Founded in 1968, decades after the other two leagues at the sixth tier of the football pyramid, the league has two divisions,the Premier Division champions obtaining Conference places the following season and the First Division champion exchanging places with the Premier Division's bottom side.
Promotion to the First Division is possible from each of three leagues covering smaller sections of northern England,the Albany Northern League, the Northern Counties East League, and the North West Counties League (known under its current title sponsorship contract as the First Northwest Trains League).