# Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland

Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 1 is an English amateur rugby union competition. The league consists of twelve clubs, and is the seventh tier of the English rugby union system, as one of the 16 regional leagues, though is the highest level of local rugby in the North East of England. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses the Yorkshire region. The runners-up participate in a play-off against the runners-up from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Yorkshire, for promotion. The bottom two are relegated to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.
Each season, two teams from the league are selected to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup, a national competition for clubs in the seventh tier: one is affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other is affiliated with the Northumberland RFU.

## Clubs

Well known clubs have competed in Durham/Northumberland 1 throughout the league's history. Many of these clubs enjoyed successful histories, mainly during the amateur era of rugby. These include Gosforth RFC who in the '70s enjoyed great success, winning the John Player Cup in 1975/76 and 76/77; West Hartlepool who played in the Premiership in the 1990s; Northern who produced many international players; and Medicals, who have the rare distinction of having been the home club of two RFU Presidents. Clubs such as Alnwick RFC, Stockton RFC and Horden RFC have traditionally played in higher leagues and tend to finish towards the top of Durham/Northumberland 1.

### 2024–25

Leaving the league were Guisborough promoted to Regional 2 North while South Shields Westoe and Hartlepool Rovers were relegated to DN2. Joining in their place were Stockton (relegated), Darlington and Horden and Peterlee (both promoted).

### 2023–24

Leaving the league were West Hartlepool promoted to Regional 2 North while Darlington and Horden and Peterlee were relegated to DN2. Joining in their place were South Shields Westoe (relegated), Bishop Auckland and Ryton (both promoted).

### 2022–23

Leaving the league were Percy Park, Northern, South Shields Westoe, Stockton and Aspatria who were all promoted to Regional 2 North. There was no relegation from the league.

### 2021–22

Middlesbrough RUFC finished runners-up in DN1 in 2019-20 but were level transferred to Yorkshire 1 for the current season, the space was taken by Aspatria RUFC who were level transferred from North 2 West.
The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019-20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020-21.

### 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning DN1 was not contested.

### Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
* Acklam
* Ashington
* Blyth
* Darlington
* Horden
* Percy Park
* Ponteland
* Redcar
* Rockcliff
* Seghill
* Winlanton Vulcans

## Durham/Northumberland 1 honours
### Durham/Northumberland 1 (1987–1993)

The original Durham/Northumberland 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to North East 2 and relegation down to Durham/Northumberland 2.
Durham/Northumberland 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1987–88 | 11 | Blyth | Rockcliff | Percy Park |
| 1988–89 | 11 | Rockcliff | Mowden Park | Winlanton Vulcans |
| 1989–90 | 11 | Ashington | Horden | Ponteland, Hartlepool |
| 1990–91 | 11 | Redcar | Horden | Whitby |
| 1991–92 | 11 | Horden | Acklam | No relegation |
| 1992–93 | 13 | Whitby | Darlington | Seghill, Hartlepool |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Durham/Northumberland 1 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 1 dropped to being a tier 10 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Durham/Northumberland 1 remain at tier 10 with promotion to the new North 3 East league.
Durham/Northumberland 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1993–94 | 13 | Mowden Park | Darlington | Consett, Seaham |
| 1994–95 | 13 | Percy Park | Sunderland | Wallsend, Guisborough |
| 1995–96 | 12 | Darlington | Sunderland | North Durham, Ponteland |
| 1996–97 | 10 | West Hartlepool TDSOB | Ryton | Hartlepool, Guisborough, Novocastrians |
| 1997–98 | 10 | Ryton | Acklam | North Durham, Bishop Auckland |
| 1998–99 | 10 | Medicals | Acklam | Blyth, North Shields |
| 1999–00 | 10 | Consett | Winlaton Vulcans | Seghill, Novocastrians, Whitley Bay Rockcliff |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Durham/Northumberland 1 (2000–2022)

