Staffordshire 1

Staffordshire 1

Current season or competition: 2004–05 Staffordshire 1
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987; 38 years ago (1987)
Ceased	2005; 20 years ago (2005)
Number of teams	11
Country	England
Holders	Cannock (2nd title) (2004–05) (promoted to Midlands 5 West (North))
Most titles	Handsworth, Uttoxeter (3 titles)

Staffordshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Staffordshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 5 West (North) and relegated teams dropped to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. Staffordshire 1 was itself cancelled one year later at the end of the 2004–05 campaign, with the majority of teams transferred into the newly introduced Midlands 6 West (North).

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Burntwood
• Cannock
• Linley & Kidsgrove
• Rugeley
• Trentham
• Wednesbury
• Wulfrun[a]

Staffordshire 1 honours

Staffordshire 1 (1987–1992)

The original Staffordshire 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and relegation down to Staffordshire 2. At the end of the 1991–92 season the merging of all Staffordshire and Warwickshire leagues meant that Staffordshire 1 was discontinued for the years that these leagues were active[b].

Staffordshire 1
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
1987–88	7	Trentham	Rugeley	Wulfrun, Wednesbury	[2]
1988–89	7	Handsworth	Rugeley	Linley & Kidsgrove, Cannock	[3]
1989–90	7	Uttoxeter	Eccleshall	Wednesbury	[4]
1990–91	7	Eccleshall	Handsworth	Rugeley	[5]
1991–92	7	Handsworth[c]	Trentham[d]	No relegation[e]	[6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire (1996–1999)

Restructuring of the Staffordshire/Warwickshire leagues[f] ahead of the 1996–97 season saw the reintroduction of a single Staffordshire league, which along with its counterpart Warwickshire was a tier 10 league. Promotion was to Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 and there was no relegation until the reintroduction of Staffordshire 2 at the end of the 1998–99 season.

Staffordshire
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
1996–97	9	Burntwood	Wednesbury	No relegation	[7]
1997–98	8	Wednesbury	Cannock	No relegation	[8]
1998–99	11	Uttoxeter	Bloxwich	Hanford, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Rugeley[g]	[9]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (1999–2000)

At the end of the 1998–99 season Staffordshire was split into two divisions, with Staffordshire 1 sitting at level 10 of the league system. Promotion was to the newly introduced Midlands 4 West (North)[h] while relegation was to the reintroduced Staffordshire 2.

Staffordshire 1
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
1999–00	6	Linley & Kidsgrove[i]	Wheaton Aston & Penkridge	Cannock	[10]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Staffordshire 1 (2000–2005)

The cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 would see Staffordshire 1 become a tier 9 league. Promotion was to Midlands 4 West (North) and relegation to Staffordshire 2 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season. At the end of the 2004–05 season Staffordshire 1 was cancelled and all teams transferred to the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (North) and Midlands 6 West (North) divisions.

Staffordshire 1
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
2000–01	7	Wednesbury	Wheaton Aston & Penkridge	Rugeley	[11]
2001–02	5	Uttoxeter	St Leonards	Whittingham, Cannock	[12]
2002–03	6	Handsworth	Linley & Kidsgrove	Wheaton Aston & Penkridge	[13]
2003–04	5	Cannock[j]	St Leonards	No relegation[k]	[14]
2004–05	11	Cannock[l]	St Leonards[m]	No relegation	[15]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Handsworth (3)
• Uttoxeter (3)[n]
• Cannock (2)
• Wednesbury (2)[o]
• Burntwood (1)[p]
• Eccleshall (1)
• Linley & Kidsgrove (1)
• Trentham (1)

Notes

1. Wulfrun would later merge with Old Oaks and Rubery Owen in 1998 to form Essington RUFC.[1]
2. The new format included four divisions; Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 3 and Staffordshire/Warwickshire 4.
3. The restructuring of the Staffordshire & Warwickshire leagues meant that champions Handsworth were promoted two levels up to Midlands West 2.
4. Restructuring meant that five clubs including Trentham, Wednesbury, GEC St Leonards, Linley & Kidsgrove and Uttoxeter were promoted into Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
5. The cancellation of Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 meant that there was no relegation, with bottom clubs Cannock and Rubery Owen instead being transferred into the new Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2
6. This restructuring saw the cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 2, Staffordshire/Warwickshire 3 and Staffordshire/Warwickshire 4 and the transfer of teams into Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
7. Restructuring of the Staffordshire league into Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 meant that relegation was reintroduced for the 1998–99 season.
8. Midlands 4 West (North) was introduced ahead of the 2000–01 season.
9. Due to the cancellation of Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 at the end of the season, there was no promotion.
10. The remerging of Staffordshire 1 and Staffordshire 2 into a single Staffordshire 1 division meant that champions Cannock were not promoted.
11. No relegation due to the cancellation of Staffordshire 2 at the end of the season.
12. The cancellation of Staffordshire 1 at the end of the season, meant that champions Cannock were promoted two levels up into the new look Midlands 5 West (North).
13. Runners up St Leonards and the remaining 10 teams were transferred into the new look Midlands 6 West (North) at the end of the season.
14. One of Uttoxeter's titles was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.
15. One of Wednesbury's titles was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.
16. Burntwood's title was won when league was single division known as Staffordshire.

See also

• Staffordshire 2
• Midlands RFU
• Staffordshire RU
• Warwickshire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "Club History". Essington RUFC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
2. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988-89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 130–134. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.
3. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989-90. Queen Anne Press. pp. 136–139. ISBN 0-356-17862-5.
4. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990-91. Queen Anne Press. pp. 140–143. ISBN 0-356-19162-1.
5. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991-92. Queen Anne Press. pp. 161–164. ISBN 0-356-20249-6.
6. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992-93. Headline. pp. 183–185. ISBN 0-7472-7907-1.
7. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. Headline. pp. 156–159. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
8. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998-99. Headline. pp. 90–93. ISBN 0-7472-7653-6.
9. "1998-1999 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
10. "1999-2000 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
11. "2000-2001 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
12. "2001-2002 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
13. "2002-2003 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
14. "2003-2004 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
15. "2004-2005 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 December 2020.