National Conference League: Difference between revisions
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{{Notability|Sports|date=April 2023}} |
{{Notability|Sports|date=April 2023}} |
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{{ |
{{moresources|date=October 2024}} |
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}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} |
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| promotion = |
| promotion = |
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| relegation = |
| relegation = |
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| levels = 4 |
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* [[Cumberland League|Cumbria League]] |
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| domestic_cup = [[Challenge Cup]]<br>[[BARLA National Cup]] |
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* [[North West Counties|North West League]] |
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* [[North East Rugby League|North East League]] |
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* [[Yorkshire Men's League|Yorkshire League]] |
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* [[Scottish Conference|Scottish National League]] |
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| levels = 4 to 7 |
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| domestic_cup = [[Challenge Cup]]<br>[[Conference Challenge Trophy]]<br>[[BARLA National Cup]] |
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| champions = |
| champions = |
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*'''Premier Division''': [[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] |
*'''Premier Division''': [[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] |
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* '''Division Three''': [[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
* '''Division Three''': [[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
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| most successful club = |
| most successful club = |
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| tv = [[ |
| tv = [[Rugby League League|ouRLeague]] |
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| website = {{URL|https://www.rugby-league.com/competitions/national/national-conference-league}} |
| website = {{URL|https://www.rugby-league.com/competitions/national/national-conference-league}} |
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| current_season = |
| current_season = 2024 National Conference League |
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}} |
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The '''National Conference League''' comprises the five levels of the [[British rugby league system]] and is at the top end of the amateur pyramid and sits below the professional [[RFL League 1|League One]]. It comes under the jurisdiction of the [[Rugby Football League]]. The National Conference League has promotion and relegation between the [[National Conference League Premier Division|Premier Division]] and [[National Conference League Division Three|Division Three]] although there is no promotion or relegation between the [[Conference League South]], Regional Leagues or promotion to [[RFL League 1|League One]] without an application to the RFL. |
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==The System== |
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The '''National Conference League''' (known as the '''Impact Performance National Conference League''' for sponsorship reasons and often abbreviated to simply '''NCL''') is the fourth tier of the male [[British rugby league system|British rugby league]] structure, currently consisting of top-level [[amateur]] clubs based wholly within [[Northern England]]. |
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The National Conference League consists of five divisions. Teams can be promoted and relegated through the top four divisions (Premier, One, Two and Three) however there is no promotion and relegation between Division Three and the [[Southern Conference League]] or the [[Rugby League Conference#Successor leagues|regional leagues]]. Clubs outside the National Conference League can apply to join Division Three. |
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Although the NCL sits below [[League 1 (rugby league)|League One]], teams are not promoted and relegated between the amateur leagues and the professional game, although any club from NCL to the regional leagues can apply to join League One. |
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Since 2012, the National Conference League operates over a summer season in line with the [[professional]] game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/leagues__competitions/national_conference_league|title=Rugby-League.com|website=www.rugby-league.com|access-date=2019-12-11}}</ref> |
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In each division clubs play each other twice, once at their home stadium and once at their opponents. Teams receive two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Teams are ranked by competition points, points difference (points scored less points conceded), points scored. |
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==History== |
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{{main|History of the National Conference League}} |
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The league was founded as the BARLA National League for the 1986–87 season with 10 teams: Dudley Hill, Egremont Rangers, Heworth, Leigh Miners Welfare (now Leigh Miners Rangers), Milford Marlins, Millom, Pilkington Recs, West Hull, Wigan St Patrick's and Woolston Rovers. The original NCL concept was one team per town. |
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The league added a second division in 1989, and expanded to three divisions (now named premier, first and second as opposed to first and second) along with a rebrand to the current name of National Conference League in 1993. |
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Somewhat confusingly, in the late 1990s and 2000s another major amateur competition was also titled conference: the [[Rugby League Conference]] (RLC), which operated a summer season as opposed to the traditional winter season retained by the NCL. The move to a summer season by the NCL in 2012 and a reorganisation by the RFL resulted in a merger of the leagues and the creation of a new [[National Conference League Division 3|NCL 3rd division]] out of the old RLC National Division, which was replaced by the [[Conference League South]] in 2013. |
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At the end of the season in the Premier Division, the top six teams enter the playoffs with the winner being crowned NCL champions. The bottom three clubs are relegated to Division One. |
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==Structure== |
