Kent 3
| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2008 |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| Holders | Old Williamsonians (1st title) (2007–08) (promoted to Kent 2) |
| Most titles | Midland Bank (2 titles) |
Kent 3 was an English Rugby Union league that was the third tier for clubs in south-east London and Kent. Promoted teams went up to Kent 2 and relegation was to Kent 4 until that league was abolished at the end of the 2000–01 season. Dwindling numbers of teams meant that the division folded at the end of the 2007–08 season, with all sides automatically promoted to Kent 2.
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Bexley
- Cranbrook
- Deal Wanderers[a]
- Linton[b]
- New Ash Green
- Old Gravesendians
- Sheppey
- Sittingbourne
- Vigo
Kent 3 honours
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 9 | New Ash Green | Linton |
Bexley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Met Police Hayes | Sittingbourne | Orpington, Thames Polytechnic | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Sheppey | Cranbrook | Darenth Valley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Midland Bank | Vigo | Footscray, Orpington | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1991–92 | 12 | Thames Polytechnic | NatWest Bank[c] | No relegation[d] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1992–93 | 10 | Cranbrook | Lloyds Bank | Greenwich, Old Olavians | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1993–94 | 10 | Old Gravesendians | Whitstable | Orpington, Footscray[e] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 10 | Lordswood | Old Williamsonians | Lloyds Bank, Greenwich | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 10 | Tonbridge |
New Ash Green | Darenth Valley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1996–97 | 10 | Midland Bank | New Ash Green[f] | No relegation[g] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1997–98 | 6 | Erith[h] | Faversham[i] | No relegation[j] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1998–99 | No Competition | |||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | No Competition | |||||||||||||
| 2000–01[2] | 6 | Bexley | Old Gravesendians | No relegation[k] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2001–02[3] | 11 | Shooters Hill | Old Olavians | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2002–03[4] | 10 | Vigo | Dover |
No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2003–04[5] | 11 | Brockleians | Bexley[l] | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2004–05[6] | 9 | Deal & Betteshanger | HSBC | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2005–06[7] | 8 | Orpington | Foots Cray | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2006–07[8] | 6 | Medway | Bexley | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2007–08[9] | 5 | Old Williamsonians | Orpington[m] | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Midland Bank (2)
- Bexley (1)
- Brockleians (1)
- Cranbrook (1)
- Deal & Betteshanger (1)
- Erith (1)
- Lordswood (1)
- Medway (1)
- Met Police Hayes (1)
- New Ash Green (1)
- Old Gravesendians (1)
- Old Williamsonians (1)
- Orpington (1)
- Sheppey (1)
- Shooters Hill (1)
- Thames Polytechnic (1)
- Tonbridge(1)
- Vigo (1)
Notes
- ^ Deal Wanderers RFC would later merge with Betteshanger RFC in 2006 to form Deal & Betteshanger Rugby Club.[1]
- Aylesford Bulls RFC.
- Linton and Old Gravesendians.
- ^ Restructuring of the Kent leagues meant there was no relegation.
- ^ 8th place Kent Police would drop out of the league at the end of the season.
- ^ Due to Kent league restructuring, the top nine teams were promoted from Kent 3.
- ^ Kent league restructuring meant there was no relegation - with bottom side Canterbury Exiles the only team to remain in the division for the following season.
- ^ The cancellation of Kent 3 and Kent 4 and restructuring of Kent 2 for the following season meant that champions Erith would be promoted to the new regional Kent 2 East division.
- ^ The cancellation of Kent 3 and Kent 4 and restructuring of Kent 2 meant that runners up Faversham would also be promoted to the new Kent 2 East division while 3rd place Greenwich would go into Kent 2 South West. 4th place Darenth Valley would fold at the end of the season but would reform as Dartford Valley RFC in Kent 2 West.
- ^ The cancellation of Kent 4 meant that there was no relegation - bottom two sides Meopham and Canterbury Exiles would drop out of the leagues.
- ^ No relegation as Kent 4 abolished at the end of the season.
- ^ 3rd place Dartford Valley were also promoted.
- ^ As this was the final season of Kent 3 all teams in the division were automatically promoted to Kent 2.
See also
References
- ^ "CLUB HISTORY". Deal and Betteshanger Rugby Club. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ^ "2000-2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2001-2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2002-2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
