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Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire

Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams	9
Country	England,  Isle of Man
Most titles	Anselmians (5 titles)
Website	England RFU

Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire (formerly Lancs/Cheshire Division Two (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 2)) is a regional English Rugby Union league for teams in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester at level 9 of the English rugby union system.

The division was initially known as North-West West 2 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names with South Lancs/Cheshire 2 being the longest running. The division switched to its name for the 2018–19 season due to the restructuring of the northern leagues by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) as a result of 19 Lancashire clubs withdrawing from RFU competitions to form their own competitions. Each season three teams from Lancs/Cheshire 2 were picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase (a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12) - two clubs affiliated with the Cheshire RFU, the other with the Lancashire RFU.

The division had a break for the 2015-16 season as the RFU decided to restructure the South Lancs/Cheshire league into three zones - Merseyside (West), Cheshire (South) and Lancashire (North). This was short-lived and the division returned to its original format for the 2016-17 season with only Lancashire (North) remaining of the three zones.

After the introduction of North 2 West at tier 7 for the 2019–20 season, all Lancs/Cheshire leagues dropped one level, with Lancs/Cheshire Division Two ranked at level 9.

Following the cancellation of Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league was mothballed with teams transferred into the Lancashire Merit Table competitions, ADM Lancashire leagues or level transferred into other regional leagues.

After a hiatus for season 2021-22 the league returned in its new guise following the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, with the league renamed to Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Promotion is to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire and relegation to Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Teams 2024-25

Departing were Wigan and Thornton-Cleveleys, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Joining were Fleetwood and De La Salle (Salford) relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire together with Vagabonds, Ashton-under-Lyne, Colne & Nelson and Blackpool promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Ashton-under-Lyne Gambrel Bank Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues Blackpool Fleetwood Road Thornton, Lancashire Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues Burnley Holden Road Burnley, Lancashire 5th Bury Bury Sports Club Bury, Greater Manchester 4th Clitheroe Littlemore Road Clitheroe, Lancashire 7th Colne & Nelson Holt House Colne, Lancashire Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues De La Salle (Salford) De La Salle Sports & Social Club Salford, Greater Manchester Relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Dukinfield Playing Fields Dukinfield, Greater Manchester 9th Fleetwood Melbourne Avenue Fleetwood, Lancashire Relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Garstang Hudson Park Garstang, Lancashire 3rd Old Bedians Millgate Lane Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester 10th Ormskirk Green Lane Ormskirk, Lancashire 8th Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Greater Manchester 6th Vagabonds Port-E-Chee Douglas, Isle of Man Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues

Ashton-under-LyneBlackpoolBurnleyBuryClitheroeColne & NelsonDe La Salle DukinfieldFleetwoodGarstangBediansOrmskirkOrrellVagabondsclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire teams

Teams 2023-24

Departing were Hoylake and New Brighton, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire. Vagabonds (9th) and Port Sunlight (10th) were relegated into the Lancashire RFU merit leagues. Ellesmere Port (6th) did not return for the new season.

Joining were Ormskirk, Orrell and Wigan relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire together with Burnley and Clitheroe promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Burnley Holden Road Burnley, Lancashire Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues Bury Bury Sports Club Bury, Greater Manchester 8th Clitheroe Littlemore Road Clitheroe, Lancashire Promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues Dukinfield Playing Fields Dukinfield, Greater Manchester 5th Garstang Hudson Park Garstang, Lancashire 3rd Old Bedians Millgate Lane Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester 7th Ormskirk Green Lane Ormskirk, Lancashire Relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Greater Manchester Relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Thornton-Cleveleys Thornton Sports Centre Thornton, Lancashire 4th Wigan Douglas Valley Wigan, Greater Manchester Relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire

BurnleyBuryClitheroeDukinfieldGarstangBediansOrmskirkOrrellThornton-CleveleysWiganclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire teams

Teams 2022-23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Bury Bury Sports Club Bury, Greater Manchester Dukinfield Playing Fields Dukinfield, Greater Manchester Ellesmere Port Whitby Sports & Social Club Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Garstang Hudson Park Garstang, Lancashire Hoylake Carham Road Hoylake, Merseyside New Brighton Hartsfield Moreton, Merseyside Old Bedians Millgate Lane Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester Port Sunlight Leverhulme Playing Fields Bromborough, Merseyside Thornton-Cleveleys Thornton Sports Centre Thornton, Lancashire Vagabonds Port-E-Chee Douglas, Isle of Man

BuryEllesmereDukinfieldGarstangHoylakeNew BrightonBediansPort SunlightThornton-CleveleysVagabonds class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire teams

Season 2021-22

Not contested as many of the Lancashire RFU affiliated clubs had joined the Lanacashire ADM splinter leagues.

Season 2020–21

On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning the leagues was not contested.