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For Divisions One, Two and Three, the top two clubs are promoted from their respective divisions while teams finishing between 3rd and 6th playoff for the final promotion place. With the exception of Division Three, the bottom three clubs are relegated. |
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For the [[Southern Conference League]] clubs play each other once home and away while at the end of the season the top four teams playoff to determine the champions although no club is promoted or relegated. |
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Although it is considered the tier below [[League 1 (rugby league)|League 1]], teams are not promoted and relegated between the amateur NCL and the professional game, although NCL teams the [[Challenge Cup]]. |
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{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
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|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
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'''[[ |
'''[[National Conference League Division One|Division One]]'''<br/> |
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''12 clubs'' – 3 promotions, 3 relegations |
''12 clubs'' – 3 promotions, 3 relegations |
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|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
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'''[[ |
'''[[National Conference League Division Two|Division Two]]'''<br/> |
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''12 clubs'' – 3 promotions, 3 relegations |
''12 clubs'' – 3 promotions, 3 relegations |
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|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
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'''[[ |
'''[[National Conference League Division Three|Division Three]]'''<br/> |
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''13 clubs'' – 3 promotions, bottom 2 clubs seek re-election |
''13 clubs'' – 3 promotions, bottom 2 clubs seek re-election |
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|- |
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|colspan="1" width="4%"| |
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4 |
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|colspan="6" width="96%"| |
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'''[[Southern Conference League]]'''<br/> |
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''8 clubs'' – 0 promotions, 0 relegation |
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|} |
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== |
==History== |
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While in the early days rugby league had an established structure outside of the professional leagues with county-wide competitions and the like, this soon decayed into local district leagues usually only featuring teams from one or two towns with no input from the professional game. This eventually saw the number of amateur rugby league clubs reduce to a mere 150 in the early 1970s. |
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The Premier Division play-offs follows a similar structure to that in the professional game. The Champions are decided in a top six play-off competition. In week 1 of the play-offs, the teams placed 3rd and 6th play each other as do the teams paced 4th and 5th, the winners qualify for the Elimination Semi-Final. In week 2 of the pay-offs, the teams that finished the regular season 1st and second play each other in the Qualifying Semi-Final and takes place on the same weekend. The winner of the Qualifying Semi-Final progresses to the Grand Final while the loser has another opportunity to get to the Grand Final by playing the winners of the Elimination Semi-Final in Week 3 of the play-offs. |
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Against this background [[British Amateur Rugby League Association]] were formed in 1973. One of their first acts was to merge the vast majority of the district leagues into three regional leagues: the [[CMS Yorkshire league|Yorkshire League]], the [[Pennine League]] and the [[North West Counties League|North Western Counties League]]. For geographical reasons the Hull League, the [[Cumberland League]], the Barrow League and the [[London League (rugby league)|London League]] were left as they were. |
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The Division One, Division Two and Division Three play-offs are contested by the teams that finished 3rd to 6th during the regular season. The top two teams are promoted automatically. These Play-offs are straightforward knock-out competitions composed of two Semi-Finals, between the teams finishing 3rd and 6th in one and those that finished 4th and 5th on the other, before the winners contest the Final a week later. The winner of the Final is promoted. |
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This allowed clubs to play at more appropriate standards as there were more divisions, and this factor along with the improved governance of BARLA saw the standard and numbers of clubs rise quickly. However, while there was a National Cup, the best amateur clubs were still divided between six leagues and thus the desire for an amateur National League arose. |
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==Clubs in 2024== |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|- |
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! Premier Division |
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! Division One |
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! Division Two |
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! Division Three |
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|- |
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||[[Egremont Rangers]] |
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|Clock Face Miners |
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|Barrow Island |
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|Bentley |
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|- |
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|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]] |
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|Crosfields |
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|[[Dewsbury Celtic]] |
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|Beverley |
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|- |
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|Hunslet |
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|Dewsbury Moor Maroons |
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|Ellenborough |
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|Distington |
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|- |
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|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]] |
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|[[Hull Dockers]] |
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|[[Millom R.L.F.C.|Millom]] |
