Coventry City
* Crystal Palace
* Everton
* Ipswich Town
* Leeds United
* Leicester City
* Liverpool
* Manchester City
* Manchester United
* Middlesbrough
* Norwich City
* Nottingham Forest
* Southampton
* Stoke City
* Sunderland
* Tottenham Hotspur
* West Bromwich Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division|

* Blackburn Rovers
* Bolton Wanderers
* Bristol City
* Bristol Rovers
* Cambridge United
* Cardiff City
* Chelsea
* Derby County
* Grimsby Town
* Luton Town
* Newcastle United
* Notts County
* Oldham Athletic
* Orient
* Preston North End
* Queens Park Rangers
* Sheffield Wednesday
* Shrewsbury Town
* Swansea City
* Watford
* West Ham United
* Wrexham

Third Division|

* Barnsley
* Blackpool
* Brentford
* Burnley
* Carlisle United
* Charlton Athletic
* Chester
* Chesterfield
* Colchester United
* Exeter City
* Fulham
* Gillingham
* Huddersfield Town
* Hull City
* Millwall
* Newport County
* Oxford United
* Plymouth Argyle
* Portsmouth
* Reading
* Rotherham United
* Sheffield United
* Swindon Town
* Walsall

Fourth Division|

* Aldershot
* Bournemouth
* Bradford City
* Bury
* Crewe Alexandra
* Darlington
* Doncaster Rovers
* Halifax Town
* Hartlepool United
* Hereford United
* Lincoln City
* Mansfield Town
* Northampton Town
* Peterborough United
* Port Vale
* Rochdale
* Scunthorpe United
* Southend United
* Southport
* Stockport County
* Torquay United
* Tranmere Rovers
* Wimbledon
* York City

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[HW]: Home won
*[HD]: Home drawn
*[HL]: Home lost
*[HGF]: Home Goals for
*[HGA]: Home Goals against
*[AW]: Away won
*[AD]: Away drawn
*[AL]: Away lost
*[AGF]: Away Goals for
*[AGA]: Away Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template