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Lancs/Cheshire 3 (formerly South Lancs/Cheshire 3) was an English rugby union league. Promoted teams entered South Lancs/Cheshire 2, ranked at tier 9 of the English league system. This was the basement level for club rugby union for teams in the South Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire areas and any team from this area wanting to begin in club rugby union had to join this league. Up until 2008–09 there was relegation with teams dropping down and coming up from South Lancs/Cheshire 4.
Current season or competition: 2018–19 South Lancs/Cheshire 3 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2019 |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Aspull (1st title) (2018–19) (Promoted to Lancs/Cheshire 2)) |
| Most titles | Ellesmere Port, Hoylake (2 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
The division was initially known as North-West West 3 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names with South Lancs/Cheshire 3 being the longest running. 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.
At the end of the 2016–17 season the RFU decided to break this division up into two regional leagues known as Lancs/Cheshire 3 (North) and Lancs/Cheshire 3 (South), with teams transferred into each league depending on geographical location. At the end of the 2018–19 season the division was cancelled.
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North
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Locations of the 2017–18 Lancs/Cheshire 3 (North) teams
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South
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Locations of the 2017–18 Lancs/Cheshire 3 (South) teams in Merseyside & Isle of Man |
  Birchfield Christleton Ellesmere Port Locations of the 2017–18 Lancs/Cheshire 3 (South) teams in Cheshire
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- Aspull
- Birchfield
- Christleton
- Congleton
- Ellesmere Port
- Linley
- Liverpool University
- Mossley Hill
- Newton-le-Willows
- Old Bedians
- Oxton Parkonians
- Prenton
- Ramsey (IoM)
- Wallasey
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.
- Capenhurst
- Congleton
- Ellesmere Port
- Helsby
- Knutsford
- Linley
- Liverpool University
- Oldershaw
- Oxton Parkonians
- Ramsey (IoM) (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 2)
- Wallasey (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 2)
- Buxton (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 2)
- Capenhurst
- Congleton
- Ellesmere Port
- Helsby
- Holmes Chapel - withdrew after 3 games, 1st team now plays in NOWIRUL Leagues
- Knutsford
- Linley
- Liverpool University
- Oldershaw (relegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 2)
- Oxton Parkonians
- Prenton
- Trentham
- Capenhurst
- Congleton
- Ellesmere Port
- Helsby
- Holmes Chapel
- Knutsford
- Linley
- Liverpool University
- Manchester Medics
- Parkonians
- Port Sunlight
- Prenton
- Trentham
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
North-West West 3 (1987–1992)
The original incarnation of South Lancs/Cheshire 3 was known as North-West West 3, and was a tier 11 league with promotion up to North-West West 2 and as the lowest ranked league in the region there was no relegation.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 10 | Halton | Old Rockferrians | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 12 | Hoylake | Shell Stanlow | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 9 | Vagabonds | Wallasey | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 8 | St. Mary's Old Boys | Mossley Hill | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 8 | Birchfield | Wallasey[c] | No relegation | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (1996–2000)
The division would be reintroduced for the 1996–97 season, this time with the name South Lancs/Cheshire 3 and at tier 12 of the league system. Promotion would be to South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (formerly North-West West 2) while relegation would be down to the newly formed South Lancs/Cheshire 4. From the 1998–99 season onward the league was known as EuroManx South Lancs/Cheshire 3 after its sponsor EuroManx.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 8 | Marple | St. Mary's Old Boys | Vulcan, Mossley Hill | ||||||||||
| 1997–98 | 8 | Shell Stanlow | Prenton | Halton, Hoylake | ||||||||||
| 1998–99[2] | 8 | Moore | Douglas | Didsbury Toc H | ||||||||||
| 1999–00[3] | 8 | Runcorn | Hoylake[d] | Vulcan, Oxton Parkonians | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (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 3 became a tier 9 league. The division would continue to be known as EuroManx South Lancs/Cheshire 1 until the 2007–08 season when EuroManx ceased operations. 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).
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01[4] | 9 | Anselmians | Runcorn | No relegation[e] | ||||||||||
| 2001–02[5] | 10 | Hoylake | Bowdon | No relegation[f] | ||||||||||
| 2002–03[6] | 11 | Ruskin Park | Orrell | Crosby St. Mary's | ||||||||||
| 2003-04[7] | 11 | Manchester Wanderers | Wallasey | Congleton | ||||||||||
| 2004–05[8] | 12 | Sale FC | St. Edward's Old Boys | Trentham, Prenton | ||||||||||
| 2005–06[9] | 11 | Oswestry | Sefton | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2006–07[10] | 11 | Southport | Liverpool Collegiate | Marple | ||||||||||
| 2007–08[11] | 11 | Douglas | Trentham | Oxton Parkonians | ||||||||||
| 2008–09[12] | 12 | Oldershaw | Liverpool Collegiate[g] | Mossley Hill, Newton-le-Willows, Eagle[h] | ||||||||||
| 2009–10[13] | 11 | Holmes Chapel | Ramsey | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2010–11[14] | 12 | Crewe & Nantwich | Ellesmere Port | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2011–12[15] | 12 | Wallasey | Buxton | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2012–13[16] | 12 | Manchester Medics | Port Sunlight | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2013–14[17] | 12 | Prenton | Trentham | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 2014–15[18] | 11 | Ellesmere Port | Ramsey (IOM) | No relegation | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
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 season with all clubs transferred back into these divisions.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17[19] | 14 | Aspull | Congleton | No relegation | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
A further restructure for the 2018–19 season saw South Lancs/Cheshire 3 renamed to Lancs/Cheshire 3. At the end of the 2018–19 the division was cancelled.
- Ellesmere Port (2)[i]
- Hoylake (2)
- Anselmians (1)
- Aspull (1)
- Birchfield (1)
- Crewe & Nantwich (1)
- Douglas (1)
- Garstang (1)
- Halton (1)
- Holmes Chapel (1)
- Manchester Medics (1)
- Manchester Wanderers (1)
- Marple (1)
- Moore (1)
- Oldershaw (1)
- Oswestry (1)
- Prenton (1)
- Ramsey (1)
- Runcorn (1)
- Ruskin Park (1)
- Sale FC (1)
- Southport (1)
- St. Mary's Old Boys (1)
- Vagabonds (1)
- Wallasey (1)
- Old Rockferrians would merge with Old Instonians to form Prenton RUFC in 1992.[1]
- The North-West West leagues would be restructured for the following season. This meant all teams in North-West West 3 would be transferred into the tier above - which would be split into two regional divisions. Wallasey, Moore and Helsby would go into Cheshire, while Birchfield, Halton, Hightown and Lucas would go into South Lancashire.
- Moore and Marple were also promoted. This was due to the cancellation of South Lancs/Cheshire 4 leading to restructuring of the South Lancs/Cheshire leagues.
- As South Lancs/Cheshire 4 was to be abolished all relegated teams would join North Lancs 2 instead.
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