The 1980–81 Northern Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Northern Premier League, a regional football league in Northern England, the northern areas of the Midlands and North Wales. The season began on 16 August 1980 and concluded on 3 May 1981.

Overview

The League featured twenty-two clubs.

Team changes

The following club left the League at the end of the previous season: The following club joined the League at the start of the season:

League table

Results

Stadia and locations

Cup Results

Challenge Cup Cup: Northern Premier League Shield:

Cup results

Challenge Cup

Northern Premier League Shield

Between Champions of NPL Premier Division and Winners of the NPL Cup. As Runcorn won both the Northern Premier League and the Challenge Cup, Mossley qualified as 2nd placed team of the NPL.

FA Cup

Only one of the twenty-two Northern Premier League clubs reached the second round: Second Round

FA Trophy

One of the twenty-two Northern Premier League clubs reached the fourth round: Fourth Round

End of the season

At the end of the thirteenth season of the Northern Premier League, Runcorn applied to join the Alliance Premier League and were successful.

Promotion and relegation

The following club left the League at the end of the season: The following club joined the League the following season: