League News for
Christmas Leaders Set To Win Title?
23rd December, 2012
The leaders of both Premier Division and Division One in the Baris NCEL going into the Christmas period know that history is on their side as they try to become the champions when the season ends in April.
If Scarborough Athletic win the title, it would be the sixth season in a row that the side who led the Premier Division at Christmas would go on to lift the trophy, joining Winterton Rangers, Mickleover Sports, Bridlington Town, Farsley AFC and Retford United.
In fact, over the previous thirty seasons, fifteen of the Christmas leaders in the Premier Division went on to become champions.
Winterton Rangers, who led the pack in 1983, finished the lowest in tenth spot whilst Hatfield Main (1995/96) and Hucknall Town (1997/98) improved the most, coming up from seventh in the table at Christmas to win the title.
For Division One leaders, Athersley Recreation, the statistics are looking good for them as well, although recent history has not been so kind to the division's festive top side.
Out of the 27 seasons that Division One has been contested, thirteen sides who topped the table at Christmas went on to win the title but it has only happened twice in the last ten seasons, Parkgate (2006/07) and Scarborough Athletic (2008/09).
Shirebrook Town came from eighth at Christmas 2003 to take the title, the biggest rise, whilst Hall Road Rangers (2000/01) and Gedling Town (2007/08) went from the top to sixth by the end of the season.
If Scarborough Athletic win the title, it would be the sixth season in a row that the side who led the Premier Division at Christmas would go on to lift the trophy, joining Winterton Rangers, Mickleover Sports, Bridlington Town, Farsley AFC and Retford United.
In fact, over the previous thirty seasons, fifteen of the Christmas leaders in the Premier Division went on to become champions.
Winterton Rangers, who led the pack in 1983, finished the lowest in tenth spot whilst Hatfield Main (1995/96) and Hucknall Town (1997/98) improved the most, coming up from seventh in the table at Christmas to win the title.
For Division One leaders, Athersley Recreation, the statistics are looking good for them as well, although recent history has not been so kind to the division's festive top side.
Out of the 27 seasons that Division One has been contested, thirteen sides who topped the table at Christmas went on to win the title but it has only happened twice in the last ten seasons, Parkgate (2006/07) and Scarborough Athletic (2008/09).
Shirebrook Town came from eighth at Christmas 2003 to take the title, the biggest rise, whilst Hall Road Rangers (2000/01) and Gedling Town (2007/08) went from the top to sixth by the end of the season.
| Premier Division | Christmas Leader (Final Pos) | Champions (Christmas Pos) |
| 1982/83 | Guisley (5th) | Shepshed Charterhouse (2nd) |
| 1983/84 | Winterton Rangers (10th) | Spalding United (2nd) |
| 1984/85 | Belper Town (1st) | Belper Town (1st) |
| 1985/86 | Emley (2nd) | Arnold (2nd) |
| 1986/87 | Alfreton Town (1st) | Alfreton Town (1st) |
| 1987/88 | Armthorpe Welfare (2nd) | Emley (2nd) |
| 1988/89 | Emley (1st) | Emley (1st) |
| 1989/90 | Bridlington Town (1st) | Bridlington Town (1st) |
| 1990/91 | Guiseley (1st) | Guiseley (1st) |
| 1991/92 | North Shields (1st) | North Shields (1st) |
| 1992/93 | Spennymoor United (1st) | Spennymoor United (1st) |
| 1993/94 | Brigg Town (5th) | Stocksbridge Park Steels (3rd) |
| 1994/95 | Arnold Town (2nd) | Lincoln United (2nd) |
| 1995/96 | North Ferriby United (3rd) | Hatfield Main (7th) |
| 1996/97 | Belper Town (2nd) | Denaby United (3rd) |
| 1997/98 | Ossett Albion (3rd) | Hucknall Town (7th) |
| 1998/99 | Ossett Town (2nd) | Ossett Albion (2nd) |
| 1999/00 | Brigg Town (2nd) | North Ferriby United (4th) |
| 2000/01 | Brigg Town (1st) | Brigg Town (1st) |
| 2001/02 | Alfreton Town (1st) | Alfreton Town (1st) |
| 2002/03 | Goole AFC (3rd) | Bridlington Town (2nd) |
| 2003/04 | Brigg Town (3rd) | Ossett Albion (6th) |
| 2004/05 | Harrogate Railway (3rd) | Goole AFC (3rd) |
| 2005/06 | Buxton (1st) | Buxton (1st) |
| 2006/07 | Sheffield (2nd) | Retford United (2nd) |
| 2007/08 | Winterton Rangers (1st) | Winterton Rangers (1st) |
| 2008/09 | Mickleover Sports (1st) | Mickleover Sports (1st) |
| 2009/10 | Bridlington Town (1st) | Bridlington Town (1st) |
| 2010/11 | Farsley AFC (1st) | Farsley AFC (1st) |
| 2011/12 | Retford United (1st) | Retford United (1st) |
| Division One | Christmas Leader (Final Pos) | Champions (Christmas Pos) |
| 1985/86 | North Ferriby United (1st) | North Ferriby United (1st) |
| 1986/87 | Ossett Albion (1st) | Ossett Albion (1st) |
| 1987/88 | York Railway Institute (1st) | York Railway Institute (1st) |
| 1988/89 | Woolley Miners Welfare (3rd) | Sheffield (2nd) |
| 1989/90 | Rowntree Mackintosh (1st) | Rowntree Mackintosh (1st) |
| 1990/91 | Hallam (2nd) | Sheffield (2nd) |
| 1991/92 | Bradley Rangers (3rd) | Stocksbridge Park Steels (2nd) |
| 1992/93 | Lincoln United (1st) | Lincoln United (1st) |
| 1993/94 | Arnold Town (1st) | Arnold Town (1st) |
| 1994/95 | Hatfield Main (1st) | Hatfield Main (1st) |
| 1995/96 | Hall Road Rangers (5th) | Selby Town (7th) |
| 1996/97 | Eccleshill United (1st) | Eccleshill United (1st) |
| 1997/98 | Garforth Town (1st) | Garforth Town (1st) |
| 1998/99 | Parkgate (4th) | Harrogate Railway (3rd) |
| 1999/00 | Goole AFC (1st) | Goole AFC (1st) |
| 2000/01 | Hall Road Rangers (6th) | Borrowash Victoria (6th) |
| 2001/02 | Gedling Town (1st) | Gedling Town (1st) |
| 2002/03 | Hatfield Main (5th) | Mickleover Sports (4th) |
| 2003/04 | Long Eaton United (2nd) | Shirebrook Town (8th) |
| 2004/05 | Garforth Town (2nd) | Sutton Town (2nd) |
| 2005/06 | Tadcaster Albion (3rd) | Carlton Town (4th) |
| 2006/07 | Parkgate (1st) | Parkgate (1st) |
| 2007/08 | Gedling Town (6th) | Dinnington Town (3rd) |
| 2008/09 | Scarborough Athletic (1st) | Scarborough Athletic (1st) |
| 2009/10 | Staveley Miners Welfare (4th) | Tadcaster Albion (4th) |
| 2010/11 | Pontefract Collieries (5th) | Staveley Miners Welfare (3rd) |
| 2011/12 | Albion Sports (4th) | Handsworth (5th) |
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