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 1 became a tier 7 league, with promotion to North 2 East (currently North 1 East).
Durham/Northumberland 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2000–01 | 12 | Westoe | Durham City | Medicals |
| 2001–02 | 12 | Horden | Ashington | Winlaton Vulcans, Consett |
| 2002–03 | 12 | Northern | Hartlepool Rovers | Ryton, Gosforth |
| 2003–04 | 12 | Hartlepool Rovers | Alnwick | Houghton, Gateshead |
| 2004–05 | 12 | Percy Park | Durham City | Ashington, Hartlepool |
| 2005–06 | 12 | Horden | Malton and Norton | Acklam, West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. |
| 2006–07 | 12 | Gateshead | Sunderland | North Shields, Consett, Gosforth |
| 2007–08 | 12 | Billingham | Northern | West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B., Ponteland |
| 2008–09 | 12 | Hartlepool Rovers | Percy Park | No relegation |
| 2009–10 | 14 | Northern | Team Northumbria | Consett, Hartlepool |
| 2010–11 | 14 | Gateshead | Darlington | Redcar, Wallsend |
| 2011–12 | 14 | Darlington | Alnwick | Novocastrians, Ashington |
| 2012–13 | 14 | Alnwick | Guisborough | Sunderland, Ryton |
| 2013–14 | 14 | Horden | Guisborough | Bishop Auckland, Ponteland |
| 2014–15 | 14 | Guisborough | Morpeth | Sunderland, Blyth |
| 2015–16 | 14 | Durham City | Middlesbrough | Darlington, Ponteland |
| 2016–17 | 14 | Northern | South Shields Westoe | Ryton, Hartlepool |
| 2017–18 | 14 | Consett | Durham City | Redcar, Gosforth |
| 2018–19 | 14 | Durham City | West Hartlepool | Whitby, Ponteland |
| 2019–20 | 14 | Consett | Middlesbrough | Barnard Castle, North Shields, Gateshead |
| 2020–21 | 14 | N/A | N/A | Uncontested due to the coronavirus pandemic | |
| 2021–22 | 14 | Percy Park | Northern | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | --> |

### Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland (2022-)

Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2022-23 | 12 | West Hartlepool | Sunderland | Darlington, Horden |
| 2023-24 | 12 | Guisborough | Sunderland | Hartlepool Rovers, South Shields Westoe |

## Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Durham/Northumberland 1 and Yorkshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to North 1 East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Yorkshire 1 teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Durham/Northumberland 1 teams six; and the home side have won ten times to the away sides nine.
Durham/Northumberland 1 v Yorkshire 1 promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2000–01 | Wheatley Hills (Y) | 21-19 | Percy Park (DN) | Brunel Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire | |
| 2001–02 | Ashington (DN) | 17-23 | Scarborough (Y) | Recreation Ground, Ashington, Northumberland | |
| 2002–03 | York (Y) | 29-15 | Hartlepool Rovers (DN) | Clifton Park, York, North Yorkshire | |
| 2003–04 | Alnwick (DN) | 25-18 | Pontefract (Y) | Greensfield, Alnwick, Northumberland | |
| 2004–05 | Durham City (DN) | 26-13 | Wheatley Hills (Y) | Hollow Drift, Durham, County Durham | |
| 2005–06 | Malton and Norton (DN) | 19-39 | Old Crossleyans (Y) | The Gannock, Malton, North Yorkshire | |
| 2006–07 | Sunderland (DN) | 16-18 | York (Y) | Ashbrooke Sports Club, Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear | |
| 2007–08 | Northern (DN) | 24-28 | Ilkley (Y) | McCracken Park, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | |
| 2008–09 | Percy Park (DN) | 36-3 | Bridlington (Y) | Preston Avenue, North Shields, Tyne and Wear | |
| 2009–10 | Team Northumbria (DN) | 34-13 | Sheffield (Y) | Coach Lane Sports Ground, Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | |
| 2010–11 | Darlington (DN) | 17-18 | Sheffield (Y) | Blackwell Meadows, Darlington, County Durham | |
| 2011–12 | Alnwick (DN) | 16-18 | Keighley (Y) | Greensfield, Alnwick, Northumberland | |
| 2012–13 | Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (Y) | 33-12 | Guisborough (DN) | Laund Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | |
| 2013–14 | Dinnington (Y) | 34-20 (aet) | Guisborough (DN) | Lodge Lane, Dinnington, South Yorkshire | |
| 2014–15 | Morpeth (DN) | 14-11 | Malton and Norton (Y) | Grange House Field, Morpeth, Northumberland | |
| 2015–16 | Middlesbrough (DN) | 17-25 | Malton and Norton (Y) | Acklam Park, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire | |
| 2016–17 | South Shields Westoe (DN) | 14-19 | West Leeds (Y) | Wood Terrace, South Shields, Tyne and Wear | |
| 2017–18 | Durham City (DN) | AWO | Scarborough (Y) | Hollow Drift, Durham, County Durham | |
| 2018–19 | West Hartlepool (DN) | 24-23 | Heath (Y) | Brinkburn, Hartlepool, County Durham | |
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead. |
| 2020–21 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Uncontested due to the coronavirus pandemic | |
| 2021–22 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Uncontested due the RFU Adult Competition Review | |
| Green background is the promoted team. DN = Durham/Northumberland 1 and Y = Yorkshire 1 ||||||

## Number of league titles

* Horden (4)
* Consett (3)
* Northern (3)
* Percy Park (3)
* Darlington (2)
* Durham City (2)
* Gateshead (2)
* Guisborough (2)
* Hartlepool Rovers (2)
* Alnwick (1)
* Ashington (1)
* Billingham (1)
* Blyth (1)
* Medicals (1)
* Mowden Park (1)
* Redcar (1)
* Ryton (1)
* Whitby (1)
* Rockcliff (1)
* West Hartlepool (1)
* West Hartlepool TDSOB (1)
* Westoe (1)