1996–97 National Division 4 North

Season of rugby 1996–97 National Division 4 North England Worcester (1st title) Birmingham & Solihull (not promoted) Stoke-on-Trent, Hereford 182 1995–96 1997–98 The 1996–97 National Division 4 North was the tenth full season of rugby union within the fourth tier of the English league system, currently known as National League 2 North, and the last using the name National Division 4 North. Changes to the league structure by the RFU at the start of the season saw National Division 4 revert to two regional divisions (National Division 4 North and National Division 4 South), while Courage League Division 5 North and South were split back into regional leagues - North 1, Midlands 1, London 1 and South West 1These regional divisions had previously been tier 6 leagues during the days of National Division 5 but would revert to being level 5 leagues for the 1996-97 season.. This meant that National Division 4 North increased from 10 to 14 teams (28 overall) with multiple teams coming up from the discontinued Division 5.http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=29&Stagione=1995/96 Courage League - Division 5 1995/96 The Rugby Archive 18 December 2017 Worcester were deserving champions, going undefeated in the league to take the title and only promotion spot to the 1997–98 National Division 1 (formerly National Division 3), 11 points clear of runners up Birmingham & Solihull. While Worcester were deserving champions, Stoke-on-Trent and Hereford were easily the worst teams in the division and as a consequence were the two sides to go down, well short of safety. Both sides would drop to Midlands 1.http://www.rugbyarchive.net/pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 Courage League - Division 4 1996/97 The Rugby Archive 18 December 2017 30 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171230232916/http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 dead The reason Division 4 North had less relegation places compared to Division 4 North (2 to 4) was that 3 out of 4 of the teams relegated from the division above were based in the south of the country, requiring more places to accommodate for their arrival the following season. 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 were promoted to the new-look National League 1 while the bottom four sides dropped to either North 1 or Midlands 1 depending on locality. Participating teams and locations England 400 right Locations of the 1996–97 National Division 4 North teams England 54.7617302 -3.3310001 white Aspatria right 80 England 52.41664 -1.79847 white B'ham & Solihull right 80 England 52.0512815 -2.728557 white Hereford left 80 England 54.3402596 -2.7392313 white Kendal right 80 England 52.671618 -1.799633 white Lichfield left 80 England 53.3565788 -2.1920900 white Manchester top 80 England 52.520489 -1.465381 white Nuneaton right 80 England 53.763201 -2.703089 white Preston right 80 England 53.652981 -1.479936 white Sandal right 80 England 53.381129 -1.470085 white Sheffield right 80 England 52.946864 -2.1333437 white Stoke right 80 England 52.456891 -2.148730 white Stourbridge left 80 England 53.2539101 -2.5376999 white WinningtonPark left 80 England 52.2156 -2.1625 white Worcester 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, Cumbria9thBirmingham & 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 Promoted from National 5 North (3rd)Hereford Wyeside 3,200 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 173 Hereford R.F.C. (Ground Details)Hereford, Herefordshire Promoted from Midlands 1 (1st)Kendal Mint Bridge 4,600 (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 Promoted from National 5 North (9th)Lichfield 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 Promoted from National 5 North (12th)Manchester Grove Park 4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester Promoted from North 1 (1st)Nuneaton Liberty WayNuneaton were previously based at the Harry Cleaver Ground before moving to Liberty Way in November 1995.https://www.nuneatonrugby.co.uk/a/club-history-50698.html CLUB HISTORY Nuneaton RFC 10 January 2025 3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, Warwickshire Promoted from National 5 North (10th)Preston 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 Promoted from National 5 North (8th)SandalMilnthorpe Green Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire Promoted from National 5 North (6th)SheffieldAbbeydale 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 Promoted from National 5 North (5th)Stoke-on-Trent Hartwell Lane 2,000Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 180 Stoke on Trent R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)Barlaston, Staffordshire Promoted from National 5 North (11th)Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (450 seats)Stourton Park ground capacity up from 2,000 to 3,500 following ground upgrades including a 450 seater stand.http://www.rugbynetwork.net/main/s344/st56305.htm Pre-season match Preview ~ Stourbridge Vs Bees rugbynetwork.net 7 August 2004 Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 183 Stourbridge R.F.C. (Ground Details) Stourbridge, West Midlands Promoted from National 5 North (7th)Winnington ParkBurrows Hill 5,000Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94 1993 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Ross Young 285 Winnington Park RFC (Ground Details)Northwich, CheshirePromoted from National 5 North (4th)Worcester Sixways 8,477 Worcester, Worcestershire Promoted from National 5 North (2nd) League table main WDL 1996–97 National Division 4 North table Q 2 points WOR Worcester BIR Birmingham & Solihull PRE Preston Grasshoppers MAN Manchester SAN Sandal STR Stourbridge WIN Winnington Park SHE Sheffield KEN Kendal ASP Aspatria LIC Lichfield NUN Nuneaton HER Hereford STK Stoke-on-Trent 23 3 0 833 378 C 19 0 7 746 391 17 2 7 568 394 16 1 9 763 514 15 1 10 618 572 14 1 11 704 579 14 1 11 641 565 12 2 12 496 451 11 1 14 541 451 10 1 15 616 713 10 0 16 544 713 8 1 17 457 670 4 0 22 287 970 R 2 0 24 391 854 R #d8ffeb Promoted P #ffcccc Relegated R R 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 Division 4 North is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and is sponsored by Courage Brewery. This was their tenth and final season of sponsorship. See also 1996–97 National Division 1 1996–97 National Division 2 1996–97 National Division 3 1996–97 National Division 4 South Notes References N4 Category:National League 2 North