Staffordshire 1

Staffordshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Staffordshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 5 West (North) and relegated teams dropped to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. Staffordshire 1 was itself cancelled one year later at the end of the 2004–05 campaign, with the majority of teams transferred into the newly introduced Midlands 6 West (North).

Staffordshire 1
Current season or competition:
2004–05 Staffordshire 1
SportRugby union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Ceased2005 (2005)
Number of teams11
Country England
HoldersCannock (2nd title) (2004–05)
(promoted to Midlands 5 West (North))
Most titlesHandsworth, Uttoxeter (3 titles)

Original teams

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

Staffordshire 1 honours

Staffordshire 1 (1987–1992)

The original Staffordshire 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and relegation down to Staffordshire 2. At the end of the 1991–92 season the merging of all Staffordshire and Warwickshire leagues meant that Staffordshire 1 was discontinued for the years that these leagues were active[lower-alpha 2].

Staffordshire 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1987–887TrenthamRugeleyWulfrun, Wednesbury[2]
1988–897HandsworthRugeleyLinley & Kidsgrove, Cannock[3]
1989–907UttoxeterEccleshallWednesbury[4]
1990–917EccleshallHandsworthRugeley[5]
1991–927Handsworth[lower-alpha 3]Trentham[lower-alpha 4]No relegation[lower-alpha 5][6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire (1996–1999)

Restructuring of the Staffordshire/Warwickshire leagues[lower-alpha 6] ahead of the 1996–97 season saw the reintroduction of a single Staffordshire league, which along with its counterpart Warwickshire was a tier 10 league. Promotion was to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and there was no relegation until the reintroduction of Staffordshire 2 at the end of the 1998–99 season.

Staffordshire
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1996–979BurntwoodWednesburyNo relegation[7]
1997–988WednesburyCannockNo relegation[8]
1998–9911UttoxeterBloxwichHanford, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Rugeley[lower-alpha 7][9]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (1999–2000)

At the end of the 1998–99 season Staffordshire was split into two divisions, with Staffordshire 1 sitting at level 10 of the league system. Promotion was to the newly introduced Midlands 4 West (North)[lower-alpha 8] while relegation was to the reintroduced Staffordshire 2.

Staffordshire 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1999–006Linley & Kidsgrove[lower-alpha 9]Wheaton Aston & PenkridgeCannock[10]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (2000–2005)

The cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 would see Staffordshire 1 become a tier 9 league. Promotion was to Midlands 4 West (North) and relegation to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. At the end of the 2004–05 season Staffordshire 1 was cancelled and all teams transferred to the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (North) and Midlands 6 West (North) divisions.

Staffordshire 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2000–017WednesburyWheaton Aston & PenkridgeRugeley[11]
2001–025UttoxeterSt LeonardsWhittingham, Cannock[12]
2002–036HandsworthLinley & KidsgroveWheaton Aston & Penkridge[13]
2003–045Cannock[lower-alpha 10]St LeonardsNo relegation[lower-alpha 11][14]
2004–0511Cannock[lower-alpha 12]St Leonards[lower-alpha 13]No relegation[15]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes
  1. Wulfrun would later merge with Old Oaks and Rubery Owen in 1998 to form Essington RUFC.[1]
  2. The new format included four divisions; Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 3 and Staffordshire/Warwickshire 4.
  3. The restructuring of the Staffordshire & Warwickshire leagues meant that champions Handsworth were promoted two levels up to Midlands West 2.
  4. Restructuring meant that five clubs including Trentham, Wednesbury, GEC St Leonards, Linley & Kidsgrove and Uttoxeter were promoted into Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
  5. The cancellation of Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 meant that there was no relegation, with bottom clubs Cannock and Rubery Owen instead being transferred into the new Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2
  6. This restructuring saw the cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 3 and Staffordshire/Warwickshire 4 and the transfer of teams into Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
  7. Restructuring of the Staffordshire league into Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 meant that relegation was reintroduced for the 1998–99 season.
  8. Midlands 4 West (North) was introduced ahead of the 2000–01 season.
  9. Due to the cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 at the end of the season, there was no promotion.
  10. The remerging of Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 into a single Staffordshire 1 division meant that champions Cannock were not promoted.
  11. No relegation due to the cancellation of Staffordshire 2 at the end of the season.
  12. The cancellation of Staffordshire 1 at the end of the season, meant that champions Cannock were promoted two levels up into the new look Midlands 5 West (North).
  13. Runners up St Leonards and the remaining 10 teams were transferred into the new look Midlands 6 West (North) at the end of the season.
  14. One of Uttoxeter's titles was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.
  15. One of Wednesbury's titles was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.
  16. Burntwood's title was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.

See also

References
  1. "Club History". Essington RUFC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  2. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988-89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 130–134. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.
  3. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989-90. Queen Anne Press. pp. 136–139. ISBN 0-356-17862-5.
  4. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990-91. Queen Anne Press. pp. 140–143. ISBN 0-356-19162-1.
  5. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991-92. Queen Anne Press. pp. 161–164. ISBN 0-356-20249-6.
  6. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992-93. Headline. pp. 183–185. ISBN 0-7472-7907-1.
  7. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. Headline. pp. 156–159. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
  8. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998-99. Headline. pp. 90–93. ISBN 0-7472-7653-6.
  9. "1998-1999 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  10. "1999-2000 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  11. "2000-2001 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  12. "2001-2002 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  13. "2002-2003 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  14. "2003-2004 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  15. "2004-2005 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.