Back in the NPL 
 
With the departure of Gallagher a number of players also left the club, United lost the services of Peter Crookes, Tony Hallam, Michael Cole and more importantly Stuart Rudd who joined the newly formed FC United, where he became a fans favourite and club legend. United.s first season back in the Northern Premier League, a far cry from their last appearances in the competition, back in the 70's this was one step away from League Football but with the introduction of the Conference, Blue Square and the NPL now in 2 divisions there was a long way to go to get back to the glory years of the past
 The keeping position was not settled until the arrival of Terry McCormick in November, Andy Paxton and a surprise return of Robbie Holcroft had stood between the posts, Towering defender James Glendenning came from the Welsh League to partner Steve Rimmer, whilst in the middle of the park diminutive Adam Birchall arrived from Clitheroe. Tom Hardwick who joined towards the end of Gallagher’s reign cemented his place at the back. Two youth team players also quickly broke into the starting eleven John Cass and Craig Noone, Noone had made a brief substitute appearance against Liversedge in last seasons FA Cup. An ageing Paul McNally, Lawson’s No 2 was also involved whether in Attack or defence.
United’s most influential player for a number of years arrived from Ashton T, Aaron Turner. All though out injured until  October he quickly established himself as a player of quality and style with a hatrick against his former club in a 8-3 win in the Liverpool Senior Cup. Another player toshow himself in the first team was former Liverpool trainee George Donnelly, released because he was to small made his debut as sub at the end of October in a Lancashire Challenge Cup tie against Rossendale George would be loaned out to Runcorn to gain experience but would return with a bang the following season.
 Early season showed enough promise as Lawson stamped his mark and influence on the team, not far of the top teams come November Wins in the FA Cup at St Helens, Radcliffe Boro and an eventful trip to Marske Utd before bowing out to another Blue Square side in Droylsden.
 
Marske United vs Skelmersdale United.
FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round, 30 September 2006, Mount Pleasant. Score 0-2. Attendance 349 
Report from Paul Kirkwood  (www.nomad-online.co.uk)
The 'Car Park Full' sign was out as we walked up to the ground, programmes were sold out about an hour before kick-off and, as a lad remarked to his Pa as they approached the ground, "I can hear chanting!". It was on the lines of "Super, super Skem; Super, super Skem; Super, super Skem; Super Skem United!" There's something desperately sad about being an away non-league supporter, especially when there's only a dozen of you. Later songs include odes to the manager who, I assume, is in the catering trade: "We want free burgers; we want free burgers; from your v-a-a-a-n,. from your v-a-a-a-n," sung to the tune of La Donna e Mobile] and "Tommy, give us a chip; Tommy, Tommy, give us a chip ..." Tommy Lawson is his name. 
The best name on the team sheet, though, had to be Marske no. 9, David Onions. Every FA Cup tie has its tenuous connection with celebrity and this one was no exception. In the Marske side was the son of ex-Premiership ref Jeff Winter, Which probably explains why everyone who passed through the turnstiles was given a flyer advertising his football phone-in on Tees FM after the match. As for the match, Skem (in blue) went 2-0 up after 20 mins and that was that really. 
 
