Since 1946 only 11 clubs have won the Division One title in the Birmingham & District Cross Country League. This doesn't include five years from the fifties where results are not yet available.
Of these 11 clubs only 5 of them have been champions more than 3 times.
Tipton Harriers are way ahead of any other club with a massive 26 titles, which started off with four consecutive victories from 1946-49.
It wasn't until 1969 before their dominance of the league began with 10 wins in 12 years from 1969-1980, which included 8 consecutive titles from 1973. They were to be champions on another 9 occasions from 1986-99, including four more consecutive victories (1994-97).
Despite having the most ever league titles Tipton Harriers have only won it 3 times in the last 20 years with their last victory in 2012.
Coventry Godiva Harriers started their winning campaign in 1958 and went on to win three in a row along with two more in 1963 and 1964 to make it 5 titles in 7 years.
They had to wait 25 years before being crowned champions once again in 1989 and then successfully defended their title the following year. Another 19 years passed before Godiva could top the table again. On this occasion they took another three in a row (2009, 10, 11) to make it a total of 10 division one titles.
Loughborough Students have now matched Coventry's 10 overall victories and have clinched all those titles in the last 22 years. They won 5 out of 7 from 1998 – 2004, which included three consecutive in 2000, 01 & 02. It was nine years before they won again in 2013 and then retained it the following year before clinching another three in a row ( 16, 17, 18 ).
The current 2019 Champions Birchfield Harriers had to wait 31 years since their last title in 1988.
They have three known victories from 1950, 53 & 54 (although there are 5 missing results from 1951, 52, 55, 56, 57).
Their next division one title didn't come until 1984 and they defended it successfully in 1985
So, with 7 known titles to their name Birchfield Harriers are in a position to successfully defend in 2020 for the first time in 35 years.
Besides Tipton Harriers, North Staffs are the only other club to win four successive titles when they won it a total of 6 times in 8 years throughout the sixties. After winning in 1961 & 62 they achieved victories in 1965, 66, 67 & 68.
Although Birmingham University are long serving members of the Birmingham League they never won the top title until 2003. Since then, they have achieved two more in 2006 & 2015.
The only club to break Tipton's dominance of the seventies was City of Stoke with their only two victories achieved in 1970 & 1972.
Staffs Moorlands also won it twice in 1981 and 1983, which was either side of Sparkhill Harriers one solitary title in 1982.
Also gaining just one overall league victory was Stourport (1993) and OWLS (2008).
| 1 | Tipton Harriers | 26 |
| 2 | Coventry Godiva | 10 |
| 3 | Loughborough Students | 10 |
| 4 | Birchfield Harriers | 7 |
| 5 | North Staffs | 6 |
| 6 | Birmingham University | 3 |
| 7 | City of Stoke | 2 |
| 8 | Staffs Moorland | 2 |
| 9 | Sparkhill Harriers | 1 |
| 10 | Stourport | 1 |
| 11 | OWLS | 1 |
Thank you to Terry Egan for writing this article. If anyone has copies of the 5 missing results from 1951, 52, 55, 56, 57, please get in touch!
