Gloucester 4

Gloucester 4 was an English rugby union league which sat at the tweleve level of league rugby union in England for teams based in Gloucestershire and parts of Bristol. Promoted clubs moved into Gloucester 3 and there was no relegation as this was the basement league for club rugby union in Gloucestershire. In 1996 after ten seasons Gloucester 4 was discontinued at the end of the 1995-96 campaign.

Gloucester 4
Current season or competition:
1995–96 Gloucester 4
SportRugby union
Instituted1987 (1987) (as Gloucestershire 4)
Ceased1996 (1996)
CountryEngland
HoldersMinchinhampton (1st title) (1995–96 promoted to Gloucester 3)
Most titlesSmiths (2 titles)

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (then known as Gloucestershire 4) contained the following teams:

  • Aretians
  • Bristol Telephone Area
  • Bristol Aeroplane Company
  • Broad Plain
  • Gloucester All Blues
  • Hucclecote Old Boys[lower-alpha 1]
  • Minchinhampton
  • Newent
  • Old Colstonians
  • Old Elizabethans
  • Smiths

Gloucester 4 honours

Gloucestershire 4 (1987–1989)

Originally a single division known as Gloucestershire 4, it was a tier 12 league. Promotion was to Gloucestershire 3 and there was no relegation.

Gloucestershire 4
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Ref
1987–8811SmithsOld ElizabethansNo relegation[1]
1988–8912Bristol Telephone AreaHucclecote Old BoysNo relegation[2]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucestershire 4A / 4B (1989–1991)

For the 1989–90 season Gloucestershitre 4 split into two tier 12 divisions - Gloucestershire 4A and Gloucestershire 4B. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire 3 and there was no relegation.

Gloucestershire 4 North / South
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name Ref
1989–907Old RichiansChosen Hill Former PupilsNo relegationGloucestershire 4A[3]
7BishopstonGloucester All BluesNo relegationGloucestershire 4B[3]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucestershire 4 (1990–1991)

After a single season Gloucester 4 reverted to being a single division at tier 12 of the league system. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire 3 and there was no relegation.

Gloucestershire 4
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Ref
1990–9112Stow-on-the-WoldSouthmeadNo relegation[4]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 4 (1991–1993)

Gloucestershire 4 was shorted to Gloucester 4 for the 1991–92 season onward. It remained a tier 12 league with promotion to Gloucester 3 and there was no relegation.

Gloucester 4
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Ref
1991–9211TetburyGloucester All Blues[lower-alpha 2]No relegation[5]
1992–937SmithsAretiansNo relegation[6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 4 (1993–1996)

The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Gloucester 4 dropped to become a tier 13 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 3 and there was no relegation. At the end of the 1995–96 Gloucester 4 was disbanded with the majority of teams promoted up into Gloucester 3.

Gloucester 4
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Ref
1993–947TewkesburyMinchinhamptonNo relegation[7]
1994–957Gloucestershire PoliceBristol Aeroplane CompanyNo relegation[8]
1995–967MinchinhamptonPilning[lower-alpha 3]No relegation[9]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles
  • Smiths (2)
  • Bishopston (1)[lower-alpha 4]
  • Bristol Telephone Area (1)
  • Gloucestershire Police (1)
  • Minchinhampton (1)
  • Old Richians (1)[lower-alpha 5]
  • Stow-on-the-Wold (1)
  • Tetbury (1)
  • Tewkesbury (1)

See also

Notes
  1. Hucclecote Old Boys are currently known as Hucclecote RFC.
  2. The expansion of the majority of south-west leagues from 11 to 13 teams for the follow seasons, meant that six teams were promoted, including Bristol Aeroplane, Westbury-on-Severn, Broad Plain and Gloucester Civil Service.
  3. The cancellation of Gloucester 4 meant that the majority of teams were promoted into Gloucester 3 including Gloucester All Blues, Newent, Wotton-under-Edge and Dowty. Another club, Tudorville, would drop out of the league system before the next season.
  4. Bishopston's title was Gloucestershire 4B.
  5. Old Richians title was Gloucestershire 4A.

References
  1. Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 (17th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 123–139. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.
  2. Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989–90 (18th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 133–136. ISBN 0-356-17862-5.
  3. Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990–91 (19th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 143–146. ISBN 0-356-19162-1.
  4. Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991–92 (20th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-356-20249-6.
  5. Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93 (21st ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 176–179. ISBN 0-7472-7907-1.
  6. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94 (22nd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing Ltd. pp. 157–160. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1.
  7. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7850-4.
  8. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4.
  9. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
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