North West Counties
The North West Counties A.R.L. were a series of rugby league regional leagues in the North West of England. Most clubs at open age level joined the North West Men's League in 2011 and 2012 but it carried on until folding part way through the 2014-15 season .
The league is linked to the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).
History
Following the formation of British Amateur Rugby League Association in 1973, local District Leagues got together and pooled their resources. The North West Counties was formed by a merger of Leigh, Manchester, St Helens, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan districts. The NWCL began in 1975 with three divisions.
2014/15 line up
- Clock Face Miners (failed to complete the season)
- Golborne Parkside
- Halton Simms Cross
- Higginshaw
- Salford City Roosters (failed to complete the season; results stood)
- Thatto Heath Crusaders
- Wigan St Cuthberts (failed to complete the season; results stood)
- Woolston Rovers (failed to start the season)
- NB: The league folded when only four clubs remained
2013/14 line up
Upper Division
- Albert Park (folded midseason; results stood)
- Blackbrook (dropped to Lower Division part way through season)
- Dalton
- Eccleston Vikings (folded midseason; results stood)
- Golborne Parkside
- Higginshaw (folded midseason; results stood)
- Hindley (dropped to Lower Division partway through season)
- Irlam Hornets (withdrew midseason; results stood)
- Leigh East (dropped to Lower Division part way through season)
- Whitworth Spartans (folded midseason; results stood)
- Widnes Moorfield (folded midseason; results stood)
- Wigan St Cuthberts
Lower Division
- Blackbrook (withdrew midseason; results stood)
- Hindley (midseason additions dropping down from Upper Division)
- Ince Rose Bridge
- Leigh East (withdrew midseason; results expunged)
- Oldham St Annes
- Rochdale Mayfield (withdrew midseason; results expunged)
- Pilkington Recs (withdrew midseason; results stood)
2012/13 line up
- Albert Park
- Blackbrook*
- Blackpool Scorpions (failed to complete the season, results expunged)
- Dalton
- Eccles & Salford Roosters* (failed to complete the season, results expunged)
- Golborne Parkside
- Higginshaw
- Irlam Hornets
- Langworthy Reds
- Leigh East*
- Rochdale Mayfield* (failed to complete the season, results expunged)
- Rylands Sharks
- Thatto Heath Crusaders* (failed to complete the season, results expunged)
- Widnes Moorfield
- Widnes Tigers
- Widnes West Bank* (failed to start the season)
- NB: Clubs marked by a * run their main team in summer.
NW Counties 13-15s ARL
Based at Golborne Parkside Sports & Community Club and meeting on the first Wednesday of the month, the NW Counties 13-15's ARL have 105 teams and over 2,000 players registered for the 2012 Season.
Teams compete at three separate age groups i.e. under-13, under-14 & under-15 and participate in usually 4 divisions per age.
League games are played on Sunday mornings from the beginning of March with clubs competing for a series of silver NW Counties League Cups.
A further knock-out cup competition is also run and leads, at the end of July, to the season's finale the NW Counties 13-15s Cup/Development Cup Finals weekend. The League, along with the 8-12s & 16-18s Leagues also jointly run the NW Counties' Lancashire Cup which is now held at a professional ground.
The Winners of the Lancashire Cup usually go forward at U13s & U15s to represent the NW Counties 13-15s in an annual Easter-time Wars of the Roses Challenge against their equivalent champions from the Yorkshire Juniors ARL.
The League also hold a Presentation Day, at Chorley Town Hall, in November to hand out their medals and trophies.
The NW Counties 13-15's Management Committee comprises:
- Kevin Davidson - Chair
- Margaret Byrne - Vice-Chair
- Dave O'Dowd - Secretary
- Jayne Bissett - Treasurer
- Dave O'Dowd - Under-13's Fixture Secretary
- Steve Samuel - Under-14's Fixture Secretary
- Steve Davies - Under-15's Fixture Secretary
- Tammy Smith - Child Welfare Officer
- David Lowe - Disciplinary Secretary
- Gareth Palmer - Referee Appointments Officer
- David Lowe - Registrations/Transfers Secretary
- Lindsay Bissett - Committee Member