North Lancashire 2
Current season or competition:
2014–15 North Lancashire 2
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Ceased2015; 9 years ago (2015)
Number of teams9
Country England
HoldersPendle (1st title) (2014–15)
(promoted to North Lancashire 1)
Most titlesAshton-under-Lyne (4 titles)
Websiteclubs.rfu.com

North Lancashire Division 2 was an English Rugby Union league for teams from North Lancashire. The division was initially known as North-West East 2 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with North Lancashire 2 being the longest running. Promotion from this division was into North Lancashire 1 but there was no relegation as this is the basement division of club rugby union in North Lancashire. This league, and the three other lowest level north west leagues, were replaced in 2015 by three county-specific leagues - Cheshire (South), Merseyside (West) and Lancashire (North).

Participating Clubs 2014-15

Participating Clubs 2013-14

Participating Clubs 2012-13

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams based in Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire:

North Lancashire 2 honours

North-West East 2 (1987–1992)

The original incarnation of North Lancashire 2 was known as North-West East 2, and was a tier 11 league with promotion up to North-West East 2. Initially, there was no relegation until the creation of North-West East 3 for the 1989–90 season.

North-West East 2 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 10 Bolton Crewe & Nantwich No relegation
1988–89 12 Broughton Greater Manchester Fire Service Bowdon, Oldham College[b]
1989–90 11 Ashton-under-Lyne Manchester YMCA Agecroft, North Manchester
1990–91 10 Calder Vale Bury Dukinfield, Lostock
1991–92 11 Marple Littleborough[c] No relegation[d]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Lancashire North 2 (1992–1996)

North-West East 2 was renamed as Lancashire North 2 for the start of the 1992–93 season with promotion to Lancashire North 1 (formerly North-West East 1), while the cancellation of North-West East 3 meant there was no longer relegation. Initially a tier 11 league, the creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season saw Lancashire North 2 become a tier 12 league.

Lancashire North 2 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1992–93 5 Clitheroe Dukinfield No relegation
1993–94 8 Heaton Moor North Manchester No relegation
1994–95 9 Eccles Littleborough No relegation
1995–96 9 Old Bedians Broughton No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North Lancashire 2 (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 2 was renamed as North Lancashire 2, and the cancellation of National 5 North and creation of North West 3 meant that it remained a tier 12 league. Promotion continued to North Lancashire 1 (formerly Lancashire North 1).

North Lancashire 2 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 8 Oldham Eccles No relegation
1997–98 7 Colne & Nelson Chorley No relegation
1998–99[2] 7 Burnage Thornton-Cleveleys No relegation
1999–00[3] 7 Didsbury Toc H North Manchester No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North Lancashire 2 (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 2 became a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to North Lancashire 1. North Lancashire 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2014–15 season as part of 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).

North Lancashire 2 Honours
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[4] 9 Fylde Saracens Thornton-Cleveleys No relegation
2001–02[5] 11 Ashton-Under-Lyne Littleborough No relegation
2002–03[6] 8 West Park Warriors Chorley No relegation
2003–04[7] 9 Tarleton Thornton-Cleveleys No relegation
2004–05[8] 9 Old Bedians Colne & Nelson No relegation
2005–06[9] 8 Birchfield Blackpool No relegation
2006–07[10] 9 Ashton-Under-Lyne Garstang No relegation
2007–08[11] 8 Furness Bury No relegation
2008–09[12] 10 Hutton Windermere[e] No relegation
2009–10[13] 11 St. Edward's Old Boys Newton-le-Willows No relegation
2010–11[14] 11 Windermere North Manchester No relegation
2011–12[15] 12 Manchester Medics Mossley Hill No relegation
2012–13[16] 12 Ashton-Under-Lyne Thornton-Cleveleys No relegation
2013–14[17] 12 North Manchester Eagle No relegation
2014–15[18] 9 Pendle Eagle No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes

  1. ^ Oldham College would merge with and become part of North Manchester Rugby Club in 1991.[1]
  2. ^ The creation of North-West East 3 for the 1989–90 season meant there was relegation while that division was active.
  3. ^ Restructuring of the north-west leagues at the end of the 1991–92 season meant that all clubs in the division would be promoted/transferred to tier 10 leagues. Marple, Littleborough, Bolton, Ashton-under-Lyme, Colne & Nelson, Chorley and Heaton Moor would join Lancashire North 1, Congleton and Bowdon would join Cheshire and Didsbury TOC H would join Lancashire. Wigan Tech would drop out of the league system.
  4. ^ The cancellation of North-West East 3 at the end of the 1991–92 season meant there was relegation.
  5. ^ Hawcoat Park, Tarleton were also promoted.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2. HISTORY 2". North Manchester Rugby Club. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  2. ^ "1998–99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  3. ^ "1999–00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. ^ "2000–01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  5. ^ "2001–02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  6. ^ "2002–03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  7. ^ "2003–04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  8. ^ "2004–05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  9. ^ "2005–06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  10. ^ "2006–07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  11. ^ "2007–08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  12. ^ "2008–09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  13. ^ "2009–10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  14. ^ "2010–11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  15. ^ "2011–12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  16. ^ "2012–13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  17. ^ "2013–14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  18. ^ "2014–15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
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