1987–88 Courage League National Division Three
| 1987–88 Courage League National Division Three | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Date | September 1987 – April 1988 |
| Champions | Wakefield (1st title) |
| Runners-up | West Hartlepool |
| Relegated | Morley and Birmingham |
| Matches played | 66 |
The 1987–88 Courage League National Division Three was the first full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system, currently known as the 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 National Division Two. Morley and Birmingham (without a win) finished in the bottom two places and both clubs were relegated to Area League North for the following season.[1] Almost all clubs in the national divisions reported an increase in attendances.[2]
Structure[edit]
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.[3]
Participating teams and locations[edit]
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Sharmans Cross | 2,500 | Solihull, West Midlands |
| Exeter | County Ground | 5,200 | Exeter, Devon |
| Fylde | Woodlands | 9,000 | Lytham St Annes, Lancashire |
| Maidstone | William Davey Memorial | Maidstone, Kent | |
| Metropolitan Police | Imber Court | East Molesey, Surrey | |
| Morley | Scatcherd Lane | Morley, Leeds | |
| Nuneaton | Harry Cleaver Ground | Nuneaton, Warwickshire | |
| Plymouth Albion | Beacon Park | 3,500 | Plymouth, Devon |
| Sheffield | Abbeydale Park | 3,200 | Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire |
| Vale of Lune | Powderhouse Lane | Lancaster, Lancashire | |
| Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| West Hartlepool | Brierton Lane | Hartlepool, Cleveland |
League table[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wakefield (C) | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 308 | 90 | +218 | 20 |
| 2 | West Hartlepool | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 249 | 105 | +144 | 20 |
| 3 | Plymouth Albion | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 276 | 125 | +151 | 16 |
| 4 | Sheffield | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 134 | 161 | −27 | 15 |
| 5 | Vale of Lune | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 183 | 149 | +34 | 14 |
| 6 | Fylde | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 269 | 170 | +99 | 12 |
| 7 | Metropolitan Police | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 130 | 128 | +2 | 10 |
| 8 | Maidstone | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 134 | 162 | −28 | 8 |
| 9 | Exeter | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 128 | 197 | −69 | 8 |
| 10 | Nuneaton | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 94 | 157 | −63 | 5 |
| 11 | Morley | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 109 | 235 | −126 | 3 |
| 12 | Birmingham | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 46 | 381 | −335 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 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
(C) Champions
Sponsorship[edit]
National Division Three is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery
See also[edit]
- 1987–88 Courage League National Division One
- 1987–88 Courage League National Division Two
- 1987–88 Courage Area League North
- 1987–88 Courage Area League South
References[edit]
- ^ a b Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.
- ^ a b Stephen Jones, ed. (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89. London: Rothmans Publications Ltd.
- ^ "Courage Club Championship 1987/88". Moseley Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.