St Helens Town became the first team to play 1500 NWCFL games when they beat Chadderton 4-2 on Saturday 28th December 2019. The club were inaugural members of the league when it began in 1982, following the amalgamation of the Cheshire League and the Lancashire Combination.

Town’s complete playing record to date is:

Played: 1500 Won: 573 Drawn 315 Lost: 612 For: 2532 Against: 2599

While last Saturday’s win marked their 1500th league fixture (as well as being their last game of the decade) Town’s opening fixture of the new era back on the 14th August 1982 didn’t go as planned as they lost 2-0 away at Congleton Town.

The defeat was followed by a 1-1 draw with Darwen three days later at Hoghton Road and Town’s first victory in the new competition saw them record a 2-1 home win against Lancaster City on the second Saturday of the season (21st August 1982). An own goal and a strike from Jimmy Woodyer (now Pilkington FC Chairman) secured the spoils.

The NWCFL top flight in the opening season included a number of teams who are still, like Town, plying their trade in the Counties: Burscough (who finished Champions but didn’t get promoted), Darwen, Winsford United, Congleton Town and Bootle. Town narrowly avoided relegation in the opening campaign finishing 19th in a twenty team competition and three points above Nantwich Town who dropped to Division One.