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|Drighlington |
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|- |
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|[[Castleford Lock Lane|Lock Lane]] |
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|[[Ince Rose Bridge]] |
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|[[Myton Warriors]] |
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|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
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|- |
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|[[Rochdale Mayfield]] |
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|[[Leigh Miners Rangers]] |
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|[[Normanton Knights]] |
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|Eastmoor Dragons |
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|- |
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|[[Siddal A.R.L.F.C.|Siddal]] |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] |
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|Oldham St Annes |
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|[[Featherstone Lions]] |
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|- |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] |
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|[[Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C.|Skirlaugh]] |
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|[[Pilkington Recs]] |
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|[[Hensingham ARLFC|Hensingham]] |
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|- |
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|[[Wath Brow Hornets]] |
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|Stanningley |
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|[[Saddleworth Rangers]] |
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|[[Leigh East A.R.L.F.C.|Leigh East]] |
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|- |
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|[[West Bowling A.R.L.F.C.|West Bowling]] |
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|Waterhead Warriors |
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|Shaw Cross Sharks |
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|Milford |
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|- |
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|[[West Hull A.R.L.F.C.|West Hull]] |
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|[[Wigan St Patricks]] |
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|[[Thornhill Trojans]] |
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|Seaton Rangers |
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|- |
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|[[York Acorn A.R.L.F.C.|York Acorn]] |
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|[[Woolston Rovers]] |
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|[[Wigan St Judes]] |
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| |
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|- |
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|} |
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The BARLA National League was formed in 1986. The league received twenty-seven applications including five from the Barrow area alone, and more unusually, one from a London club- South London Warriors. |
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==Results== |
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In the end the league settled on ten members, all from the northern strongholds of the game. These were four clubs from Yorkshire: Dudley Hill, Milford Marlins, Heworth and West Hull; four clubs from Lancashire: [[Pilkington Recs]], Wigan St Patrick's, [[Woolston Rovers]] and Leigh Miners' Welfare; and two clubs from Cumbria: Egremont Rangers and Millom. These ten clubs were to be the members for each of the first three seasons. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|- |
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! Season |
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! Premier Division |
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! Division One |
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! Division Two |
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! Division Three |
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|- |
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| 1986–87 |
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|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]] |
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|rowspan=3{{N/A|N/A}} |
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|rowspan=7{{N/A|N/A}} |
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|rowspan=25{{N/A|N/A}} |
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|- |
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| 1987–88 |
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|Milford Marlins |
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|- |
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| 1988–89 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] |
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|- |
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| 1989–90 |
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|[[Bradford Dudley Hill]] |
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|[[Saddleworth Rangers]] |
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|- |
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| 1990–91 |
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|[[Leigh East]] |
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|Barrow |
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|- |
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| 1991–92 |
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|[[Wigan St Patricks]] |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] |
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|- |
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| 1992–93 |
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|[[Saddleworth Rangers]] |
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|[[Rochdale Mayfield]] |
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|- |
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| 1993–94 |
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|[[Woolston Rovers]] |
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|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]] |
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|Oldham St Annes |
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|- |
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| 1994–95 |
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|[[Woolston Rovers]] (2) |
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|[[Millom R.L.F.C.|Millom]] |
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|Eastmoor Dragons |
