when the leagues began in season 1987–88 the ath were placed in the east midlands/leicestershire league and for the first few seasons finished steadily in mid table, until in 1991 having won 8 and lost 2 league games the club finished top of the table. the club then settled comfortably in midlands two for seven consecutive seasons before the historic season of 1997/98. in this season not only did the club go undefeated they won a grand slam of titles including the rfu intermediate cup final at twickenham when stroud were defeated 29–24. both the bedfordshire cup and east midlands cup titles were captured and the midlands two league conquered as the first team won all 16 league matches achieving the club's highest ever season points total of 1,503.