Durham/Northumberland 4

Durham/Northumberland 4 was a regional English rugby union league for teams from North East England which was at the tenth tier of national domestic competition when it folded in 2006. On its inception in 1987 it was the twelfth tire of national domestic competition. Promoted teams moved up to Durham/Northumberland 3 and there was no relegation as this was the basement division for the region. Ever decreasing numbers of teams caused the division to be cancelled at the end of the 2005-06 season with the majority of teams being promoted automatically to Durham/Northumberland 3.

Durham/Northumberland 4

Sport	Rugby Union
Instituted	1987; 38 years ago (1987)
Ceased	2006; 19 years ago (2006)
Country	England
Most titles	Newton Aycliffe (3 titles)
Website	clubs.rfu.com

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Barnard Castle
• Civil Service Durham
• Jarrovians
• Newton Aycliffe
• Prudhoe Hospital
• Richmondshire
• South Tyneside College
• Wensleydale

The league's numbers grew and declined throughout the years until the league was cancelled in 2006.

Durham/Northumberland 4 Honours

Durham/Northumberland 4 (1987–1993)

The original Durham/Northumberland 4 was a tier 12 league with promotion up to Durham/Northumberland 3. It ran until the end of the 1991–92 season when it was cancelled.

Durham/Northumberland 4 Honours
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	8	Wensleydale	Prudhoe Hospital	No relegation
1988–89	10	Barnard Castle	South Tyneside College	No relegation
1989–90	7	Newton Aycliffe	Civil Service Durham	No relegation
1990–91	8	Richmondshire	Wearside	No relegation
1991–92	8	Jarrovians	Sedgefield[a]	No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Durham/Northumberland 4 (1996–2006)

Durham/Northumberland 4 was reintroduced for the 1996–97 season as a tier 13 league. Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that Durham/Northumberland 4 became a tier 10 league until the division was cancelled for the second time at the end of the 2005–06 season.

Durham/Northumberland 4 Honours
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1996–97	7	Gosforth	Hartlepool Athletic	No relegation
1997–98	7	West Hartlepool Amateurs	Wearside	No relegation
1998–99[1]	5	Jarrovians	Durham Constabulary	No relegation
1999–00[2]	5	Newton Aycliffe[b]	Yarm	No relegation
2000–01[3]	7	Yarm	Newton Aycliffe	No relegation
2001–02[4]	7	South Tyneside College	Richmondshire	No relegation
2002–03[5]	7	Seaham	Wensleydale	No relegation
2003–04[6]	7	Newton Aycliffe	Wearside Samurai	No relegation
2004–05[7]	5	Hartlepool Athletic	Hartlepool B.B.O.B.	No relegation
2005–06[8]	5	South Tyneside College	Jarrovians[c]	No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Newton Aycliffe (3)
• Jarrovians (2)
• South Tyneside College (2)
• Barnard Castle (1)
• Gosforth (1)
• Hartlepool Athletic (1)
• Richmondshire (1)
• Seaham (1)
• Wensleydale (1)
• West Hartlepool Amateurs (1)
• Yarm (1)

Notes

1. Due to restructuring all eight teams in this league were promoted to Durham/Northumberland 3 as Durham/Northumberland 4 was abolished. The league was reinstated at a later date.
2. No promotions this season as division set to increase from 5 to 7 teams for 2000-01.
3. All teams apart from Shildon Town (who dropped out of the league) promoted to Durham/Northumberland 3 as this is the last season for Durham/Northumberland 4.

See also

• Durham RFU
• Northumberland RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England