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|- |
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| 1995–96 |
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|[[Woolston Rovers]] (3) |
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|Beverley |
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|[[Wigan St Judes]] |
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|- |
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| 1996–97 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (2) |
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|Askam |
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|Redhill |
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|- |
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| 1997–98 |
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|[[Egremont Rangers]] |
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|[[Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C.|Skirlaugh]] |
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|[[Featherstone Lions]] |
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|- |
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| 1998–99 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (3) |
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|Redhill |
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|Ideal Isberg |
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|- |
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| 1999–00 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (4) |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] |
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|Eastmoor Dragons (2) |
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|- |
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| 2000–01 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (5) |
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|[[Leigh East]] |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] |
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|- |
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|2001–02 |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (6) |
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|[[West Bowling A.R.L.F.C.|West Bowling]] |
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|Crosfield |
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|- |
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| 2002–03 |
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|[[Siddal A.R.L.F.C.|Siddal]] |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] |
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|[[Wath Brow Hornets]] |
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|- |
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| 2003–04 |
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|[[Siddal A.R.L.F.C.|Siddal]] (2) |
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|[[Wath Brow Hornets]] |
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|[[East Hull A.R.L.F.C.|East Hull]] |
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|- |
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| 2004–05 |
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|[[Leigh Miners Rangers]] |
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|Shaw Cross Sharks |
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|[[Ince Rose Bridge]] |
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|- |
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| 2005–06 |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (2) |
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|Castleford Panthers |
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|- |
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| 2006–07 |
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|[[Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C.|Skirlaugh]] |
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|[[Rochdale Mayfield]] (2) |
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|Waterhead |
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|- |
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| 2007–08 |
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|[[East Hull A.R.L.F.C.|East Hull]] |
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|[[Wigan St Judes]] |
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|[[Millom R.L.F.C.|Millom]] |
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|- |
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| [[2008–09 National Conference League|2008–09]] |
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|[[Siddal A.R.L.F.C.|Siddal]] (3) |
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|[[Wath Brow Hornets]] (2) |
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|[[Myton Warriors]] |
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|- |
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| 2009–10 |
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|[[Leigh East]] (2) |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] |
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|[[Salford City Roosters|Eccles]] |
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|- |
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| [[2010–11 National Conference League|2010–11]] |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] (2) |
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|Hunslet Warriors |
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|- |
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| [[2012 National Conference League|2012]] |
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|[[Wath Brow Hornets]] |
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|[[Egremont Rangers]] |
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|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
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|[[Hemel Stags]] |
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|- |
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| [[2013 National Conference League|2013]] |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (7) |
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|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
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|Normanton Knights |
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|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]] |
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|- |
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| [[2014 National Conference League|2014]] |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (8) |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] (3) |
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|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]] |
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|[[Featherstone Lions]] |
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|- |
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| [[2015 National Conference League|2015]] |
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|[[Leigh Miners Rangers]] (2) |
