East Midlands/Leicestershire 1
# East Midlands/Leicestershire 1

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/Leicestershire :

| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 1 :

| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 1 :

| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 1 :

| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 1 :

| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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)
