1997–98 National League 2 North

Rugby union competition in England 1997–98 National League 2 North England Birmingham & Solihull (1st title) Manchester (also promoted) No relegation 182 1996–97 1998–99 The 1997–98 National League 2 North was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the fourth tier (north) of the English league system, previously known as National Division 4 North, and was the first to be sponsored by Jewson who replaced former sponsor Courage. It is counterpart to National League 2 South, which covers the southern half of the country. The title battle was keenly contested between Birmingham & Solihull and Manchester but in the end it was the West Midlands side that was triumphant, finishing two points clear to finish as champions. Both clubs would gain promotion to the 1998–99 National League 1.http://www.rugbyarchive.net/pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 Jewson National League 2 North 1997/98 The Rugby Archive 21 December 2017 30 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171230232916/http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 dead There was no relegation this season in order to prevent an imbalance of teams in the leagues due to RFU changes for the following season which would see tier 2 increased from 12 to 14 teams and tier 3 reduced from 16 to 14 teams.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 1997 Headline Book Publishing London 0 7472 7732 X Mick Cleary and John Griffiths 87–100 26Cleary Mick Griffiths John Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99 1998 Headline Book Publishing London 0 7472 7653 6 84–98 27th Structure Each team played home and away matches against each of the other teams, playing a total of twenty-six matches each. The league champions and runners up were promoted to National League 1. There was no relegation this season due to changes higher up in the English league system. Participating teams and locations Northern England 450 right 1997–98 National League 2 North teams in England Northern England 54.7617302 -3.3310001 white Aspatria right 80 Northern England 52.545454 -1.376669 white Hinckley right 80 Northern England 54.3402596 -2.7392313 white Kendal right 80 Northern England 52.671618 -1.799633 white Lichfield left 80 Northern England 53.3565788 -2.1920900 white Manchester left 80 Northern England 52.520489 -1.465381 white Nuneaton bottom 80 Northern England 53.763201 -2.703089 white Preston right 80 Northern England 53.652981 -1.479936 white Sandal right 80 Northern England 53.5520 -2.299201 white Sedgley Park left 80 Northern England 53.381129 -1.470085 white Sheffield right 80 Northern England 53.2539101 -2.5376999 white WinningtonPark bottom 80 Northern England 52.4763 -1.8895 white W Midlands left 80 Cyan pog.svg West Midlands 1997–98 National League 2 North teams in the West Midlands West Midlands National League 2 North teams right 450 West Midlands 52.456891 -2.148730 white Stourbridge right 80 West Midlands 52.41664 -1.79847 white B'ham & Solihull bottom 80 West Midlands 52.5696734 -1.9712583 white Walsall left 80 TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonAspatria Bower Park3,000 (300 seats)Tetley's Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1997–98 1997 Tony Williams Publications Ltd Taunton 10th Stephen McCormack 362 Aspatria R.U.F.C. (Club & Ground Details) Aspatria, Cumbria10thBirmingham & Solihull Sharmans Cross 4,000Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 171 Birmingham and Solihull R.F.C. (Ground Details) Solihull, West Midlands 2nd (not promoted)HinckleyLeicester Road 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire Promoted from Midlands 1 (1st)Kendal Mint Bridge4,600 (600 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 174 Kendal R.F.C. (Ground Details) Kendal, Cumbria 9thLichfield Cooke Fields 5,460 (460 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 176 Lichfield R.U.F.C. (Ground Details) Lichfield, Staffordshire 11thManchester Grove Park 4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester 4thNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, Warwickshire 12thPreston Grasshoppers Lightfoot Green 2,250 (250 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 179 Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C. (Ground Details) Preston, Lancashire 3rdSandal Milnthorpe Green Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 5thSedgley Park Park Lane 3,000 Whitefield, Greater Manchester Promoted from North 1 (1st)Sheffield Abbeydale Park 3,300 (100 seats)Although a 1990 club estimate was 1,100 (100 seated and 1,000 standing) this is very conservative as Abbeydale Park would experience 3,000+ crowds several times in later history in what was a relatively unchanged ground.Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 162 Sheffield R.U.F.C. (Ground Details) Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 8thStourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (450 seats)http://www.rugbynetwork.net/main/s344/st56305.htm Pre-season match Preview ~ Stourbridge Vs Bees rugbynetwork.net 7 August 2004 Stourbridge, West Midlands 6thWalsall Broadway 2,250 (250 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1995–96 1995 Tony Williams Publications Taunton 8th Tony Williams 298 Walsall R.F.C. (Club & Ground Details)Walsall, West Midlands Relegated from National 3 (13th)Winnington Park Burrows Hill 5,000Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94 1993 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Ross Young 285 Winnington Park RFC (Ground Details)Northwich, Cheshire 7th League table main WDL 1997–98 National League 2 North table Q 2 points BIR Birmingham & Solihull MAN Manchester KEN Kendal PRE Preston Grasshoppers SED Sedgley Park STO Stourbridge NUN Nuneaton SAN Sandal ASP Aspatria SHE Sheffield WAL Walsall HIN Hinckley WIN Winnington Park LIC Lichfield 23 0 3 805 334 CP 21 2 3 1029 472 P 18 2 6 619 357 14 2 10 549 469 14 2 10 655 595 14 0 12 685 605 13 0 13 453 570 13 1 12 485 547 11 0 15 524 783 10 2 14 557 539 9 1 16 539 723 6 1 19 429 726 5 0 21 470 750 4 1 21 365 694 -2 2 points deducted -2 SAN #d8ffeb Promoted P P Points are awarded as follows: 2 pts for a win, 1 pt for a draw, 0 pts for a loss. If teams are level at any stage, difference between points for and against applies. complete Sponsorship National League 2 North is part of the Jewson National Leagues is sponsored by Jewson. It was the first year they would sponsor the league. See also 1997–98 Premiership 1 1997–98 Premiership 2 1997–98 National League 1 1997–98 National League 2 South References N4 Category:National League 2 North