1989–90 Courage Area League North
| 1989–90 Courage Area League North | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Champions | Broughton Park (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Morley (also promoted) |
| Relegated | No relegation |
| Matches played | 110 |
The 1989–90 Courage Area League North was the third 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 Courage Area League South (currently National League 2 South). It would be the last season the division would be called Area League North as it would be renamed National 4 North for the following campaign. The title battle was very strongly contested, but the end it would be Broughton Park who would triumph as league champions despite finishing dead level with runners up Morley, thanks to a far superior points/for against record. Both sides would be promoted to the 1990–91 National Division Three.
At the opposite end of the table it was a different story, with Stoke-on-Trent being the worse side in the division, failing to gain a single point as they finished last. However, Stoke were granted a reprieve as no northern clubs were relegated from the 1989–90 National Division Three meaning they had another season in the league.[1][2]
Structure
[edit]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 team was relegated to either North 1 or Midlands 1 depending on their locality.
Participating teams and locations
[edit]
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broughton Park | Hough End | Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester | Runners up (not promoted) | |
| Durham City | Hollow Drift | Durham, County Durham | 7th | |
| Kendal | Mint Bridge | 3,000 | Kendal, Cumbria | Promoted from North 1 (champions) |
| Lichfield | Cooke Fields | Lichfield, Staffordshire | 9th | |
| Morley | Scatcherd Lane | Morley, West Yorkshire | 8th | |
| Northern | McCracken Park | 1,000 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | 4th |
| Preston Grasshoppers | Lightfoot Green | 5,000 | Preston, Lancashire | 6th |
| Stoke-on-Trent | Hartwell Lane | Barlaston, Staffordshire | 10th | |
| Stourbridge | Stourton Park | 3,000 | Stourbridge, West Midlands | 3rd |
| Walsall | Broadway | 1,150 | Walsall, West Midlands | Promoted from Midlands 1 (champions) |
| Winnington Park | Burrows Hill | Norwich, Cheshire | 5th |
League table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broughton Park (C) | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 246 | 111 | +135 | 16 | Promoted |
| 2 | Morley (P) | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 169 | 115 | +54 | 16 | |
| 3 | Stourbridge | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 146 | 133 | +13 | 14 | |
| 4 | Durham City | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 195 | 169 | +26 | 12 | |
| 5 | Kendal | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 130 | 136 | −6 | 12 | |
| 6 | Preston Grasshoppers | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 122 | 109 | +13 | 10 | |
| 7 | Lichfield | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 110 | 121 | −11 | 10 | |
| 8 | Northern | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 139 | 144 | −5 | 8 | |
| 9 | Winnington Park | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 142 | 152 | −10 | 8 | |
| 10 | Walsall | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 143 | 183 | −40 | 4 | |
| 11 | Stoke-on-Trent | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 88 | 257 | −169 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 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
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Sponsorship
[edit]Area League North is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery.
See also
[edit]- 1989–90 Courage League National Division One
- 1989–90 Courage League National Division Two
- 1989–90 Courage League National Division Three
- 1989–90 Courage Area League South
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Area League 1989/90". The Rugby Archive. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd. pp. 167–204.