Yorkshire Men's League
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Number of clubs | 98 (2024) |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | National Conference Yorkshire |
| Domestic cup(s) | YML Cup YML Trophy YML Shield |
| Current champions | Spartans (1st title) |
| Website | [1] |
| Current: 2025 | |
The Yorkshire Men's League is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in Yorkshire.
The competition was formed in 2012 after the Rugby League Conference Yorkshire Premier folded. The league was renamed to its current name following the 2012 restructure of amateur rugby league in Great Britain.
History
Following the formation of the British Amateur Rugby League Association in 1973 clubs from local leagues in both Yorkshire and Lancashire formed the Pennine League. A solely based Yorkshire competition was not formed until 1978 when the CMS Yorkshire League was established.
Following the formation of the National Leagues in 2003, the Conference League South was expanded to include Northern clubs and renamed National League Three, becoming the highest level of amateur rugby league played in the summer. In 2008 National League Three was rebranded to the Rugby League Conference and expanded to include several regional competitions including the RLC Yorkshire Premier, which grew to three divisions.
Many clubs playing in the traditional winter leagues began to switch to the summer RLC, which contributed to its rapid growth. As a result of this, in 2011 the National Conference League, the largest winter league in the country, voted to switch to summer. Subsequently the RLC National Division became NCL Division Three in 2012.
Following the switch to summer the CMS Yorkshire League folded with clubs wanting to continue playing in winter joining the Pennine League. Yorkshire based clubs who wished to play summer rugby were entered into the newly formed Yorkshire Men's League.[1][2]
Structure
The Yorkshire Men's League currently runs seven divisions with promotion and relegation between them:
- Premier Division
- Division 1
- Division 2
- Division 3
- Division 4
- Division 5
- Division 6
They also runs two separate leagues separate from the main competition:
- NCL Alliance
- Hull Division
Clubs
2026 Clubs
- Batley ARLFC
- Beverley
- Bramley Buffaloes
- Birkenshaw Blue Dogs
- Brighouse Rangers
- Birstall Victoria
- Castleford Panthers
- Cottingham Tigers
- Criggleston
- Cutsyke Raiders
- Dewsbury Moor A
- Derby Elks
- Dearne Valley Bulldogs
- Dodworth Miners
- Doncaster Toll Bar
- East Hull
- Farnley Falcons
- Featherstone Lions A
- Garforth Tigers
- Goole Vikings
- Harrogate Hawks
- Hemsworth Dragons
- Heworth A
- Hull Dockers A
- Hull Wyke
- Hunslet ARLFC A
- Illingworth
- Keighley Albion
- King Cross Park A
- Kirkburton
- Moldgreen A
- Myton Warriors
- Normanton Knights A
- Odsal Sedberg
- Ossett Trinity Tigers
- Oulton Raiders A
- Rycroft Hammers
- Saddleworth Rangers A
- Seacroft Sharks
- Sharleston Rovers
- Shaw Cross Sharks
- Sheffield Forges
- Sheffield Hawks
- Sherburn Bears
- Spartans A
- Skirlaugh
- Stanley Rangers A
- Stanningley A
- Thornhill Trojans A
- Underbank Rangers
- Upton
- West Bowling A
- West Craven
- West Hull
- Westgate Common
- Wibsey Warriors
- Wyke
- York Acorn A
- York Barbarians
Premier Division
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Fryston Warriors (1) | |||
| 2013 | West Hull A (1) | |||
| 2014 | Bramley Buffaloes (1) | 30-22 | West Hull A | Wheldon Road, Castleford |
| 2015 | Sharlston Rovers (1) | 62-32 | Ovenden | |
| 2016 | West Bowling (1) | 26-18 | Doncaster Toll Bar | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2017 | Siddal Academy (1) | 30-12 | Beverley | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2018 | Batley Boys (1) | 11-10 | Bentley | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2019 | Bentley (1) | 18-14 | East Hull | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled (COVID-19) | |||
| 2021 | Siddal Academy (2) | N/A | Bentley | N/A |
| 2022 | Westgate Common (1) | 20-16 | Doncaster Toll Bar | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2023 | Newsome Panthers (1) | 20-18 | Fryston Warriors | Horsfall Stadium, Bradford |
| 2024 | Stanley Rangers A (1) | 22-12 | King Cross Park | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2025 | Spartans (1) | 32-4 | King Cross Park | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
Source:[3]
Division 1
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Scarborough Pirates | 38-32 | Hunslet Club Parkside A | Wheldon Road, Castleford |
| 2015 | Siddal Academy | |||
| 2016 | Bentley | Featherstone Lions | Post Office Road, Featherstone | |
| 2017 | Norland Sharks | 33-20 | New Earswick All Blacks | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2018 | Heworth | 30-16 | Cutsyke Raiders | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2019 | Elland | 34-12 | Brighouse Rangers | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Westgate Common | N/A | Fryston Warriors | N/A |
| 2022 | Almondbury Spartans | 14-6 | Lindsey St Joseph’s | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2023 | Stanley Rangers A | 32-6 | Keighley Albion | Horsfall Stadium, Bradford |
| 2024 | Siddal Academy | 18-4 | Mirfield | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2025 | Kippax Welfare | 18-4 | Bradford Dudley Hill | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
