East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (formerly East Midlands/Leicestershire) was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) (formerly Midlands East 2) and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands/Leicestershire 2.
At the end of the 1999–00 season the East Midlands/Leicestershire leagues split. Most teams in East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 were transferred into either Midlands 4 East (South) or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East.
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (then known as East Midlands/Leicestershire) contained the following teams:
Aylestone St James Bedford Athletic Long Buckby Luton Melton Mowbray Northampton Trinity Old Boys Oadby Wyggestonian Old Northamptonians South Leicester Stewart & Lloyds Towcestrians
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 honours
East Midlands/Leicestershire (1987–1992)
Originally known as East Midlands/Leicestershire, it was a tier 7 league with promotion to Midlands 2 East and relegation to either East Midlands 1 or Leicestershire 1.
East Midlands/LeicestershireSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1987–88 11 Stewart & Lloyds Towcestrians Melton Mowbray, South Leicester 1988–89 11 Towcestrians Wellingborough Wigston, Loughborough 1989–90 11 Biggleswade Wellingborough Hinckley, Oadby Wyggestonian 1990–91 11 Bedford Athletic Belgrave Northampton Trinity Old Boys, Long Buckby 1991–92 11 Hinckley Stoneygate Aylestone St James Green backgrounds are promotion places.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (1992–1993)
Restructuring saw the division renamed as East Midlands/Leicestershire 1, dropping two levels to become a tier 9 league. Promotion and relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands East 2 and East Midlands/Leicestershire 2.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1992–93 13 Kibworth Loughborough St Ives Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (1993–1996)
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North, meaning that East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 dropped another level to become a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 2 and relegation to East Midlands/Leicestershire 2.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1993–94 13 Huntingdon & District Oadby Wyggestonian Brackley 1994–95 13 Old Northamptonians Bedford Queens Daventry, Old Bosworthians 1995–96 13 Northampton Men's Own Bedford Queens No relegation Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (1996–1998)
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 returned to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 2 while relegation was now to East Midlands or Leicestershire 1.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1996–97 16 Luton Oakham No relegation 1997–98 17 Leicester Forest Loughborough Students Multiple teams Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (1998–2000)
East Midlands/Leicestershire remained a tier 9 league for the 1998–99 season. Promotion continued to Midlands East 2 but relegation was to the reintroduced East Midlands/Leicestershire 2. At the end of the 1999–00 campaign the league was cancelled and teams either transferred into the new Midlands 4 East (South) and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East divisions or dropping out of the league system altogether.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsReference 1998–99 12 Market Bosworth Loughborough Students Bedford Queens 1999–00 12 Melton Mowbray Loughborough Students No relegation Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
Number of league titles
Bedford Athletic (1) Biggleswade (1) Hinckley (1) Huntingdon & District (1) Leicester Forest (1) Luton (1) Market Bosworth (1) Kibworth (1) Melton Mowbray (1) Northampton Men's Own (1) Old Northamptonians (1) Stewart & Lloyds (1) Towcestrians (1)
Notes
See also East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 East Midlands/Leicestershire 4 Midlands RFU East Midlands RFU Leicestershire RU English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links East Midlands Rugby Union official website Leicestershire Rugby Union website