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|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]] |
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|[[Millom R.L.F.C.|Millom]] (2) |
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|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]] |
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|- |
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| [[2016 National Conference League|2016]] |
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|[[Siddal A.R.L.F.C.|Siddal]] (4) |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] (2) |
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|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]] |
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|Crossfields |
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|- |
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| [[2017 National Conference League|2017]] |
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|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]] (2) |
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|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]] |
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|[[Oulton Raiders]] |
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|[[West Bowling]] |
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|- |
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| [[2018 National Conference League|2018]] |
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|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]] |
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|[[Thornhill Trojans]] |
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|Stanningley |
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|[[Beverley]] |
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|- |
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| [[2019 National Conference League|2019]] |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]] (9) |
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|[[Pilkington Recs]] |
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|[[West Bowling]] |
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|[[Woolston Rovers]] |
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|- |
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| [[2020 National Conference League|2020]] |
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| colspan=4 {{N/A|Tournament curtailed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]]}} |
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|- |
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| [[2021 National Conference League|2021]] |
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| colspan=4 {{N/A|Tournament restructured due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]]}} |
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|- |
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| [[2022 National Conference League|2022]] |
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|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]] (2) |
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|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]] (2) |
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|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]] |
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|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]] |
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|- |
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| [[2023 National Conference League|2023]] |
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|Hunslet ARLFC |
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|[[West Bowling]] (2) |
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|Waterhead Warriors |
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|Oldham St Annes |
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|} |
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The National League soon proved popular and for the 1989/90 season extended the top flight to twelve teams to include Lock Lane and Mayfield. However, this modest expansion wasn't enough and the 1989/90 season also saw the addition of a 10-team second division (to expand to 12 teams after one season). |
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===Winners=== |
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{{col-begin}} |
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{{col-break|width=25%}} |
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The ten inaugural members of the second division were as follows: Saddleworth Rangers, Leigh East, British Aerospace, Barrow Island, Askam, Knottingley, Redhill, [[Dewsbury Celtic]], Shaw Cross Sharks and East Leeds. This expansion was to prove successful with Leigh East becoming the first non-founder members to win the league in the 1990/91 season. |
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
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|- |
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In 1993 the RFL wanted to contract the professional ranks from 35 to 32 teams. However, their initial plan to place the excluded teams in the Alliance (reserve grade) faced a legal challenge so they needed an alternative competition to place them in. The RFL thus proposed a league to bridge the gap between the professional and amateur leagues to feature the three demoted semi-pro clubs plus Hemel Hempstead (who already played in the Alliance as a semi-pro club) and eight BARLA clubs. |
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|colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" | '''PREMIER DIVISION''' |
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|- |
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However, BARLA wanted all National League clubs to be in any such league and since the RFL were in a tough legal position they were prepared to compromise with BARLA and thus the three division National Conference League was born. Other concessions made were an increase in the BARLA representation in the [[Challenge Cup]] from a mere 2 clubs to 64 and allowing the National Conference League champions to apply to replace the bottom team in the pro leagues. |
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! |
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!Club |
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However, the latter concession soon disappeared as the pro leagues moved to summer and the National Conference League did not want to move, furthermore [[Woolston Rovers]]' application to replace [[Highfield RLFC|Highfield]] was voted out (the one club elected to the league from the National Conference League being [[Chorley Lynx|Chorley Borough]] who were themselves a former semi-pro league club). The National Conference League soon expanded all divisions to 14 teams, though on occasions it has struggled to reach full complement of members, and lost all the remaining semi-pro clubs within three seasons. |
