1987–88 National Division 3

Rugby union competition in England 1987–88 National Division 3 England September 1987 – April 1988 Wakefield (1st title) West Hartlepool MorleyBirmingham 66 121 – Steve Burnage (Fylde)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94 1993 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Ross Young 52 Season by Season Leading Scorers 10 – Brendan Hanavan (Fylde) 1988–89 The 1987–88 National Division 3 was the first season of the third tier tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, and the first to be sponsored by Courage Brewery. It was also the first season of a truly national rugby union league, with the third tier currently known as National League 1. Both Wakefield and West Hartlepool won ten matches, lost one and finished on twenty points. Wakefield finished as champions due to their superior points difference but neither team was promoted to the 1988–89 National Division 2. Morley and Birmingham (without a win) finished in the bottom two places and both clubs were relegated to the 1988–89 Area League North.Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co Ltd Windsor Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell Almost all clubs in the national divisions reported an increase in attendances.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 1988 Rothmans Publications Ltd London Stephen Jones Structure Each team played one match against the other teams, playing a total of eleven matches each. There was no set date for matches, clubs having to arrange the fixtures amongst themselves.Courage Club Championship 1987/88 http://www.moseleyrugby.co.uk/report_display12.php?menitem=94 Moseley Rugby Club 14 August 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084702/http://www.moseleyrugby.co.uk/report_display12.php?menitem=94 19 August 2014 dead For this first season there was no promotion to National Division 2 but the bottom two sides would be relegated to either Area League 2 North or Area League South depending on locality. Participating teams and locations England 400 right 1987–88 National Division 3 teams in England England 52.41664 -1.79847 white Birmingham left 80 England 50.7167 -3.5339 white Exeter right 80 England 53.745 -2.988056 white Fylde left 80 England 51.3907318 -0.3500200 white Met Police left 80 England 51.268126 0.5326844 white Maidstone right 80 England 53.7433510 -1.6121500 white Morley left 80 England 52.520489 -1.465381 white Nuneaton right 80 England 50.371397 -4.142431 white Plymouth right 80 England 53.381129 -1.470085 white Sheffield right 80 England 54.0618095 -2.8191900 white Vale of Lune left 80 England 53.683298 -1.505924 white Wakefield right 80 England 54.691745 -1.212926 white W Hartlepool right 80 TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBirminghamSharmans Cross4,000Courage 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 Exeter County Ground 5,750 (750 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 138 Exeter R.F.C. (Ground Details)Exeter, DevonFylde Woodlands 7,500 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 142 Fylde R.F.C. (Ground Details)Lytham St Annes, LancashireMaidstone William Davey Memorial2,000 (100 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94 1993 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Ross Young 299 Maidstone FC (Ground Details)Maidstone, KentMetropolitan PoliceImber Court3,500 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 147 Metropolitan Police R.F.C. (Ground Details)East Molesey, SurreyMorley Scatcherd Lane6,000 (1,000 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 152 Morley R.F.C. (Ground Details)Morley, LeedsNuneatonHarry Cleaver Ground 5,000 (650 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95 1994 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Bill Mitchell 277 Nuneaton RFC (Ground Details)Nuneaton, WarwickshirePlymouth Albion Beacon Park1,950 (450 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 109 Plymouth Albion RFC (Ground Details)Plymouth, DevonSheffield 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 YorkshireVale of Lune Powderhouse Lane 9,860 (360 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 164 Vale of Lune R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)Lancaster, LancashireWakefield College Grove 4,000 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 123 Wakefield R.F.C. (Ground Details) Wakefield, West YorkshireWest Hartlepool Brierton Lane 4,950 (450 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 165 West Hartlepool R.F.C. (Ground Details) Hartlepool, Cleveland League table main WDL Q 1987–88 National Division 3 table points 2 WAK Wakefield WES West Hartlepool PLY Plymouth Albion SHE Sheffield VAL Vale of Lune FYL Fylde MET Metropolitan Police MAI Maidstone EXE Exeter NUN Nuneaton MOR Morley BIR Birmingham 10 0 1 308 90 C 10 0 1 249 105 8 0 3 276 125 7 1 3 134 161 7 0 4 183 149 6 0 5 269 170 5 0 6 130 128 4 0 7 134 162 3 2 6 128 197 2 1 8 94 157 1 1 9 109 235 0 1 10 46 381 #fcc R R complete Points were awarded as follows: 2 pts for a win 1 pt for a draw 0 pts for a loss If teams were level at any stage, tiebreakers were applied in the following order: Difference between points for and against Some publications listed league tables with 4 pts for a win, 2 pt for a draw and 1 pt for a loss. (This scoring system is not the same as the current bonus points system introduced in 2000–01.) There was no promotion this season. Notes See also 1987–88 National Division 1 1987–88 National Division 2 1987–88 Area League North 1987–88 Area League South References External links National Clubs Association N3 Category:National League 1 seasons