Eastern Counties 4 Explained

Eastern Counties 4
Current Season:2016–17 Eastern Counties 4
Sport:Rugby union
Teams:18 (across 2 regional divisions)
Champion:Thetford II (North - 1st title)
Hadleigh II (South - 1st title)
Season:2016–17)
(promoted to East Counties 3
Most Champs:Haverhill & District
Count:2
Website:ecrurugby.com

Eastern Counties 4 was an English level 12 Rugby Union league that was divided into two regional divisions - north and south - with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. Promoted teams used to move up to the relevant division in Eastern Counties 3 and relegation was to Eastern Counties 5 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1996–97 season. The league was originally abolished in 1999–00 due to East Counties restructuring and teams moved up to higher divisions, only to be reinstated in 2014-15 due to further league restructuring that allowed more 2nd and 3rd teams to take part. It was abolished again at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Original teams

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

East Counties 4 honours

Eastern Counties 4 (1987–1993)

The original Eastern Counties 4 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Eastern Counties 3 and relegation down to Eastern Counties 5.[1]

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Eastern Counties 4
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
1987–88 11 Campion
1988–89 11 Bancroft
1989–90 11 London Hospital
1990–91 11 Thames Sports
1991–92 11 Haverhill & District No relegation
1992–93 13 Felixstowe
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 4 dropped from a tier 11 league to a tier 12 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 3 and Eastern Counties 5 respectively.

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Eastern Counties 4
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
1993–94 13 Hadleigh
1994–95 13 Billericay
1995–96 13 Beccles
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1996–1997)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 4 reverted to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 3, while the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the 1996–97 meant there would be no relegation.

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Eastern Counties 4
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
1996–97 12 March No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (1997–2000)

Ahead of the 1997–98 season Eastern Counties 4 was split into two regional divisions - north and south - with both divisions remaining as tier 11 leagues. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 3 - now also regionalised into north and south divisions - while the cancellation of Eastern Counties 5 at the end of the 1996–97 season meant there was no relegation. At the end of the 1999–00 season Eastern Counties 4 was cancelled and the majority of teams transferred into Eastern Counties 3.

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Eastern Counties 4: North / South
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name
1997–98 9 Wisbech No relegation East Counties 4 North
8 Old Brentwoods No relegation East Counties 4 South
1998–99
[2] [3] 		5 Brightlingsea No relegation East Counties 4 North
7 Millwall No relegation East Counties 4 South
1999-00
[4] [5] 		6 Haverhill & District No relegation East Counties 4 North
6 Witham No relegation East Counties 4 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 4 (2014–2017)

After an absence of thirteen years, Eastern Counties 4 was re-introduced as a tier 12 league ahead of the 2014–15 season, split into two regional divisions - north and south. Promotion was to one of the regional divisions in Eastern Counties 3 - north, south or west - and there was no relegation. Eastern Counties 4 was cancelled for the second time at the end of the 2016–17 season.

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Eastern Counties 4
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name
2014–15
[6] [7] 		11 Swaffham II No relegation Eastern Counties 4 North
8 Colchester IV No relegation Eastern Counties 4 South
2015–16
[8] [9] 		8 Fakenham II No relegation Eastern Counties 4 North
8 Southwold II No relegation Eastern Counties 4 South
2016–17
[10] [11] 		9 Thetford II No relegation Eastern Counties 4 North
9 Hadleigh II No relegation Eastern Counties 4 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16 . Eastern Counties RU . 12 June 2019 . 12 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160812154713/http://files.pitchero.com/counties/76/1441812607.pdf . dead .
  2. Web site: 1998-1999 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 30 January 2015. RFU.
  3. Web site: 1998-1999 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 3 May 2015. RFU.
  4. Web site: 1999-2000 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 30 January 2015. RFU.
  5. Web site: 1999-2000 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 3 May 2015.
  6. Web site: London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North. Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. 3 May 2015.
  7. Web site: London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North. Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. 3 May 2015.
  8. Web site: London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Pitchero. 25 April 2016.
  9. Web site: London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Pitchero. 25 April 2016.
  10. Web site: London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four North. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Pitchero. 22 April 2017.
  11. Web site: London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Four South. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Pitchero. 22 April 2017.

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