North West 1

North West 1 (not to be confused with North 1 West) was an English Rugby Union league which was at the seventh tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North West England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 West while relegated teams dropped to North West 2. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999-00 season due to RFU restructuring with teams being transferred to either North 2 West or their relevant regional leagues such as South Lancs/Cheshire 1 or North Lancs/Cumbria.

North West 1
SportRugby Union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Ceased2000 (2000)
Country England
Websiteclubs.rfu.com

Original teams

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

North West 1 Honours

North West 1 (1987–1993)

The original North West 1 was a tier 7 league with promotion up to North Division 2 and relegation down to North West 2.

North West 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–8811CarlisleWirralBlackburn, Netherall, Southport
1988–8911WiganEgremontWilmslow, Manchester
1989–9011SandbachEgremontChester
1990–9111NorthwichManchesterRochdale
1991–9211ManchesterMacclesfieldNo relegation[lower-alpha 2]
1992–9313MacclesfieldNew BrightonEgremont, Wirral
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North West 1 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that North West 1 dropped from being a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 North was active.

North West 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9413New BrightonOldershawKirkby Lions, Merseyside Police, St Edward's Old Boys
1994–9513Sedgley ParkLymmWigan, Stockport
1995–9613LymmPenrithMultiple teams[lower-alpha 3]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North West 1 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that North West 1 reverted back to being a tier 7 league. At the end of the 1999–00 season a further restructure of the leagues saw North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3 cancelled, along with their counterparts North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3.

North West 1 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–9710BlackburnWest Park St HelensNetherall
1997–9810ChesterWest Park St HelensWilmslow
1998–99[2]10AldwiniansWest Park St HelensVagabonds
1999–00[3]10West Park St HelensStockport[lower-alpha 4]Ashton-on-Mersey[lower-alpha 5]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes
  1. Mid-Cheshire College were renamed to Northwich RUFC from the 1990–91 season onward.[1]
  2. There was no relegation at the end of 1991–92 season due to the restructuring of the northern leagues by the RFU for the following season, which would see North West 1 expand from 11 to 13 teams.
  3. Due to restructuring caused by the creation of North West 3, five clubs were relegated into North West 2, including Sandbach, Northwich, Carlisle, Ashton-on-Mersey and Leigh. Bottom place Cockermouth were also relegated, but this time two levels down into the new North West 3.
  4. As this was the last season for North West 1 a larger than usual number of teams were promoted to North 2 West.
  5. Due to North West 2 being abolished Ashton-on-Mersey, Aspull, Oldershaw and Birkenhead Park were relegated/transferred to South Lancs/Cheshire 1 while Kirkby Lonsdale went into North Lancs/Cumbria.

References
  1. "Celebrating 50 Years of Northwich RUFC" (PDF). RFU. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  2. "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  3. "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.

See also
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