Yorkshire Men's League

Yorkshire Men's League
Founded2012
Country England
Number of clubs90 (2026)
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toNational Conference Yorkshire
Domestic cup(s)YML Cup
YML Trophy
YML Shield
Current championsSpartans (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
  • Division 7
  • Entry Division
  • Merit Division

Clubs

Premier Division

Division 1

  • Birstall Victoria
  • Emley Moor
  • Seacroft Sharks
  • Sharlston Rovers
  • Upton
  • Wibsey Warriors
  • Wyke
  • York Barbarians

Division 2

  • Castleford Panthers
  • Cutsyke Raiders
  • Dearne Valley Bulldogs
  • Derby Elks
  • Eastmoor Dragons
  • Goole Vikings A
  • Lindley St Josephs
  • West Hull A

Division 3

Division 4

Division 5

  • Criggleston All Blacks
  • Farnley Falcons
  • Harrogate Hawks
  • Hull Wyke
  • Methley Warriors
  • New Earswick All Blacks
  • Shaw Cross Sharks A
  • York Acorn A

Division 6

  • Garforth Tigers
  • Guiseley Rangers
  • Knottingley Mustangs
  • Milford A
  • Moldgreen Rams
  • Moorends Thorne Maroons
  • Rycroft Hammers
  • Sheffield Hawks

Division 7

  • Bentley A
  • Boothtown Terriers
  • Dewsbury Celtic A
  • Featherstone Lions A
  • Normanton Knights A
  • Thornhill Trojans A
  • Upton A
  • York Barbarians A

Entry Division

  • Clayton
  • Dearne Valley Bulldogs A
  • East Leeds A
  • Heworth A
  • Hull Knights
  • Illingworth
  • Lock Lane A
  • Odsal Sedburgh
  • Scarborough Pirates
  • Skirlaugh Bulls A
  • Stainland Stags
  • Woodhouse Warriors

Merit Division

  • Beverley A
  • Bradford Dudley Hill A
  • Dodworth Miners A
  • Doncaster Toll Bar A
  • Emley Moor A
  • Hull Dockers A
  • Kippax Welfare A
  • Lindley St Josephs A
  • Mirfield Spartans A
  • Myton Warriors A
  • Rotherham Forges
  • Sharlston Rovers A
  • Stanley Rangers A
  • Wetherby Bulldogs

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 Wheldon Road, Castleford
2015 Shaw Cross Sharks A
2016 Leeds Akkies Keighley Albion Post Office Road, Featherstone
2017 Bramley Buffaloes 29-20 Hull Wyke Mount Pleasant, Batley
2018 West Hull A 26-22 King Cross Park Post Office Road, Featherstone
2019 Wyke 28-18 Ossett Trinity
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Almondbury Spartans N/A Doncaster Toll Bar N/A
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 Josephs 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

  1. ^ "Amateur RL teams signing up for Yorkshire Men's League summer competition". YorkshireLive. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Three Huddersfield amateur clubs to compete in this summer's Yorkshire Men's League". YorkshireLive. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Roll of Honour". Rugby Football League. Retrieved 12 June 2024.