DH went to Leeds and captained English universities' football team.
He is like the Nancy Mitford of uni applications : non sporty (sneers of derision) and sporty (must be good)
He applied to Oxford and Bath but failed to secure grades so went to Leeds in clearing but found it to be suitably sports focused.
I went to York : NOT sporty (played Gabby Logan's Durham team at hockey : we stopped counting goals...)
Sporty :
Loughborough (agree history course looks a bit weedy)
Exeter
Bath obviously
Durham
Leeds
Birmingham
Cardiff
Oxbridge
and more or less any big city university
NOT (according to him)
York
Lancaster, unless outdoor sports
Bristol
Keele
These were laughing stocks as far as he was concerned!