Staffordshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Staffordshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 5 West (North) and relegated teams dropped to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. Staffordshire 1 was itself cancelled one year later at the end of the 2004–05 campaign, with the majority of teams transferred into the newly introduced Midlands 6 West (North).
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Burntwood Cannock Linley & Kidsgrove Rugeley Trentham Wednesbury Wulfrun
Staffordshire 1 honours
Staffordshire 1 (1987–1992)
The original Staffordshire 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and relegation down to Staffordshire 2. At the end of the 1991–92 season the merging of all Staffordshire and Warwickshire leagues meant that Staffordshire 1 was discontinued for the years that these leagues were active.
Staffordshire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1987–88 7 Trentham Rugeley Wulfrun, Wednesbury 1988–89 7 Handsworth Rugeley Linley & Kidsgrove, Cannock 1989–90 7 Uttoxeter Eccleshall Wednesbury 1990–91 7 Eccleshall Handsworth Rugeley 1991–92 7 Handsworth Trentham No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Staffordshire (1996–1999)
Restructuring of the Staffordshire/Warwickshire leagues ahead of the 1996–97 season saw the reintroduction of a single Staffordshire league, which along with its counterpart Warwickshire was a tier 10 league. Promotion was to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and there was no relegation until the reintroduction of Staffordshire 2 at the end of the 1998–99 season.
StaffordshireSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1996–97 9 Burntwood Wednesbury No relegation 1997–98 8 Wednesbury Cannock No relegation 1998–99 11 Uttoxeter Bloxwich Hanford, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Rugeley Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Staffordshire 1 (1999–2000)
At the end of the 1998–99 season Staffordshire was split into two divisions, with Staffordshire 1 sitting at level 10 of the league system. Promotion was to the newly introduced Midlands 4 West (North) while relegation was to the reintroduced Staffordshire 2.
Staffordshire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1999–00 6 Linley & Kidsgrove Wheaton Aston & Penkridge Cannock Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Staffordshire 1 (2000–2005)
The cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 would see Staffordshire 1 become a tier 9 league. Promotion was to Midlands 4 West (North) and relegation to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. At the end of the 2004–05 season Staffordshire 1 was cancelled and all teams transferred to the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (North) and Midlands 6 West (North) divisions.
Staffordshire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 2000–01 7 Wednesbury Wheaton Aston & Penkridge Rugeley 2001–02 5 Uttoxeter St Leonards Whittingham, Cannock 2002–03 6 Handsworth Linley & Kidsgrove Wheaton Aston & Penkridge 2003–04 5 Cannock St Leonards No relegation 2004–05 11 Cannock St Leonards No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles
Handsworth (3) Uttoxeter (3) Cannock (2) Wednesbury (2) Burntwood (1) Eccleshall (1) Linley & Kidsgrove (1) Trentham (1)
Notes
See also Staffordshire 2 Midlands RFU Staffordshire RU Warwickshire RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References