Droylsden 3- 2 Skelmersdale United
FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, Saturday 14th October 2006
Report by Gary Owen (Bloods on the net)
Droylsden made the final qualifying round of this season's tournament, but were made to fight all the way by their visitors from Merseyside, who belied their league position to produce a fine, spirited display their high-flying hosts. The Bloods chalked-up a 3-0 lead, only to be pegged back to 3-2 to create a nail-biting final 25 minutes.
Paul Phillips in the home goal was then twice forced into action, first from Paul McNally's towering header and then from a John Cass lofted effort.
At the other end, though, Terry Fearns headed wide when unchallenged from Jimmy Williams' cross, but Steve Jagielka broke the dealock on 14 minutes, when he beat Robbie Holcroft from the edge of the box despite claims of handball from the Skem players.
Craig Noone then fired wide before Phillips produced a great stop to deny Dave Standley as Skelmersdale looked to level matters.
On 27 minutes, Fearns latched on to a long ball, but as he lifted the ball over Holcroft, he also lifted it over the bar, and the chance was lost.
Referee, Mr. Hughes, then decided to dismiss Williams from Droylsden's ranks for dissent, which turned-out to be one of a number of strange decisions on a poor afternoon for the man in the middle.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Bloods immeditaley made it 2-0 as Tandy found Jagielka, who again beat Holcroft with another fine strike.
Just before the break, a goalbound volley by Skem's Cass struck Craig Robinson, and so the score remained at 2-0 at the interval.
On 56 minutes, Fearns chased a long ball down the right flank, cut inside his defender, and gave Holcroft no chance to clock-up a 3-0 advantage.
However, within minutes, Noone saw his deflected effort strike the Droylsden cross bar after Phillips had failed to gather under pressure, and on 61 minutes, Chris Denham left a leg raised in the box to trip a Skem forward, and Carl Osman displayed great composure to beat Phillips from the spot.
Fearns and Banim both saw efforts come to nothing before Skem made a real contest of it by reducing the arrears to just one goal when Cass beat Phillips to make it 3-2.
Noone saw an effort zip over the Droylsden bar, before he found his strike partner, Cass, who beat Warner to the ball and lifted it over the advancing Phillips. Droylsden hearts were in their mouths, before the ball drifted just agonisingly of the right upright.
With Droylsden hanging-on to go into the hat for the final qualifier, Skelmersdale returned home hoping that similar displays can see them challenging at the top end of the UniBond First Division.
Skelmersdale Utd: Holcroft, Holmes, Hardwick, Gelndenning, Standley, Barlow, Birchall, McNally, Noone, Cass, Osman.
Subs: Omidudo (for Osman, 90+2), Rogers (for Holmes, 57), Price (not used), Turner (not used), Boyd (not used).
Scorers Droylsden - Jagielka (14 & 38), Fearns (56)
Scorers Skem Utd. - Osman (pen., 61), Cass (68)
REFEREE: Mr. M. A. P. Hughes (Preston, Lancashire)
ATTENDANCE: 409
 
  When Farsley Celtic came in the FA trophy the United faithful were in confident mood having previously disposed of Kendal 4-2, the men from Yorkshire held no fears for the boys in blue and all though United suffered a slender 2-1 defeat it was a turning point of the season no one expected as United won just 2 of the next sixteen games to send them plummeting to the lower reaches of the table. Glendenning was shipped out to be replaced a third impressive signing a young, tall lanky lad from Warrington Steve Akrigg. It wasn’t long after Akriggs arrival that the team gelled again beating League leaders Buxton 1-0,on their own turf John Cass getting a 90th minute winner to show that United could mix it with the best of them, Buxton repaid their debt the following week by the same scoreline but it was undoubtedly the soon to be crowned champions stiffest tests of the season. United rallied to climb up the table to finish 15th including a 3-2 victory over runners up Cammell Lairds, in the side that day was new striker Tony Evans, all though United failed to see the best of him in the final few games of the season Tony would certainly make his mark in the coming season. Lawson had certainly made his mark in his first season, it would also later prove to have unearthed some gems.
 
2007-08
United reached the Play-offs for the first time and were leading the table with just 7 games to go but the pressure and the good for of their nearest challengers Bradford PA and FC Utd had to settle for 3rd. 
Having put 7 past hapless Chorley and 5 past Chorley away, Lancaster and Mossley,United on their day were a match for anybody but their failure lay at the hands of those two leaders  as 1point was gained in those all important matches.
It was the season Tony Evans came of age, in the  35 matches up till January Tony scored 4 hat ricks and totaled 24 goals before being transferred to Witton where he was not so lucky scoring just once in 20 appearances.
United also encountered Gateshead in the League Challenge Cup in what was a topsy turvey game with a Rov of the Rovers ending.
In the Final League game United again hammered the scoresheet with 4 past Play off chasing Curzon and in the Play-offs themselves the same opponents were again dispatched with ease. The Final itself played at FC Utd's home of Gigg Lane attracted over 3,000 supporters but it was not to be United of Skelmersdale's day as first M White was sent off for a handball goalline clearance, two pens to their opponents, one which somehow had to be retaken and a further dismissal of Kevin Leadbetter left the blues not only facing a rampant opposition but a referee hell bent on making life as difficult as possible.
   It was a good journey and a good lesson for the future
 