Teams 2019–20

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Liverpool University Wyncote Sports Ground Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside 4th Mossley Hill Mossley Hill Athletic Club Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside 6th Newton-le-Willows Newton-le-Willows Sports Club Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside 9th Old Bedians Millgate Lane Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester 3rd Oswestry Granville Park Oswestry, Shropshire Relegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1 (11th) Oxton Parkonians HM Curphey Memorial Ground Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside 10th Port Sunlight Leverhulme Playing Fields Bromborough, Merseyside Relegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1 (10th) Ruskin Park Ruskin Drive Sports Ground St Helens, Merseyside 7th Vagabonds Port-E-Chee Douglas, Isle of Man 8th

L'pool UniMossley HNewtonBediansOswestryOxtonPort SunlightVagabondsRuskin Pclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019–20 Lancs/Cheshire Division Two teams

Teams 2018–19

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Aspull Wood Lane Aspull, Greater Manchester 4th Birchfield Birchfield Road Widnes, Cheshire Promoted from Lancs/Cheshire 3 (runners up) Congleton Congleton Park Congleton, Cheshire 8th Dukinfield Blocksages Playing Fields Dukinfield, Greater Manchester 9th Eccles Gorton Street Eccles, Greater Manchester Transferred from North Lancashire/Cumbria (13th) Garstang Hudson Park Garstang, Lancashire Promoted from Lancs/Cheshire 3 (champions) Marple Ridge Sports Pavilion Marple, Stockport, Greater Manchester 12th New Brighton Hartsfield 2,000 Moreton, Merseyside Relegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1 (13th) Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Greater Manchester 6th Oswestry Granville Park Oswestry, Shropshire 10th Port Sunlight Leverhulme Playing Fields Bromborough, Merseyside 11th

AspullBirchfieldCongletonDukinfieldEcclesGarstangMarpleNew BrightonOrrellOswestryPort Sunlightclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2018–19 Lancs/Cheshire 2 teams

Teams 2017–18

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Aspull Wood Lane Aspull, Greater Manchester Promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (champions) Congleton Congleton Park Congleton, Cheshire Promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (runners up) Didsbury Toc H Ford Lane Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester Transferred from Lancashire (North) (3rd) Dukinfield Blocksages Playing Fields Dukinfield, Greater Manchester 8th Heaton Moor Green Lane Heaton Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester 5th Liverpool Collegiate Aigburth Cricket Ground 3,000 Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside 3rd Marple Ridge Sports Pavilion Marple, Stockport, Greater Manchester 7th Oldershaw Belvidere Recreational Ground Oldershaw, Merseyside 10th Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Greater Manchester Transferred from Lancashire (North) (4th) Oswestry Granville Park Oswestry, Shropshire Relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1 (14th) Port Sunlight Leverhulme Playing Fields Bromborough, Merseyside 9th Vagabonds Port-E-Chee Douglas, Isle of Man 11th Wigan Douglas Valley Wigan, Greater Manchester Relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1 (13th) Winnington Park Burrows Hill Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire 6th

AspullCongletonDidsburyDukinfieldHeaton MLiverpool CMarpleOldershawOrrellOswestryPort SunlightVagabondsWiganWinnington Pclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2017–18 South Lancs/Cheshire 2 teams

Participating clubs 2016-17

• Dukinfield
• Eagle
• Heaton Moor
• Hoylake (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)
• Liverpool Collegiate
• Marple
• Moore
• Oldershaw
• Port Sunlight
• Ruskin Park (prompted from Merseyside (West))
• Tyldesley
• Vagabonds R.U.F.C.
• Winnington Park (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)

2015-16

For the 2015-16 season this league, and South Lancs/Cheshire 3, were replaced by three county-wide leagues - Cheshire (South), Merseyside (West) and Lancashire (North). However, with the exception of Lancashire North, the county leagues were axed after just one season and the South Lancs/Cheshire leagues were restored.

Participating clubs 2014-15

• Ashton-on-Mersey (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)
• Dukinfield
• Liverpool Collegiate
• Marple
• Moore
• Ormskirk
• Orrell
• Oswestry
• Port Sunlight
• Prenton (promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3)
• Southport
• Trentham (promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3)
• Tyldesley (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)
• Vagabonds (I.O.M.)

Participating clubs 2013-14

• Bowdon (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)
• Dukinfield
• Liverpool Collegiate
• Manchester Medics (promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3)
• Marple
• Moore
• Ormskirk
• Orrell (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1)
• Oswestry
• Port Sunlight (promoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3)
• Ramsey (IoM)
• Southport
• Vagabonds (I.O.M.)
• Wallasey

Original teams

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

• Chester College
• Hightown
• Moore
• Old Instonians
• Port Sunlight
• Ruskin Park
• Sefton
• South Liverpool
• St. Mary's Old Boys
• Vulcan
• Wallasey

Lancs/Cheshire 2 honours

North-West West 2 (1987–1992)

The original incarnation of Lancs/Cheshire 2 was known as North-West West 2, and was a tier 10 league with promotion up to North-West West 1 and relegation down to North-West West 3.

