North East 1

North East 1 (not to be confused with North 1 East) was an English Rugby Union league which was at the 7th tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 East while relegated teams dropped to North East 2. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999-2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams either being moved up to North 2 East or dropping down to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.

North East 1
SportRugby Union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Ceased2000 (2000)
Country England
Websiteclubs.rfu.com

As a result of the RFU introducing the Courage League Division 5, between 1994 and 1996, some teams from North East 1 was merged with some teams from North West 1, taking the name North Division 2. However, North East 1 remained as a league, but one rung further down the ladder. Rather confusingly during this spell North Division 2 became North Division 1 and North Division 1 became National Division 5 North. The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 in 1996 would see the league names revert once again.

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

North East 1 Honours

North East 1 (1987–1993)

The original North East 1 was a tier 7 league with promotion up to North Division 2 and relegation down to North East 2.

North East 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88[1]11WharfedaleRotherhamRipon
1988–89[2]11RotherhamStocktonWestoe
1989–9011StocktonGateshead FellSelby
1990–9111Old CrossleyansKeighleyThornesians
1991–9211YorkWest Park BramhopeNo relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1992–9313BridlingtonBlaydonBramley
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North East 1 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that North East 1 dropped from being a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 North was active.

North East 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9413DoncasterDriffieldNovocastrians
1994–9513BlaydonHordenThornensians
1995–9613DriffieldOld BrodleiansRedcar, Roundhegians, North Ribblesdale, Selby, Cleckheaton, Ashington[lower-alpha 2]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North East 1 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that North East 1 reverted back to being a tier 7 league. At the end of the 1999–00 season a further restructure of the leagues saw North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 cancelled, along with their counterparts North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3.

North East 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–9710MorpethOld CrossleyansKeighley, Hartlepool Rovers
1997–9810Percy ParkOld CrossleyansGateshead Fell, Wheatley Hills
1998–99[3]10Darlington Mowden ParkHalifaxDurham City, Old Brodleians, Pontefract
1999–00[4]10HalifaxDarlington[lower-alpha 3]Keighley, Horden, Percy Park[lower-alpha 4]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes
  1. There was no relegation at the end of 1991–92 season due to the restructuring of the northern leagues by the RFU for the following season, which would see North East 1 expand from 11 to 13 teams.
  2. Due to restructuring six clubs were relegated into North East 2 in order to inaugurate North East 3 the following season.
  3. As well as the champions and runners up, five other teams were also promoted. This was because the North East 1 division was to be abolished and the majority of teams would be promoted to North 2 East.
  4. As North East 2 was to be abolished along with North East 1, Keighley would be transferred to Yorkshire 1 while Horden and Percy Park would be transferred to Durham/Northumberland 1.

See also

References
  1. "1987/88 (North East 1)". Rotherham Titans. Rotherham Titans. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  2. "1988/89 (North East 1)". Rotherham Titans. Rotherham Titans. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
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