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!Wins |
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!Winning years |
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Due to the switch of the pro game to summer the National Conference League gradually came to be seen as solely a BARLA league, despite being temporarily expelled from BARLA in 2002,<ref> [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716113711/http://www.barla.org.uk/News/Details.asp?id=33]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716113748/http://www.barla.org.uk/News/Details.asp?id=36]</ref> with only three National Conference League teams joining [[Rugby League Conference National Division|National League Three]] which was intended as a league to bridge the gap between the pro and amateur games. However, this was to change in 2008 when the National Conference League decided they did not like the path BARLA was taking and downgraded the league's BARLA membership from full to associate.<ref>[http://nationalconferenceleague.co.uk/article.php?id=29] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823004846/http://nationalconferenceleague.co.uk/article.php?id=29 |date=2011-08-23 }}</ref> In 2009 the National Conference League introduced a summer competition for clubs wanting to play year round as a test for a more permanent switch to summer which was to come in 2012. |
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|- |
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|1 |
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From 2012 the Conference played in summer, as tier 3 of the new pyramid, and the initial season saw two former [[Rugby League Conference National Division]] clubs admitted (Dewsbury Celtic and Featherstone Lions) with others expected to join from 2013. For one season only the [[Rugby League Conference National Division]] ran as Conference division three with no automatic promotion to division two, but after this, all northern clubs were required to meet full Conference criteria to play in tier 3. The RFL also had ambitions of a Conference South<ref>[http://www.abrighterleague.com]{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> which would leave the former National Conference League as Conference North. From 2013, the limit on member clubs was raised from 42 to 56 and saw an increase to four divisions. |
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|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]]||9|| 1988–89, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2013, 2014, 2019 |
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==Sources== |
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|- |
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*https://www.nationalconferenceleague.co.uk{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} - former National Conference League official website |
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|2 |
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*https://www.rugby-league.com/leagues__competitions/national_conference_league - National Conference League official website |
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|[[Siddal ARLFC|Siddal]]||5|| 2002–03, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2016, 2017 |
|||
*The Times newspaper archives (results section 1986 onwards plus several articles from 1986 and 1993 about the formation of the National League and National Conference League respectively) |
|||
|- |
|||
|3 |
|||
|[[Woolston Rovers]]||3|| 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 |
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|- |
|||
|rowspan=3|4 |
|||
|[[Leigh East]]||rowspan=3|2|| 1990–91, 2009–10 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Leigh Miners Rangers]]|| 2004–05, 2015 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]]|| 2018, 2022 |
|||
|- |
|||
|rowspan=12|5 |
|||
|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]]||rowspan=12|1|| 2010–11 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Wath Brow Hornets]]|| 2012 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]]|| 1986–87 |
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|- |
|||
|Milford Marlins|| 1987–88 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Bradford Dudley Hill]]|| 1989–90 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Wigan St Patricks]]|| 1991–92 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Saddleworth Rangers]]|| 1992–93 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Egremont Rangers]]|| 1997–98 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Oulton Raiders]]|| 2005–06 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C.|Skirlaugh]]|| 2006–07 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[East Hull ARLFC|East Hull]]|| 2007–08 |
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|- |
|||
|Hunslet ARLFC||2023 |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
{{col-break|width=25%}} |
|||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
|||
|- |
|||
|colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" |'''DIVISION ONE''' |
|||
|- |
|||
! |
|||
!Club |
|||
!Wins |
|||
!Winning years |
|||
|- |
|||
|1 |
|||
|[[Oulton Raiders]]||3|| 2005–06, 2010–11, 2014 |
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|- |
|||
|rowspan=5|2 |
|||
|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]]||rowspan=5|2|| 1991–92, 2005–06 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Rochdale Mayfield]]|| 1992–93, 2006–07 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]]|| 2002–03, 2016 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Wath Brow Hornets]]|| 2003–04, 2008–09 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]]|| 2015, 2022 |
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|- |
|||
|rowspan=18|3 |
|||
|[[Saddleworth Rangers]]||rowspan=18|1|| 1989–90 |
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|- |
|||
|Barrow|| 1990–91 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]]|| 1993–94 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Millom]]|| 1994–95 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Beverley]]|| 1995–96 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Askam|| 1996–97 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Skirlaugh A.R.L.F.C.|Skirlaugh]]|| 1997–98 |
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|- |
|||
|Redhill|| 1998–99 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Leigh East]]|| 2000–01 |
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|- |
|||
|[[West Bowling]]|| 2001–02 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Shaw Cross Sharks|| 2004–05 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[West Hull ARLFC|West Hull]]|| 2005–06 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Wigan St Judes]]|| 2007–08 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Egremont Rangers]]|| 2012 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]]|| 2013 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]]|| 2017 |
