1987–88 Area League North

Rugby union competition in England 1987–88 Area League North England Rugby (1st title) Durham City (not promoted) Solihull, Derby, Birkenhead Park 110 1988–89 The 1987–88 Area League North was the first full season of rugby union within the fourth tier of the English league system, currently known as National League 2 North, and was the counterpart to Area League South (later National League 2 South). Each team played one match against the other teams, playing a total of ten matches each. There was no set date for matches, clubs having to arrange the fixtures among themselves.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 1988 Rothmans Publications Ltd London Stephen JonesCourage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co Ltd Windsor Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell Rugby were the first ever champions, gaining promotion to the 1988–89 National Division 3 while Solihull, Derby and Birkenhead Park were the relegated sides.http://www.rugbyarchive.net/pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 Area League 1987/88 The Rugby Archive 23 December 2017 30 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171230232916/http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24 dead Solihull and Derby dropped to Midlands 1 while Birkenhead Park fell into North 1. Structure Each team played one match against each of the other teams, playing a total of ten matches each. The champions are promoted to National Division 3 and the bottom three teams were relegated to either North 1 or Midlands 1 depending on their locality. The reason that there were three relegated teams (compared to the 1987–88 Courage Area League South) was that both teams relegated from National Division 3 were based in the northern section of the country. Participating teams and locations UK Northern England 400 right Locations of the 1987–88 Area League North teams UK Northern England 53.397406 -3.045026 white Birkenhead left 80 UK Northern England 53.4368210 -2.2542300 white BroughtonPark right 80 UK Northern England 52.93853 -1.49668 white Derby right 80 UK Northern England 54.7728996 -1.5626000 white Durham right 80 UK Northern England 52.671618 -1.799633 white Lichfield right 80 UK Northern England 55.0239015 -1.6230853 white Northern right 80 UK Northern England 53.763201 -2.703089 white Preston left 80 UK Northern England 53.83969 -1.49992 white Rounday right 80 UK Northern England 52.370878 -1.265032 white Rugby right 80 UK Northern England 52.41664 -1.79847 white Solihull top 80 UK Northern England 52.456891 -2.148730 white Stourbridge left 80 TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaBirkenhead Park Upper Park 8,000Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 217 Birkhenhead Park FC (Ground Details) Birkenhead, WirralBroughton ParkChelsfield Grove2,000 (400 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94 1993 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Ross Young 219 Broughton Park FC (Ground Details)Chorlton-cum-Hardy, ManchesterDerbyKedleston Road1,200 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 217 Derby RFC (Ground Details)Derby, DerbyshireDurham City Hollow Drift 3,000 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1988–89 1988 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Horsham Bill Mitchell 104 Durham City Durham, County DurhamLichfield 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, StaffordshireNorthern McCracken Park 1,200 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 177 Northern F.C. (Ground Details)Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and WearPreston 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, LancashireRoundhay Chandos Park 3,000https://www.therugbyjournal.com/ghost-grounds/chandos-park-leeds-roundhay-rfc-1932-2007 Chandos Park, Roundhay R.U.F.C., 1932-2007 The Rugby Journal 28 December 2025 Roundhay, Leeds West YorkshireRugby Webb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 116 Rugby F.C. (Ground Details)https://d2eq6t2r9q1quu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/cms/9/911116.pdf Gloucester v. Leicester (PDF, opens in a new window) Gloucester Rugby Heritage 23 October 2024 Rugby, WarwickshireSolihull Sharmans 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 MidlandsStourbridge Stourton Park 2,000Courage 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 League table main WDL Q 1987–88 Area League North table points 2 RUG Rugby DUR Durham City ROU Roundhay PRE Preston Grasshoppers NOR Northern BRO Broughton Park STB Stourbridge LIC Lichfield BIR Birkenhead Park DER Derby SOL Solihull 9 0 1 184 100 C 8 0 2 165 100 6 2 2 131 67 5 1 4 178 149 5 1 4 121 137 5 0 5 152 106 5 0 5 132 134 4 0 6 150 165 4 0 6 117 179 R 2 0 8 136 169 R 0 0 10 59 219 R #d8ffeb Promoted P #ffcccc Relegated R R R complete 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 Sponsorship Area League North is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery. See also 1987–88 National Division 1 1987–88 National Division 2 1987–88 National Division 3 1987–88 Area League South References N4 Category:National League 2 North