Lancashire (North), formerly known as North Lancashire 1 was a regional (tier 8) English Rugby Union league for teams from the South Lancashire and Manchester area. The league champions were promoted to North Lancashire/Cumbria while the runners had a playoff against the runners up from the Cumbria League for the final promotion spot.
The division was initially known as North-West East 1 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with North Lancashire 1 being the longest running. The most recent version known as Lancashire (North) was set up for the 2015-16 season when the RFU decided to break up the South Lancs/Cheshire league into 3 different zones also included Merseyside (West) and Cheshire (South). The format was not a success and South Lancs/Cheshire was resurrected for the 2016-17 with only Lancashire (North) remaining albeit with 12 teams instead of 14. When it was known as Lancashire Division 1 teams were relegated to North Lancashire 2.
After reinstating the league for one more season, at the end of 2016-17 the RFU again decided to cancel the league. Teams were instead transferred to the new Lancs/Cheshire 3 (North) division - which was created from breaking South Lancs/Cheshire 3 into two regional leagues.
Participating Clubs 2016-17 Ashton-under-Lyne (relegated from North Lancashire/Cumbria) Burnley Bury Colne & Nelson Didsbury Toc H Garstang North Manchester Pendle Ormskirk Orrell Tarleton Thornton Cleveleys
Participating Clubs 2015-16
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burnley Holden Road Reedley Hallows, Burnley, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (8th) Bury Bury Sports Club Bury, Greater Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire 2 (3rd) Colne & Nelson Holt House Colne, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 2 (6th) Didsbury Toc H Ford Lane Didsbury, Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (4th) Garstang Hudson Park Garstang, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (6th) Hutton Saunders' Lane Hutton, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 2 (4th) Littleborough Rakewood Road Littleborough, Greater Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (3rd) North Manchester Tudor Lodge Moston, Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (10th) Ormskirk Green Lane Ormskirk, Lancashire Transferred from South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (7th) Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Wigan, Greater Manchester Transferred from South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (6th) Pendle Swinden Playing Fields Nelson, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 2 (1st) Tarleton Carr Lane Tarleton, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire/Cumbria (13th) Thornton-Cleveleys Thornton Sports Centre Thornton, Lancashire Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (7th) Trafford MV MacPherson Park Trafford, Greater Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire 1 (5th)
Participating Clubs 2014-15 Ashton-Under-Lyne Birchfield (promoted from North Lancashire 2) Burnley Didsbury TOC H Garstang Littleborough (relegated from North Lancashire/Cumbria) North Manchester (promoted from North Lancashire 2) Oldham St Edward's O.B. Thornton Cleveleys Trafford MV
Participating Clubs 2013-14 Ashton-Under-Lyne (promoted from North Lancashire 2) Burnley De La Salle (Salford) Didsbury Toc H (relegated from North Lancashire/Cumbria) Garstang Heaton Moor (relegated from North Lancashire/Cumbria) Hutton Mossley Hill Oldham St Edward's Old Boys Thornton Cleveleys (promoted from North Lancashire 2) Trafford MV
Participating Clubs 2012-13 Bolton Burnley Bury De La Salle (Salford) Garstang Hutton Mossley Hill North Manchester Oldham St Edward's Old Boys Tarleton Trafford MV
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Ashton-on-Mersey Ashton-under-Lyne Bowden Congleton De La Salle (Salford) Kersal Metrovick North Manchester Old Bedians Old Salians Tyldesley Vickers
Lancashire (North) honours
North-West East 1 (1987–1992)
The original incarnation of North Lancashire 1 was known as North-West East 1, and was a tier 10 league with promotion up to North-West East/North 1 and relegation down to North-West East 2.
North-West East 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1987–88 11 De La Salle (Salford) Metrovick Bowden, North Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne 1988–89 11 Ashton-on-Mersey Old Salians Congleton, Calder Vale, Bolton 1989–90 11 Old Salians Kersal Colne & Nelson, Toc H 1990–91 10 Crewe & Nantwich Kersal Ashton-under-Lyne, Heaton Moor 1991–92 11 Altrincham Kersal Metrovick No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Lancashire North 1 (1992–1996)
North-West East 1 was renamed as Lancashire North 1 for the start of the 1992–93 season with promotion to Cumbria/Lancs North (formerly North-West East/North 1) and relegation to Lancashire North 2 (formerly North-West East 2). Initially a tier 10 league, the creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Lancashire North 1 dropped to become a tier 11 league.
Lancashire North 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1992–93 14 Fleetwood Burnage Heaton Moor, Littleborough, Marple, Ashton-under-Lyne 1993–94 13 De La Salle (Salford) Bolton Clitheroe, Broughton, Old Bedians 1994–95 13 Trafford MV Oldham Burnage, Chorley 1995–96 13 Ashton-under-Lyne Blackpool North Manchester, Eccles, Oldham Green backgrounds are promotion places.
North Lancashire 1 (1996–2000)
The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. Lancashire North 1 was renamed as North Lancashire 1, and the cancellation of National 5 North and creation of North West 3 meant that it remained a tier 11 league. Promotion was to North Lancs/Cumbria (formerly Cumbria/Lancs North) while relegation was to North Lancashire 2 (formerly Lancashire North 2).
