Wikipedia

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; 37 years ago (1987)
Ceased2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Number of teams11
Country England
HoldersCannock (2nd title) (2004–05)
(promoted to Midlands 5 West (North))
Most titlesHandsworth, Uttoxeter (3 titles)

Original teams edit

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

Staffordshire 1 honours edit

Staffordshire 1 (1987–1992) edit

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[b].

Staffordshire 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1987–88 7 Trentham Rugeley Wulfrun, Wednesbury [2]
1988–89 7 Handsworth Rugeley Linley & Kidsgrove, Cannock [3]
1989–90 7 Uttoxeter Eccleshall Wednesbury [4]
1990–91 7 Eccleshall Handsworth Rugeley [5]
1991–92 7 Handsworth[c] Trentham[d] No relegation[e] [6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire (1996–1999) edit

Restructuring of the Staffordshire/Warwickshire leagues[f] 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
1996–97 9 Burntwood Wednesbury No relegation [7]
1997–98 8 Wednesbury Cannock No relegation [8]
1998–99 11 Uttoxeter Bloxwich Hanford, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Rugeley[g] [9]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (1999–2000) edit

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)[h] while relegation was to the reintroduced Staffordshire 2.

Staffordshire 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1999–00 6 Linley & Kidsgrove[i] Wheaton Aston & Penkridge Cannock [10]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (2000–2005) edit

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
2000–01 7 Wednesbury Wheaton Aston & Penkridge Rugeley [11]
2001–02 5 Uttoxeter St Leonards Whittingham, Cannock [12]
2002–03 6 Handsworth Linley & Kidsgrove Wheaton Aston & Penkridge [13]
2003–04 5 Cannock[j] St Leonards No relegation[k] [14]
2004–05 11 Cannock[l] St Leonards[m] No relegation [15]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles edit

Notes edit

  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 edit

References edit

  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.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Staffordshire_1&oldid=1217362346"