Rugby Football League Championship Second Division

For the current incarnation of the Second Division, see Championship (rugby league).

RFL Championship Second Division

Sport	Rugby league
Instituted	1902-1996 (as Second Division) 1996-1998 (as Division One) 1999-2002 (as Northern Premiership)
Ceased	2002
Replaced by	Championship
Country	England
Most titles	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh Centurions File:Redscolours.svg Salford Red Devils File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham (3 titles)
Related competition	Challenge Cup
Promotion to	First Division
Relegation to	Third Division

The Rugby Football League Championship Second Division was founded in 1902 and was the second tier of professional rugby league in the UK until 2003. During the 1990s a third division was established and there is automatic promotion between the second and third division.

History

The Second Division was formed in 1902 by splitting the RFL Championship into two divisions of 18. After three seasons the Second Division was abolished and not resurrected until 1962. Two seasons later in 1964 the Second Division was scrapped for the second time. The division was resurrected again in 1973 and has been played every season since. During the 1991–92 season, a third division was established and, for the first time, two teams were relegated. There was no regular relegation from the Second Division until 2003. In 1995, in anticipation for the Super League starting in 1996, six teams were relegated from the RFL Championship, five were relegated to the Second Division and one was relegated to form the Third Division. Controversy was caused as London Broncos, who finished 4th in the Second Division, were elected to the Championship ahead of Keighley, Batley and Huddersfield. In 2003, the divisions under Super League were reorganised into the National Leagues with Second and Third Divisions becoming National League One and National League Two.

Results

Year	Champions	Promoted	Relegated
1902-03	File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley	File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley File:Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds	No Relegation
1903-04	File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity	File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity File:Saintscolours.svg St. Helens
1904-05	File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury	File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow
1905-1962: No Second Division
1962-63	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley	No Relegation
1963-64	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh
1964-1973: No Second Division
1973-74	File:Bullscolours.svg Bradford	File:Bullscolours.svg Bradford File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley File:Redscolours.svg Salford	No Relegation
1974-75	File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield	File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield File:HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton
1975-76	File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow	File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow File:Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh
1976-77	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull F.C.	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury Bramley File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet
1977-78	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow File:Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield
1978-79	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull F.C.	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York File:Blackpoolcolours.svg Blackpool
1979-80	File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers	File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers File:Faxcolours.svg Halifax File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow
1980-81	File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York	File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York File:Wigancolours.svg Wigan File:Broncoscolours.png Fulham File:Haven colours.svg Whitehaven
1981-82	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Carlisle File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington File:Faxcolours.svg Halifax
1982-83	File:Broncoscolours.png Fulham	File:Broncoscolours.png Fulham File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity File:Redscolours.svg Salford File:Haven colours.svg Whitehaven
1983-84	File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow	File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet File:Faxcolours.svg Halifax
1984-85	File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton	File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton File:Redscolours.svg Salford File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury
1985-86	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity
1986-87	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton
1987-88	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity
1988-89	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow File:Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield
1989-90	File:HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers	File:HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers File:Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham
1990-91	File:Redscolours.svg Salford	File:Redscolours.svg Salford File:Faxcolours.svg Halifax File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton
1991-92	File:Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield	File:Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh	File:YorkRLFCcolours.png Ryedale-York File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington
1992-93	File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers	File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham	No Relegation
1993-94	File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington	File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington File:Doncaster colours.svg Doncaster
1994-95	File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley	File:Broncoscolours.png London Broncos	File:HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers File:YorkRLFCcolours.png Ryedale-York File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton Bramley Carlisle File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow Liverpool Stanley
1995-96	File:Redscolours.svg Salford	No Promotion	No Relegation
1996	File:Redscolours.svg Salford	File:Redscolours.svg Salford	File:Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets File:Batley colours.svg Batley
1997	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull F.C.	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield	File:Widnes colours.svg Widnes File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington
1998	File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity	File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity	No Relegation
1999	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet Hawks	No Promotion	No Relegation
2000	File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury
2001	File:Widnes colours.svg Widnes	File:Widnes colours.svg Widnes
2002	File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield	File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield

Winners

	Club	Wins	Winning Year
1	File:Leigh colours.svg Leigh Centurions	3	1976-77, 1985–86, 1988–89
=	File:Redscolours.svg Salford Red Devils	3	1990-91, 1995–96, 1996
=	File:Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham	3	1963-64, 1981–82, 1987–88
4	File:Barrowcolours.svg Barrow Raiders	2	1975-76, 1983–84
=	File:Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers	2	1979-80, 1992–93
=	File:Cougscolours.svg Keighley Cougars	2	1902-03, 1994–95
=	File:Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury Rams	2	1904-05, 2000
=	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet	2	1986–87, 1999
=	File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity	2	1903-04, 1998
=	File:Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants	2	1974-75, 2002
=	File:Hullcolours.svg Hull F.C.	2	1976-77, 1978–79
12	File:Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet (1883)	1	1962-63
=	File:Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls	1	1973-74
=	File:YorkRLFCcolours.png York	1	1980-81
=	File:Broncoscolours.png Fulham	1	1982-83
=	File:Swintoncolours.svg Swinton Lions	1	1984-85
=	File:HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers	1	1989-90
=	File:Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles	1	1991-92
=	File:Workingtoncolours.svg Workington Town	1	1993-94
=	File:Widnes colours.svg Widnes Vikings	1	2001

• § Denotes club now defunct

See also

• Rugby Football League Championship
• Rugby Football League Championship Third Division