North East 1 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the 7th tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 East while relegated teams dropped to North East 2. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999–2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams either being moved up to North 2 East or dropping down to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.
As a result of the RFU introducing the Courage League Division 5, between 1994 and 1996, some teams from North East 1 was merged with some teams from North West 1, taking the name North Division 2. However, North East 1 remained as a league, but one rung further down the ladder. Rather confusingly during this spell North Division 2 became North Division 1 and North Division 1 became National Division 5 North. The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 in 1996 would see the league names revert once again.
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Blaydon Gateshead Fell Keighley Morpeth Old Brodleians (website) Old Crossleyans Ripon Rotherham Thornensians Westoe Wharfedale
North East 1 Honours
North East 1 (1987–1993)
The original North East 1 was a tier 7 league with promotion up to North Division 2 and relegation down to North East 2.
North East 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1987–88 11 Wharfedale Rotherham Ripon 1988–89 11 Rotherham Stockton Westoe 1989–90 11 Stockton Gateshead Fell Selby 1990–91 11 Old Crossleyans Keighley Thornesians 1991–92 11 York West Park Bramhope No relegation 1992–93 13 Bridlington Blaydon Bramley Green backgrounds are promotion places.
North East 1 (1993–1996)
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that North East 1 dropped from being a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 North was active.
North East 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1993–94 13 Doncaster Driffield Novocastrians 1994–95 13 BlaydonHordenThornensians 1995–96 13 Driffield Old Brodleians Redcar, Roundhegians, North Ribblesdale, Selby, Cleckheaton, Ashington Green backgrounds are promotion places.
North East 1 (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that North East 1 reverted to being a tier 7 league. At the end of the 1999–00 season a further restructure of the leagues saw North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 cancelled, along with their counterparts North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3.
North East 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1996–97 10 MorpethOld Crossleyans Keighley, Hartlepool Rovers 1997–98 10 Percy ParkOld Crossleyans Gateshead Fell, Wheatley Hills 1998–99 10 Darlington Mowden Park Halifax Durham City, Old Brodleians, Pontefract 1999–00 10 Halifax Darlington Keighley, Horden, Percy Park Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles
Bridlington (1) Blaydon (1) Darlington Mowden Park (1) Doncaster (1) Driffield (1) Morpeth (1) Halifax (1) Stockton (1) Rotherham (1) Old Crossleyans (1) Percy Park (1) Wharfedale (1) York (1)
See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England
Notes
References