Division 2
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Shaw Cross Sharks A | — | — | — |
| 2015 | Shaw Cross Sharks A | — | — | — |
| 2016 | Leeds Akkies | — | Keighley Albion | |
| 2017 | Bramley Buffaloes | 29-20 | Hull Wyke | |
| 2018 | West Hull A | 26-22 | King Cross Park | |
| 2019 | Wyke | 28-18 | Ossett Trinity | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Almondbury Spartans | Doncaster Toll Bar | ||
| 2022 | Newsome Panthers | 34-6 | Ossett Trinity | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2023 | Bradford Dudley Hill | 42-10 | Wibsey Warriors | Horsfall Stadium |
| 2024 | Moldgreen | 24-16 | Seacroft Sharks | Post Office Road |
| 2025 | East Hull | 18-10 | Dodworth Miners | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
Division 3
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Knottingley Worms | — | — | — |
| 2016 | Hunslet Club Parkside A | — | — | — |
| 2017 | Cutsyke Raiders | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Brighouse Rangers | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Farnley Falcons | Moldgreen | ||
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to Covid 19 Pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Hunslet Club Parkside A | N/A | Greetland All Rounders | N/A |
| 2022 | Keighley Albion | 34-18 | Hull Wyke | Post Office Road |
| 2023 | Seacroft Sharks | 22-14 | Castleford Panthers | Horsfall Stadium |
| 2024 | Dodworth Miners | 26-16 | Bramley Buffaloes | Post Office Road |
| 2025 | Upton | 20-18 (GP) | York Barbarians | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
Division 4
| Season | Champions | Second | Third | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lock Lane A | |||
| 2016 | Birstall Victoria | |||
| 2017 | Stainland Stags | |||
| 2018 | Wyke | Crofton Sports | Dearne Valley Bulldogs | |
| 2019 | Greetland All Rounders | Doncaster Toll Bar | Crofton Sports | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Newsome Panthers | Kirkburton Cougars | Lock Lane A | |
| 2022 | Stanley Rangers A | Kirkburton Cougars | Stanningley A | |
| 2023 | League split into conferences | |||
| 2024 | York Barbarians | West Craven Warriors | Goole Vikings | |
| 2025 | Eastmoor Dragons A | Dearne Valley Bulldogs | Derby Elks | |
Division 5
| Season | Champions | Second | Third | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Odsal Sedburgh | |||
| 2017 | Eastmoor Dragons A | |||
| 2018 | Farnley Falcons | Lindley St Joseph’s | Wetherby Bulldogs | |
| 2019 | Dodworth Miners | Brotherton Bulldogs | Eastmoor Dragons A | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Regionalised compeition | |||
| 2022 | Sherwood Wolfhunt | Seacroft Sharks | Birstall Victoria | |
| 2023 | No Division 5 | |||
| 2024 | Lindley St Jospehs | Dearne Valley Bulldogs | Derby Elks | |
| 2025 | Moortown Mambas | Keighley Albion A | Batley ARLFC | |
Division 6
| Season | Champions | Second | Third | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | East Leeds A | Normanton Knights A | Shaw Cross Sharks A | |
| 2023 | No Division 6 | |||
| 2024 | Moortown Mambas | Sharlston Rovers A | Keighley Albion A | |
| 2025 | King Cross Park A | Ossett Trinity A | Crigglestone All Blacks | |
Cup Results
YML Cup
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | New Earswick All Blacks | 18-8 | Oulton Raiders A | Heworth | |
| 2018 | Compeition cancelled | ||||
| 2019 | East Hull | 23-16 | Bramley Buffaloes | Victoria Pleasure Ground, Goole | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2022 | Doncaster Toll Bar | 26-10 | Almonbury Spartans | Mount Pleasant, Batley | |
| 2023 | Newsome Panthers | 18-8 | Keighley Albion | Post Office Road, Featherstone | |
| 2024 | Doncaster Toll Bar | 24-6 | Mirfield | Mount Pleasant, Batley | |
| 2025 | Newsome Panthers | 10-6 | Siddal A | Post Office Road, Featherstone | |
YML Trophy
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Newsome Panthers | 20-16 | Ossett Trinity Tigers | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2023 | Bradford Dudley Hill | 20-14 | Greetland All Rounders | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2024 | Bramley Buffaloes | 22-16 | Illingworth | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2025 | East Hull | 26-24 | Upton | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
YML Shield
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Stanley Rangers A | 30-6 | Kirkburton Cougars | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2023 | East Hull | 20-14 | Bramley Buffaloes | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
| 2024 | Oulton Raiders A | 22-0 | York Barbarians | Mount Pleasant, Batley |
| 2025 | Drighlington A | 38-24 | Lindley St Josephs | Post Office Road, Featherstone |
See also
References
- ^ "Amateur RL teams signing up for Yorkshire Men's League summer competition". YorkshireLive. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Three Huddersfield amateur clubs to compete in this summer's Yorkshire Men's League". YorkshireLive. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Roll of Honour". Rugby Football League. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
External links
- Official website Archived 30 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine