1989–90 Courage Area League North

The 1989–90 Courage Area League North was the third full season of rugby union within the fourth tier of the English league system, currently known as National League 2 North, and was the counterpart to Courage Area League South (currently National League 2 South). It would be the last season the division would be called Area League North as it would be renamed National 4 North for the following campaign. The title battle was very strongly contested, but the end it would be Broughton Park who would triumph as league champions despite finishing dead level with runners up Morley, thanks to a far superior points/for against record. Both sides would be promoted to the 1990–91 National Division Three.

1989–90 Courage Area League North
Countries	England
Champions	Broughton Park (1st title)
Runners-up	Morley (also promoted)
Relegated	No relegation
Matches played	110

At the opposite end of the table it was a different story, with Stoke-on-Trent being the worse side in the division, failing to gain a single point as they finished last. However, Stoke were granted a reprieve as no northern clubs were relegated from the 1989–90 National Division Three meaning they had another season in the league.[1][2]

Structure

Each team played one match against each of the other teams, playing a total of ten matches each. The champions are promoted to National Division 3 and the bottom team was relegated to either North 1 or Midlands 1 depending on their locality.

Participating teams and locations

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous Season Broughton Park Hough End Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester Runners up (not promoted) Durham City Hollow Drift Durham, County Durham 7th Kendal Mint Bridge 3,000 Kendal, Cumbria Promoted from North 1 (champions) Lichfield Cooke Fields Lichfield, Staffordshire 9th Morley Scatcherd Lane Morley, West Yorkshire 8th Northern McCracken Park 1,000 Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 4th Preston Grasshoppers Lightfoot Green 5,000 Preston, Lancashire 6th Stoke-on-Trent Hartwell Lane Barlaston, Staffordshire 10th Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,000 Stourbridge, West Midlands 3rd Walsall Broadway 1,150 Walsall, West Midlands Promoted from Midlands 1 (champions) Winnington Park Burrows Hill Norwich, Cheshire 5th

Broughton P Durham Kendal Lichfield Morley Northern Preston Stoke Stourbridge Walsall Winnington P Locations of the 1989–90 Courage Area League North teams

League table

1989–90 Courage Area League North Table
	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points For	Points Against	Points Diff	Points
1	Broughton Park (C)	10	8	0	2	246	111	135	16
2	Morley (P)	10	8	0	2	169	115	54	16
3	Stourbridge	10	7	0	3	146	133	13	14
4	Durham City	10	6	0	4	195	169	26	12
5	Kendal	10	6	0	4	130	136	-6	12
6	Preston Grasshoppers	10	5	0	5	122	109	13	10
7	Lichfield	10	5	0	5	110	121	-11	10
8	Northern	10	4	0	6	139	144	-5	8
9	Winnington Park	10	4	0	6	142	152	-10	8
10	Walsall	10	2	0	8	143	183	-40	4
11	Stoke-on-Trent	10	0	0	10	88	257	-169	0
Points are awarded as follows: 2 pts for a win 1 pt for a draw 0 pts for a loss If teams are level at any stage, difference between points for and against applies
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are relegation places. Updated: 27 December 2017

[1]

Sponsorship

Area League North is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery.

See also

• National League 2 North

References

1. "Area League 1989/90". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
2. Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd. pp. 167–204.