2008-09
What a season this turned out to be, some fantastic highs, tempered by some downright disappointments and a finale straight out of Roy of the Rovers 
A season that saw George Donnelly join former team mate Craig Noone at Plymouth Argyle and Sean McConville also follow into the football league with Accrington Stanley.
A good solid start was interrupted by successive defeats at Chorley and the worst performance for many a year as we crashed at Halifax but United showed courage in bouncing back with 27 League and Cup games with just 1 defeat, a FA Trophy game at Barrow, Michael Duffys wonder goal was not enough in a game United at least deserved to draw. In the League Challenge Cup United thrashed, then league leaders Bamber Bridge 10-0 and in the same competition the club went up Premier division high flyers Kendal and hat some describe as the best ever performance shown in a blue shirt came a way with a resounding 5-1 victory, locals compared us to “Arsenal of the non league” 
The run came to a somewhat strange circumstances,2-0 up at home to Harrogate and dominating the game somehow United contrived to concede 4 and lose a game they dominated. There followed a 7 game losing run which saw the club slip out of the play-off positions, They followed that up with a 14 game unbeaten run, 12 wins Including the Lancashire Challenge Trophy win at Leyland over Radcliffe Boro. 
The drama was yet to unfold. With  2 games to go United were sitting pretty for a possible title when 3^rd place Newcastle BS visited  S&OCS. It was well known at the time that Blue Star where on the verge of packing up or moving back to the Northern League but they came, kicked lumps out of Skem and with the help of some dubious refereeing decisions went away with a 2-1 victory. The drama was however not over, League leaders Durham were a point in front and away at Woodley, whilst Skem visited already play-off bound Curzon, United with the title in sight threw everything at the opposition and came away with a resounding 4-0 victory, while 20 miles away the unthinkable was happening, Woodley had gone in at half time 3-1 up, the title was heading to Skem but as the seasons twists and turns was just about to turn its cruellest for the blues as Durham rallied and ran out winners 4-3 . 
Three days later Curzon  were the visitors in the Play-off semi final and United’s tired legs just didn’t have enough and went down to a goal 5 mins from time. The drama was not quite over as Newcastle BS triumphed in the Final and subsequently withdrew from the league and folded leaving three teams claiming the right to promotion, In the end the League ruling ran with the Premier Division running with 1 team short.
 
 
 
2009-10
 
  United, after the heartbreak of the previous season kept pretty much the same side. Kev Leadbetter came back on loan early doors but couldnt find the spark to get the club going as the usual slow start ensued. The signing of Karl Leadsham in October brought around a change of fortune as consecutive 4-0 League victories over Chorley, Trafford and Fylde pushed the club into 3rd. With just 3 defeats in the next 20 matches including a 7-0 win over Southport in the Liverpool Senior Cup. A win at Promotion contenders Colwyn at the end of February put United in the driving seat and a serious threat to run away leaders Halifax but a complete turn around in fortunes saw United slip, 2 wins in the next 10 saw United slip precariously close to falling out of a Play-Off Place but a late rally including a last day draw at champions Halifax secured their 3rd stab at the play-off lottery. Unfortunatly Lancaster City proved to good on the day and Uniteds heartbreak continued for another year.
  Notable performances on the goal front from Chris Almond, Carl Leadsham (Joined Southport in close season)and 20 goals from centre half Michael White.
One notable achievement came in the Semi Final of the Liverpool Senior Cup when Everton were the visitors, containing a number of youngsters who had made the bench in a couple of European and Premiership games United totally dominated and gained a well deserved 2-0 win. The Final against Liverpool was to cause resentment in the Skem camp as their illustrious opponents couldnt find a date suitable, so held it over to the start of the following season. Much of the United side that had worked so hard through out the season were denied their opportunity as the majority of the team were released as manager Tommy Lawson looked to rebuilt his side.
 
 
 
2010-11   A SEASON TO REMEMBER
 
For the 4th year in succesion United reached the Evo-Stik Play-offs, along with Curzon Ashton, which at the time is a non league record. The season ended in disapointment with just a 1 goal defecit seperating United from that elusive title. 
The season was also notable for quite a few other records
30 League wins equalled the record set in 69-70 season (38 Matches)
New Record of 16 away wins  1968-69 there was 15
New record points tally 97 beating the 91 set in 2005-06
The 97 points most by a runner-up in Unibond/Evo-stik.
10 succesive away wins was 1 short of the 11 gained in 1965-66
22 goalscorers scored 158 goals in just 60 matches, equalling the total set in 2008-09 but 5 fewer games.
August 23rd to February 1st 100 League and Cup goals in the shortest time and the least number of matches for 40 years.
From 1st January to May 2nd, just over 17 weeks, played 35 matches scored 85 goals.
Scored 100 goals for the 13th time.
Total Record  Pld 60, won 40, drew 7, lost 13, For 158, against 73.
21 clean sheets, failed to score in just 8
44 players used, 
4 Hatricks  Ryan Wade v Witton Alb, Buxton,  Chris Almond v Trafford, Shaun Tuck Ossett Albion.
84 seconds, Quickest goal of season Rob McIntosh v Salford.
 
Most App R Wade 56, K Armstrong 55, S Akrigg 53, M Burke 48.
Most Goals  C Almond 30, R Wade 28, K O'Donnell 16, K Armstrong, P Woolcott 13