Eastern Counties 4

Eastern Counties 4 was an English level 12 Rugby Union league that was divided into two regional divisions - north and south - with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. Promoted teams used to move up to the relevant division in Eastern Counties 3 and relegation was to Eastern Counties 5 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1996–97 season. The league was originally abolished in 1999–00 due to East Counties restructuring and teams moved up to higher divisions, only to be reinstated in 2014-15 due to further league restructuring that allowed more 2nd and 3rd teams to take part. It was abolished again at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Eastern Counties 4
Current season or competition:
2016–17 Eastern Counties 4
SportRugby union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Ceased2017 (2017)
Number of teams18 (across 2 regional divisions)
Country England
HoldersThetford II (North - 1st title)
Hadleigh II (South - 1st title) (2016–17)
(promoted to East Counties 3)
Most titlesHaverhill & District (2 titles)
Websiteecrurugby.com

Original teams

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

  • Campion
  • Clacton
  • Fakenham
  • Felixstowe
  • Gothic
  • Mayfield Old Boys
  • NELPOB
  • Old Bealonians
  • Old Palmerians
  • Rayleigh
  • Stowmarket

East Counties 4 honours

Eastern Counties 4 (1987–1993)

The original Eastern Counties 4 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Eastern Counties 3 and relegation down to Eastern Counties 5.[1]

Eastern Counties 4
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–8811CampionOld BealoniansRayleigh
1988–8911BancroftOld BrentwoodsChigwell
1989–9011London HospitalOld PalmeriansWisbech
1990–9111Thames SportsThetfordFelixstowe
1991–9211Haverhill & DistrictLoughton[lower-alpha 1]No relegation[lower-alpha 2]
1992–9313FelixstoweThurstonStanford Le Hope, Norwich Union
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 4 dropped from a tier 11 league to a tier 12 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 3 and Eastern Counties 5 respectively.

Eastern Counties 4
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9413HadleighBroadlandSwaffham, Essex Police
1994–9513BillericayBurnham-on-CrouchMayfield Old Boys
1995–9613BecclesMersea IslandMay & Baker, Rayleigh
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1996–1997)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 4 reverted back to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 3, while the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the 1996–97 meant there would be no relegation.

Eastern Counties 4
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–9712MarchBurnham-on-CrouchNo relegation[lower-alpha 3]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1997–2000)

Ahead of the 1997–98 season Eastern Counties 4 was split into two regional divisions - north and south - with both divisions remaining as tier 11 leagues. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 3 - now also regionalised into north and south divisions - while the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the 1996–97 season meant there was no relegation. At the end of the 1999–00 season Eastern Counties 4 was cancelled and the majority of teams transferred into Eastern Counties 3.

Eastern Counties 4: North / South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
1997–989WisbechSwaffhamNo relegationEast Counties 4 North
8Old BrentwoodsWithamNo relegationEast Counties 4 South
1998–99
[2][3]		5BrightlingseaNorwich UnionNo relegationEast Counties 4 North
7MillwallMay & BakerNo relegationEast Counties 4 South
1999-00
[4][5]		6Haverhill & DistrictClactonNo relegationEast Counties 4 North[lower-alpha 4]
6Witham[lower-alpha 5]Old Bealonians VetsNo relegationEast Counties 4 South[lower-alpha 6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (2014–2017)

After an absence of thirteen years, Eastern Counties 4 was re-introduced as a tier 12 league ahead of the 2014–15 season, split into two regional divisions - north and south. Promotion was to one of the regional divisions in Eastern Counties 3 - north, south or west - and there was no relegation. Eastern Counties 4 was cancelled for the second time at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Eastern Counties 4
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
2014–15
[6][7]		11Swaffham IIThetford 2No relegationEastern Counties 4 North
8Colchester IVUniversity of EssexNo relegationEastern Counties 4 South
2015–16
[8][9]		8Fakenham IIBroadland - Great Yarmouth IINo relegationEastern Counties 4 North
8Southwold IIBury St Edmunds IVNo relegationEastern Counties 4 South
2016–17
[10][11]		9Thetford IINorwich IIINo relegationEastern Counties 4 North
9Hadleigh IIMaldon IIINo relegationEastern Counties 4 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles
  • Haverhill & District (2)
  • Bancroft (1)
  • Beccles (1)
  • Billericay (1)
  • Brightlingsea (1)
  • Campion (1)
  • Colchester IV (1)
  • Fakenham II (1)
  • Felixstowe (1)
  • Hadleigh (1)[lower-alpha 7]
  • Hadleigh II (1)
  • London Hospital (1)
  • March (1)
  • Millwall (1)
  • Old Brentwoods (1)
  • Southwold II (1)
  • Swaffham II (1)
  • Thames Sports (1)
  • Thetford II (1)
  • Wisbech (1)
  • Witham (1)

Notes
  1. Due to Eastern Counties league restructuring ten teams were promoted from the division including Stowmarket, Old Cooperians, Ilford Wanderers, Fakenham. Southwold, Dereham, Clacton and Wisbech.
  2. No relegation as league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
  3. No relegation due to the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the season.
  4. This would be the last season for East Counties 4 North and South. The majority of teams from this division would move up into East Counties 3 North for the following season.
  5. Promoted to East Counties 3 North.
  6. This would be the last season for East Counties 4 North and South. The majority of teams from this division (asides from champions Witham) would move up into East Counties 3 South for the following season.
  7. As a club Hadleigh has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.

See also

References
  1. "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  2. "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  4. "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  6. "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  7. "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  8. "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  10. "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  11. "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
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