|||
|- |
|||
||[[Thornhill Trojans]]|| 2018 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Pilkington Recs]]||2019 |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
{{col-break|width=25%}} |
|||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
|||
|- |
|||
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |'''DIVISION TWO''' |
|||
|- |
|||
!Club |
|||
!Wins |
|||
!Winning years |
|||
|- |
|||
|Eastmoor Dragons||2|| 1994–95, 1999–00 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Millom]]||2|| 2007–08, 2015 |
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|- |
|||
|Oldham St Annes||1|| 1993–94 |
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|- |
|||
|[[Wigan St Judes]]||1|| 1995–96 |
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|- |
|||
|Redhill||1|| 1996–97 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Featherstone Lions]]||1|| 1997–98 |
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|- |
|||
|Ideal Isburgs||1|| 1998–99 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Thatto Heath Crusaders]]||1|| 2000–01 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Crosfield||1|| 2001–02 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Wath Brow Hornets]]||1|| 2002–03 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[East Hull A.R.L.F.C.|East Hull]]||1|| 2003–04 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Ince Rose Bridge]]||1|| 2004–05 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Castleford Panthers||1|| 2005–06 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Waterhead||1|| 2006–07 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Myton Warriors]]||1|| 2008–09 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Eccles||1|| 2009–10 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Hunslet Warriors||1|| 2010–11 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]]||1|| 2012 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Normanton Knights||1|| 2013 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]]||1|| 2014 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]]||1|| 2016 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Oulton Raiders]]||1|| 2017 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Stanningley]]||1|| 2018 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[West Bowling]]||1||2019 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Heworth A.R.L.F.C.|Heworth]]||1||2022 |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
{{col-break|width=25%}} |
|||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
|||
|- |
|||
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |'''DIVISION THREE''' |
|||
|- |
|||
!Club |
|||
!Wins |
|||
!Winning years |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Hemel Stags]]||1|| 2012 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Kells A.R.L.F.C.|Kells]]||1|| 2013 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Featherstone Lions]]||1|| 2014 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Hunslet Club Parkside]]||1|| 2015 |
|||
|- |
|||
|Crosfield||1|| 2016 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[West Bowling]]||1|| 2017 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Beverley]]||1|| 2018 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Woolston Rovers]]||1|| 2019 |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.|East Leeds]]||1|| 2022 |
|||
|} |
|||
{{col-end}} |
|||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Latest revision as of 12:47, 23 October 2024
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 National Conference League | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 (as BARLA National League) |
| Divisions | Premier Division Division One Division Two Division Three |
| No. of teams | 49 |
| Country |  England |
| Confederation | RFL BARLA |
| Most recent champion(s) |
|
| TV partner(s) | ouRLeague |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Challenge Cup BARLA National Cup |
| Official website | www |
The National Conference League comprises the five levels of the British rugby league system and is at the top end of the amateur pyramid and sits below the professional League One. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Rugby Football League. The National Conference League has promotion and relegation between the Premier Division and Division Three although there is no promotion or relegation between the Conference League South, Regional Leagues or promotion to League One without an application to the RFL.
The System
[edit]The National Conference League consists of five divisions. Teams can be promoted and relegated through the top four divisions (Premier, One, Two and Three) however there is no promotion and relegation between Division Three and the Southern Conference League or the regional leagues. Clubs outside the National Conference League can apply to join Division Three.
Although the NCL sits below League One, teams are not promoted and relegated between the amateur leagues and the professional game, although any club from NCL to the regional leagues can apply to join League One.
In each division clubs play each other twice, once at their home stadium and once at their opponents. Teams receive two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Teams are ranked by competition points, points difference (points scored less points conceded), points scored.
At the end of the season in the Premier Division, the top six teams enter the playoffs with the winner being crowned NCL champions. The bottom three clubs are relegated to Division One.
For Divisions One, Two and Three, the top two clubs are promoted from their respective divisions while teams finishing between 3rd and 6th playoff for the final promotion place. With the exception of Division Three, the bottom three clubs are relegated.
For the Southern Conference League clubs play each other once home and away while at the end of the season the top four teams playoff to determine the champions although no club is promoted or relegated.
|
Level |
League(s)/Division(s) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Premier Division | |||||
|
2 |
Division One | |||||
|
3 |
Division Two | |||||
|
4 |
Division Three | |||||
|
4 |
Southern Conference League | |||||
History
[edit]While in the early days rugby league had an established structure outside of the professional leagues with county-wide competitions and the like, this soon decayed into local district leagues usually only featuring teams from one or two towns with no input from the professional game. This eventually saw the number of amateur rugby league clubs reduce to a mere 150 in the early 1970s.
Against this background British Amateur Rugby League Association were formed in 1973. One of their first acts was to merge the vast majority of the district leagues into three regional leagues: the Yorkshire League, the Pennine League and the North Western Counties League. For geographical reasons the Hull League, the Cumberland League, the Barrow League and the London League were left as they were.
