Northern Premier League Division One Midlands
The Northern Premier League Division One Midlands is a football league in England, positioned at Step 4 of the National League System, making it the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.
The league covers all of Northern England, the northern and central Midlands, and the western areas of East Anglia.
Similar to its sister leagues in the East and West, the league typically features 22 clubs, all competing for promotion or to remain in the division.
About the Northern Premier League One Midlands
The Northern Premier League has been around since 1968 and serves as the northern counterpart to the Southern League in southern England. Initially, the league had only one division, but in 1987, it expanded with the introduction of Division One.
In 2007, it further expanded by adding a third division, which was then divided into two regional divisions, which were called the Division One North and Division One South.
In 2018, Division One was divided into East and West Divisions. The following year, the leagues were reassigned as North West and South East. Ultimately, in 2021, non-league football underwent a major revamp, resulting in the current structure of Division One being split into One East, One West, and One Midlands, with the latter making its first appearance in the Northern Premier League.
Clubs that are promoted from the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands move up to the Northern Premier League. The team that finishes at the top of the table earns promotion to the higher league, provided it meets the requirements for Step 3.
A second team wins promotion via the play-offs, which feature the teams that finish from second to fifth place during the regular league campaign.
Teams that finish in 19th to 22nd place in the division are relegated to one of the following leagues: the Eastern Counties League, the Midland League, the Northern League, the Northern Counties East League, the North West Counties League, or either the United Counties League North or South.
Recent Winners and Best Teams
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Ilkeston Town |
| 2022/23 | Stamford |
| 2023/24 | Spalding United |
| 2024/25 | Quorn |
The Northern Premier League One Midlands has a very short history. In fact, its journey only began in season 2021/22 when it was added to feature alongside its counterparts in the East and the West.
Since its inception, the division has had four champions: Ilkeston Town, Stamford, Spalding United, and Quorn.