Rugby league county leagues


The Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league; however, the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split into two separate county competitions.

History

This situation endured until 1901-02, when the top teams in each league resigned and formed a new combined first division. The following season, the remaining clubs formed a second division. From then until 1907, when there was another re-organisation, the county leagues were not played.
The new structure initiated for the 1907-08 season saw the clubs playing every other team in their own county home and away, and playing once each against the clubs from the other county. Results from all games counted towards the Rugby Football League Championship, whilst results within the county counted towards the respective county leagues.
The championship often included teams from outside the Yorkshire and Lancashire heartlands; these were allocated to a county league on a practical basis. Briefly, in the 1908-09 season, there were enough clubs from Wales to add a third Welsh League to the structure. The sole winner of this title was Merthyr Tydfil.
The Yorkshire and Lancashire Leagues were abandoned in 1970.

Lancashire League

The RFL Lancashire League was an annual competition from 1895 to 1970 for professional rugby league teams in Lancashire. Other teams from Cheshire and Cumbria also competed in the league During the period 1896-1901 the county leagues were played as there was no national league championship during this period. After they were played alongside the RFL Championship until 1970. Teams also competed in the Lancashire Cup.

Championship

Wins by club

RankClubWinsYears
1 Wigan181901–02, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1920–21, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1969–70
2 St. Helens81929–30, 1931–32, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69
3 Warrington81937–38, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1967-68
4 Oldham71897–98, 1900–01, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1921–22, 1956–57, 1957–58
5 Salford51932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39
6 Swinton51924–25, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1960–61
7 Broughton Rangers21896–97, 1898–99
8 Runcorn21895–96, 1899-00
9 Rochdale Hornets11918–19
10 Widnes11919–20
11 St Helens Recs11926–27
12 Liverpool Stanley11935–36

Yorkshire League

The RFL Yorkshire League was an annual competition from 1895 to 1970 for professional rugby league teams in Yorkshire. During the period 1896-1901 the county leagues were played as there was no national league championship during this period. After they were played alongside the RFL Championship until 1970. Teams also competed in the Yorkshire Cup.

Championship

SeasonWinners
1895–96Manningham
1896–97Brighouse Rangers
1897–98 Hunslet
1898–99 Batley
1899–1900Bradford FC
1900–01Bradford FC
1901–02 Leeds
1902–07No competition
1907–08 Hunslet
1908–09 Halifax
1909–10 Wakefield Trinity
1910–11 Wakefield Trinity
1911–12 Huddersfield
1912–13 Huddersfield
1913–14 Huddersfield
1914–15 Huddersfield
1915–18No competition due to World War I
1918–19 Hull
1919–20 Huddersfield
1920–21 Halifax
1921–22 Huddersfield
1922–23 Hull
1923–24 Batley
1924–25 Hull Kingston Rovers
1925–26 Hull Kingston Rovers
1926–27 Hull
1927–28 Leeds
1928–29 Huddersfield
1929–30 Huddersfield
1930–31 Leeds
1931–32 Hunslet
1932–33 Castleford
1933–34 Leeds
1934–35 Leeds
1935–36 Hull
1936–37 Leeds
1937–38 Leeds
1938–39 Castleford
1939–45No competition due to World War II
1945–46 Wakefield Trinity
1946–47 Dewsbury
1947–48 Bradford Northern
1948–49 Huddersfield
1949–50 Huddersfield
1950–51 Leeds
1951–52 Huddersfield
1952–53 Halifax
1953–54 Halifax
1954–55 Leeds
1955–56 Halifax
1956–57 Leeds
1957–58 Halifax
1958–59 Wakefield Trinity
1959–60 Wakefield Trinity
1960–61 Leeds
1961–62 Wakefield Trinity
1962–63Not awarded
1963–64Not awarded
1964–65 Castleford
1965–66 Wakefield Trinity
1966–67 Leeds
1967–68 Leeds
1968–69 Leeds
1969–70 Leeds

Wins by club

WinnersCountYears
1 Leeds151901-02, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70
2 Huddersfield111911-12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1919–29, 1921–22, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1951–52,
3 Wakefield Trinity71909-10, 1910–11, 1945–46, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1965–66
4 Halifax61908-09, 1920–21, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58
5 Hull41918-19, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1935-36
6 Hunslet31897-98, 1907–08, 1931–32
7 Castleford31932-33, 1938–39, 1964–65
8 Batley21898-99, 1923–24
9 Hull Kingston Rovers31924-25, 1925–26
10Bradford FC21899-00, 1900–01
11Manningham11895-96
12 Bradford Northern11947-48