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.
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. 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
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaBirkenhead Park Upper Park 8,000 Birkenhead, WirralBroughton ParkChelsfield Grove2,000 (400 seats)Chorlton-cum-Hardy, ManchesterDerbyKedleston Road1,200 (200 seats)Derby, DerbyshireDurham City Hollow Drift 3,000 (500 seats) Durham, County DurhamLichfield Cooke Fields 5,460 (460 seats)Lichfield, StaffordshireNorthern McCracken Park 1,200 (200 seats)Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and WearPreston Grasshoppers Lightfoot Green 2,250 (250 seats) Preston, LancashireRoundhay Chandos Park 3,000 Roundhay, Leeds West YorkshireRugby Webb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, WarwickshireSolihull Sharmans Cross4,000 Solihull, West MidlandsStourbridge Stourton Park 2,000 Stourbridge, West Midlands
League table
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