North Lancashire 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1996–97 10 Blackpool Broughton Colne & Nelson 1997–98 10 Oldham Bury Littleborough 1998–99 10 De La Salle (Salford) Bury Chorley 1999–00 10 Bolton Eccles Thornton Cleveleys, Colne & Nelson Green backgrounds are promotion places.
North Lancashire 1 (2000–2015)
Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–00 season saw the cancellation of North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that North Lancashire 1 became a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to North Lancs/Cumbria and relegation to North Lancashire 2.
North Lancashire 1 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 2000–01 12 De La Salle (Salford) Tyldesley Broughton, Ashton-Under-Lyne 2001–02 12 Fleetwood Bury Burnley 2002–03 12 Trafford MV Didsbury Toc H Fylde Saracens, Old Bedians, Thornton Cleveleys 2003–04 12 De La Salle (Salford) Didsbury Toc H West Park Warriors, Chorley 2004–05 12 Heaton Moor Burnage Ashton-Under-Lyne, Blackpool 2005–06 11 Aldwinians Didsbury Toc H Thornton Cleveleys 2006–07 12 Kirkby Lonsdale Tarleton Colne & Nelson, Bury 2007–08 12 Heaton Moor Burnley Blackpool, Windermere, Garstang 2008–09 12 Furness Eccles No relegation 2009–10 14 De La Salle (Salford) Didsbury Toc H Old Bedians, Windermere 2010–11 14 Aldwinians Trafford MV Newton-le-Willows, Ashton-Under-Lyne 2011–12 14 Littleborough Trafford MV Birchfield, Windermere 2012–13 14 Tarleton Bolton Bury, North Manchester 2013–14 14 De La Salle (Salford) Heaton Moor Hutton, Mossley Hill 2014–15 11 Oldham Ashton-Under-Lyne St Edward's Old Boys, North Manchester Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Lancashire (North) (2015–2017)
North Lancashire 1 was renamed as Lancashire (North) at the start of the 2015–16 as part of North-West league restructuring by the RFU who decided to break up the North Lancashire and South Lancs/Cheshire leagues into 3 different zones - Cheshire (South), Lancashire (North) and Merseyside (West). Promotion would continue into North Lancashire/Cumbria but the cancellation of North Lancashire 2 meant there would be no relegation. After two seasons Lancashire (North) would be discontinued and all teams transferred into Lancs/Cheshire 3.
Lancashire (North) HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 2015–16 14 Trafford MV Littleborough No relegation 2016–17 11 Tarleton Burnley No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Promotion play-offs Since the 2000–01 season there was a play-off between the runners-up of the Cumbria League and Lancashire (North) for the third and final promotion place to North Lancashire/Cumbria. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2016–17 season the Lancashire (North) teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the Cumbria League teams four; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away teams three.
Cumbria League v Lancashire (North) promotion play-off results Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance 2000–01 Tyldesley (L) 47-26 Hawcoat Park (C) St George's Park, Tyldesley, Manchester 2001–02 Bury (L) 20-3 Windermere (C) Bury Sports Club, Bury, Greater Manchester 2002–03 Didsbury Toc H (L) 17-29 Upper Eden (C) Ford Lane, Didsbury, Manchester 2003–04 Egremont (C) 27-19 Didsbury Toc H (L) Bleach Green, Egremont, Cumbria 2004–05 Burnage (L) 60-0 Moresby (C) Varley Park, Stockport, Greater Manchester 2005–06 Kirkby Lonsdale (C) 20-23 Didsbury Toc H (L) Raygarth, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria 2006–07 Tarleton (L) 28-7 Keswick (C) Carr Lane, Tarleton, Lancashire 2007–08 Netherhall (C) 0-20 Burnley (L) Netherhall Road, Maryport, Cumbria 2008–09 No promotion playoff 2009–10 Didsbury Toc H (L) 42-10 Millom (C) Ford Lane, Didsbury, Manchester 2010–11 Egremont (C) 19-18 Trafford MV (L) Bleach Green, Egremont, Cumbria 2011–12 Whitehaven (C) 33-22 Trafford MV (L) The Playground, Whitehaven, Cumbria 2012–13 Bolton (L) 27-7 Silloth (C) Avenue Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester 2013–14 No promotion playoff 2014–15 Ashton-under-Lyne (L) 17-5 Workington (C) Gambrel Bank, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester 2015–16 Littleborough (L) 37-3 Egremont (C) Rakewood Road, Littleborough, Rochdale, Greater Manchester 2016–17 Burnley (L) 94-0 Whitehaven (C) Holden Road, Burnley, Lancashire Green background is the promoted team. C = Cumbria League and L = Lancashire (North) (formerly North Lancashire 1)
Number of league titles
De La Salle (Salford) (7) Trafford MV (3) Aldwinians (2) Fleetwood (2) Heaton Moor (2) Oldham (2) Tarleton (2) Altrincham Kersal (1) Ashton-on-Mersey (1) Ashton-under-Lyne (1) Blackpool (1) Bolton (1) Crewe & Nantwich (1) Furness (1) Kirkby Lonsdale (1) Littleborough (1) Old Salians (1)
Notes
See also North Lancashire 2 Lancashire RFU Cheshire (South) Merseyside (West) English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References