This allowed clubs to play at more appropriate standards as there were more divisions, and this factor along with the improved governance of BARLA saw the standard and numbers of clubs rise quickly. However, while there was a National Cup, the best amateur clubs were still divided between six leagues and thus the desire for an amateur National League arose.
The BARLA National League was formed in 1986. The league received twenty-seven applications including five from the Barrow area alone, and more unusually, one from a London club- South London Warriors.
In the end the league settled on ten members, all from the northern strongholds of the game. These were four clubs from Yorkshire: Dudley Hill, Milford Marlins, Heworth and West Hull; four clubs from Lancashire: Pilkington Recs, Wigan St Patrick's, Woolston Rovers and Leigh Miners' Welfare; and two clubs from Cumbria: Egremont Rangers and Millom. These ten clubs were to be the members for each of the first three seasons.
The National League soon proved popular and for the 1989/90 season extended the top flight to twelve teams to include Lock Lane and Mayfield. However, this modest expansion wasn't enough and the 1989/90 season also saw the addition of a 10-team second division (to expand to 12 teams after one season).
The ten inaugural members of the second division were as follows: Saddleworth Rangers, Leigh East, British Aerospace, Barrow Island, Askam, Knottingley, Redhill, Dewsbury Celtic, Shaw Cross Sharks and East Leeds. This expansion was to prove successful with Leigh East becoming the first non-founder members to win the league in the 1990/91 season.
In 1993 the RFL wanted to contract the professional ranks from 35 to 32 teams. However, their initial plan to place the excluded teams in the Alliance (reserve grade) faced a legal challenge so they needed an alternative competition to place them in. The RFL thus proposed a league to bridge the gap between the professional and amateur leagues to feature the three demoted semi-pro clubs plus Hemel Hempstead (who already played in the Alliance as a semi-pro club) and eight BARLA clubs.
However, BARLA wanted all National League clubs to be in any such league and since the RFL were in a tough legal position they were prepared to compromise with BARLA and thus the three division National Conference League was born. Other concessions made were an increase in the BARLA representation in the Challenge Cup from a mere 2 clubs to 64 and allowing the National Conference League champions to apply to replace the bottom team in the pro leagues.
However, the latter concession soon disappeared as the pro leagues moved to summer and the National Conference League did not want to move, furthermore Woolston Rovers' application to replace Highfield was voted out (the one club elected to the league from the National Conference League being Chorley Borough who were themselves a former semi-pro league club). The National Conference League soon expanded all divisions to 14 teams, though on occasions it has struggled to reach full complement of members, and lost all the remaining semi-pro clubs within three seasons.
Due to the switch of the pro game to summer the National Conference League gradually came to be seen as solely a BARLA league, despite being temporarily expelled from BARLA in 2002,[1][2] with only three National Conference League teams joining National League Three which was intended as a league to bridge the gap between the pro and amateur games. However, this was to change in 2008 when the National Conference League decided they did not like the path BARLA was taking and downgraded the league's BARLA membership from full to associate.[3] In 2009 the National Conference League introduced a summer competition for clubs wanting to play year round as a test for a more permanent switch to summer which was to come in 2012.
From 2012 the Conference played in summer, as tier 3 of the new pyramid, and the initial season saw two former Rugby League Conference National Division clubs admitted (Dewsbury Celtic and Featherstone Lions) with others expected to join from 2013. For one season only the Rugby League Conference National Division ran as Conference division three with no automatic promotion to division two, but after this, all northern clubs were required to meet full Conference criteria to play in tier 3. The RFL also had ambitions of a Conference South[4] which would leave the former National Conference League as Conference North. From 2013, the limit on member clubs was raised from 42 to 56 and saw an increase to four divisions.
Sources
[edit]- https://www.nationalconferenceleague.co.uk[permanent dead link] - former National Conference League official website
- https://www.rugby-league.com/leagues__competitions/national_conference_league - National Conference League official website
- The Times newspaper archives (results section 1986 onwards plus several articles from 1986 and 1993 about the formation of the National League and National Conference League respectively)
