Newark Showgrounds on Saturday 20/02/1988 6 Miles (Junior Men)

The forty-first annual English Junior Men's Cross-Country Championship took place at Newark and Notts Showground in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The race had been run on the showground in 1984 and was sponsored by Provincial Insurance Company Ltd.

On the first lap Simon Mugglestone (Westbury Harriers) moved swiftly to the fore and was chased by Darren Mead (Thetford AC), Steve Brooks (Bingley Harriers), Stewart Jones (Sale Harriers) and Robert Denmark (Basildon AAC). At the 1½-mile point Mugglestone had a 30 metres lead on Mead, with Brooks 20 metres further back. At the four-mile point Mugglestone's lead was 300 metres. Mugglestone won in 31:13, 55 seconds clear of Mead with Brooks third.

Oxford undergraduate Mugglestone told Athletics Weekly: "I've developed as a cross country runner in the first place so obviously it means a lot to me to win a championship like this. I regard it as the greatest cross-country race in the world!" When asked if he was surprised by his massive margin of victory he said "No not at all. I thought I'd try and get in front going round the plough because it's difficult trying to pick your way through when following someone."

Aldershot, Farnham & District AC were winners in the team race, their counters being Chris Payne (8th), Paul Burnett (18th), John Kendall (42nd) and Kevin Gavin (64th). This gave AFD a total of 135 points which was 19 clear of runners-up Westbury Harriers with Newham & Essex Beagles AC third.