Cheshire / Lancashire South (1992–1996)

Restructuring of north-west leagues saw North-West West 2 split into two new regional divisions named Cheshire and Lancashire South. Both regional divisions were initially at tier 10 but the creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that they both dropped to become tier 11 leagues. Promotion was to the newly named Cheshire/Lancs South (formerly North-West West 1), while the cancellation of North-West West 3 meant that there was no relegation until further league restructuring at the end of the 1995–96 season.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (1996–2000)

The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. Firstly, as part of the reorganisation of the Cheshire and Lancashire leagues, the two regional divisions Cheshire and Lancashire were merged back into a single division called South/Lancs Cheshire 2. The cancellation of National 5 North and creation of North West 3 meant that South Lancs/Cheshire 2 was a tier 11 league, with promotion to South/Lancs Cheshire 1 (formerly Cheshire/Lancs South) and relegation to the newly formed South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (previously North-West West 3).

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2000–2015)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that South/Lancs Cheshire 2 became a tier 8 league. At the end of 2014–15 season South Lancs/Cheshire 2 and South Lancs/Cheshire 3 were discontinued and all teams were transferred into Cheshire (South), Lancashire (North) or Merseyside (West).

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2016–2018)

After just one season Cheshire (South) and Merseyside (West) were discontinued and South Lancs/Cheshire 2 and South Lancs/Cheshire 3 reinstated for the 2016–17 seasons with all clubs transferred back into these divisions.

Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2018–present)

A further restructure for the 2018–19 season saw South Lancs/Cheshire 2 renamed to Lancs/Cheshire 2. The cancellation of South Lancs/Cheshire 3 at the end of the 2019–20 season meant that there was no longer relegation, although promotion still continued to Lancs/Cheshire 1. The introduction of North 2 West for the 2019–20 season saw Lancs/Cheshire drop to become a tier 9 league.

Number of league titles

• Anselmians (5)
• Dukinfield (3)
• Liverpool Collegiate (2)
• Port Sunlight (2)
• Ruskin Park (2)
• Sefton (2)
• Aspull (1)
• Birchfield (1)
• Congleton (1)
• Didsbury Toc H (1)
• Ellesmere Port (1)
• Hoylake (1)
• Manchester Medics (1)
• Newton-le-Willows (1)
• Old Instonians (1)
• Oldershaw (1)
• Orrell (1)
• Sale FC (1)
• Southport (1)
• St. Mary's Old Boys (1)
• Tyldesley (1)
• Vagabonds (1)
• Vulcan (1)
• Wallasley (1)
• Winnington Park (1)
• Wirral (1)

Notes

1. Old Instonians would merge with Old Rockferrians to form Prenton RUFC in 1992.
2. The North-West West leagues would be reorganised for the following season with North-West West 2 being split into two regional divisions (Cheshire and South Lancashire), while North-West West 3 would be cancelled. This meant that five clubs were promoted including Eagle, Hoylake and Shell Stanlow. The rest of the clubs would be transferred into the regional divisions - Old Anselmians and Port Sunlight would go into Cheshire, while Sefton, Mossley Hill and Vulcan would go into Lancashire South. Rockferrians would merge with Old Intonians to form Prenton and join Cheshire for 1992–93.
3. There was no relegation due to restructuring for the following season which would see North-West West 3 disbanded and North-West West 2 be split into two regional leagues - Cheshire and Lancashire South.
4. The restructuring of the Cheshire/Lancs leagues for the following season would see five clubs from Cheshire relegated to the new divisions - Whitehouse Park, Holmes Chapel, Moore, Shell Stanlow would drop two levels to South Lancs/Cheshire 4 while Prenton and Helsby would drop to South Lancs/Cheshire 3. Bottom side Whitehouse Park would drop out of the leagues at the end of the season.
5. The restructuring of the Cheshire/Lancs leagues for the following season would see seven clubs from Lancashire South relegated to the new divisions - Hightown and Halton would drop two levels to South Lancs/Cheshire 4 while Vulcan, St. Mary's Old Boys, Douglas, Liverpool College and Mossley Hill would drop to South Lancs/Cheshire 3.
6. 3rd place Oswestry also promoted.
7. No relegation as division due to increase from 12 to 13 teams for the following season.
8. Due to the restructuring of the South Lancs/Cheshire leagues for the following season there was no relegation.
9. 2 teams from the newly restructured Lancs/Cheshire Division Two dropped out of the RFU leagues to join the ADM Lancashire Leagues.
10. Anselmians victories includes two league titles when the club was known as Old Anselmians.

See also

• Cheshire RFU
• Lancashire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "North West league restructuring (June 14 2018)". RFU North. 14 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
2. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
3. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
4. "HISTORY". Prenton RUFC. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
5. "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
6. "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
7. "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
8. "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
9. "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
10. "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
11. "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
12. "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
13. "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
14. "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
15. "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
16. "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
17. "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
18. "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
19. "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
20. "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
21. "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
22. "2016-17 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
23. "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
24. "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
25. "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.

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