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.
Current season or competition: 2016–17 Eastern Counties 4 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2017 |
| Number of teams | 18 (across 2 regional divisions) |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Thetford II (North - 1st title) Hadleigh II (South - 1st title) (2016–17) (promoted to East Counties 3) |
| Most titles | Haverhill & District (2 titles) |
| Website | ecrurugby.com |
Original teams edit
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
East Counties 4 honours edit
Eastern Counties 4 (1987–1993) edit
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]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Campion | Old Bealonians | Rayleigh | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Bancroft | Old Brentwoods | Chigwell | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | London Hospital | Old Palmerians | Wisbech | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Thames Sports | Thetford | Felixstowe | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Haverhill & District | Loughton[a] | No relegation[b] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Felixstowe | Thurston | Stanford Le Hope, Norwich Union | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 4 (1993–1996) edit
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.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Hadleigh | Broadland | Swaffham, Essex Police | ||||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Billericay | Burnham-on-Crouch | Mayfield Old Boys | ||||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Beccles | Mersea Island | May & Baker, Rayleigh | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 4 (1996–1997) edit
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 4 reverted 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.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 12 | March | Burnham-on-Crouch | No relegation[c] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 4 (1997–2000) edit
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.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 9 | Wisbech | Swaffham | No relegation | East Counties 4 North | |||||||||
| 8 | Old Brentwoods | Witham | No relegation | East Counties 4 South | ||||||||||
| 1998–99 [2][3] |
5 | Brightlingsea | Norwich Union | No relegation | East Counties 4 North | |||||||||
| 7 | Millwall | May & Baker | No relegation | East Counties 4 South | ||||||||||
| 1999-00 [4][5] |
6 | Haverhill & District | Clacton | No relegation | East Counties 4 North[d] | |||||||||
| 6 | Witham[e] | Old Bealonians Vets | No relegation | East Counties 4 South[f] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 4 (2014–2017) edit
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.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 [6][7] |
11 | Swaffham II | Thetford 2 | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 North | |||||||||
| 8 | Colchester IV | University of Essex | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 South | ||||||||||
| 2015–16 [8][9] |
8 | Fakenham II | Broadland - Great Yarmouth II | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 North | |||||||||
| 8 | Southwold II | Bury St Edmunds IV | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 South | ||||||||||
| 2016–17 [10][11] |
9 | Thetford II | Norwich III | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 North | |||||||||
| 9 | Hadleigh II | Maldon III | No relegation | Eastern Counties 4 South | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles edit
- Haverhill & District (2)
- Bancroft (1)
- Beccles (1)
- Billericay (1)
- Brightlingsea (1)
- Campion (1)
- Colchester IV (1)
- Fakenham II (1)
- Felixstowe (1)
- Hadleigh (1)[g]
- 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)
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ No relegation as league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
- ^ No relegation due to the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the season.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Promoted to East Counties 3 North.
- ^ 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.
- ^ As a club Hadleigh has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.
References edit
- ^ "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.