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Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) / (North West) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)) are level 9 English Rugby Union leagues and level 4 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2006 (as Midlands 5 East (North)) |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Boston (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Midlands 3 East (North)) |
| Most titles | Belper, Boston (2 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
Formed for the 2006–07 season, the division was originally known as Midlands 5 East (North) but changed to its present name for the 2008–09 season due to league restructuring. Promoted teams tend to move up to Midlands 3 East (North). Up until the 2017–18 season, relegated teams dropped down to Midlands 5 East (North), but since that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation.
The division was split across two geographic areas (East & West) for the 2021–22 season as part of an RFU reorganisation of the Midlands regional league. Further restructuring followed in the wake of the RFU's Adult Competition Review, with the league(s) initially known as Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East / West. From season 2023-24 a Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) was introduced before in 2024-25 the East (North) league was split North East and North West.
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North East
Departing were Mosborough promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Grimsby, Lincoln II, Market Rasen & Louth II, North Hykeham, Skegness and Sleaford.
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  East Retford Lincoln II Market Rasen II Meden Vale North Hykeham Ollerton Skegness Sleaford Worksop Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) teams
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North West
Joining were Ashbourne II, Belper, Paviors II and Rolls-Royce
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 Amber Valley Ashbourne II Bakewell Belper Dronfield II Matlock II Tupton Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) teams in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
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Departing from the East league were Newark II and from the West, Departing were Derby II, both promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North. Nottingham Medics (3rd) withdrew from the league.
Moving on a level transfer to the newly formed Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) from the East league were North Hykeham, Nottinghamians, Paviors II, Sleaford and Southwell II; and from the West were Ashbourne II, Keyworth, Long Eaton II, Melbourne II, Rolls-Royce and West Bridgford II.
Joining were Mosborough, Bakewell Mannerians and East Retford.
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Amber Valley Bakewell Dronfield II East Retford Matlock II Meden Vale Mosborough Ollerton Tupton Worksop Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East teams
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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[1] with the league adopting its new name(s) of Counties 3 Midlands West (North) East / West.
East
Departing were Gainsborough, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Meden Vale, Newark II, Nottinghamians, Nottingham Medics, Paviors II and Southwell II .
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Meden Vale Newark II North Hykeham Nottingham Medics Ollerton Sleaford Southwell II Worksop Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East teams
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West
Departing were Nottingham Moderns, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Ashbourne II, Derby II, Dronfield II, Keyworth, Long Eaton II, Matlock II, Melbourne II and West Bridgford II.
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Amber Valley Ashbourne II Dronfield II Matlock II Tupton Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) West teams
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Skegness, who finished 12th in 2019–20, were placed in the East division for the current season but were unable to fulfil their fixtures and subsequently withdrew from the league.
The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the positions in brackets refer to that season not 2020–21.
Participating teams & locations
East
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Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 East (North) East teams
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West
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Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 East (North) West teams
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
Participating teams & locations
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Amber Valley East Retford Gainsborough Meden Vale North Hykeham Ollerton Skegness Sleaford Tupton Worksop Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 4 East (North) teams
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Participating teams & locations
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Amber Valley East Retford Gainsborough Meden Vale Mellish North Hykeham Ollerton Skegness Worksop Locations of the 2018–19 Midlands 4 East (North) teams
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Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 4 East (North) teams
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- Amber Valley
- Boston (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- East Retford
- Long Eaton
- Mellish
- Meden Vale (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Nottingham Moderns (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Ollerton (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Tupton
- Worksop
- Amber Valley (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Bingham
- Birstall (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Buxton
- Cleethorpes
- East Retford
- Long Eaton
- Mellish (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- North Hykeham (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Rolls-Royce
- Tupton
- Worksop
- Ashfield
- Belper
- Bingham
- Buxton
- Cleethorpes
- East Retford (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Keyworth
- Long Eaton
- Rolls-Royce (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Skegness (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Tupton
- Worksop
- Amber Valley (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Ashfield
- Belper (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Bingham (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Keyworth
- Leesbrook (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Long Eaton
- Nottinghamians
- Tupton
- Worksop
- Ashfield
- Boston
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Horncastle
- Keyworth
- Long Eaton
- Nottinghamians
- Nottingham Corsairs
- Skegness
- Tupton
- Worksop
- Belper (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Castle Donington (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Dronfield
- East Leake
- East Retford
- Leesbrook
- Nottinghamians
- Rolls-Royce (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Skegness Panthers
- Uttoxeter
- Amber Valley
- Ashby
- Ashfield
- Barton & District (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Belgrave
- Boston
- Kesteven
- Market Rasen & Louth
- Mellish
- Nottingham Casuals (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Oakham
- Southwell
When this division was introduced in 2006 as Midlands 5 East (North), it contained the following teams:
- Bakewell Mannerians - promoted from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (champions)
- Boston - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (3rd)
- Dronfield - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (9th)
- East Leake - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (6th)
- Keyworth - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (7th)
- Long Eaton - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (8th)
- Nottingham Casuals - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (4th)
- Nottinghamians - promoted from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire (champions)
- University of Derby - promoted from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (runners up)
- Worksop - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (5th)
Midlands 5 West (North) (2006–2009)
League restructuring ahead of the 2006–07 season saw the introduction of Midlands 5 East (North) and its counterpart Midlands 5 East (South) at tier 9 to replace the discontinued East Midlands/South Leicestershire 1 and Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire leagues. Promotion was to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegation to either Midlands 6 East (North-East) or Midlands 6 East (North-West).
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | 10 | Bakewell Mannerians | Boston | Long Eaton, Worksop, Keyworth | [2] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 10 | Barton & District | Nottingham Casuals | University of Derby, Dronfield | [3] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 10 | Worksop | Melbourne | No relegation[a] | [4] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands 4 East (North) (2009–present)
Further league restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 5 East (North) and Midlands 5 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 9. Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)) and relegation to Midlands 5 East (North) (formerly Midlands 6 East (North)) until that league was discontinued at the end of the 2017–18 season.
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 12 | Uttoxeter | Dronfield | Castle Donington | [5] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 11 | Belper | Nottingham Corsairs | Boston | [6] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | Southwell | East Retford | Leesbrook, East Leake | [7] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 12 | Boston | Skegness | Horncastle, Nottingham Corsairs | [8] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Chesterfield Panthers | Amber Valley | Nottinghamians, Leesbrook | [9] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | Belper | Ashfield | Skegness, Keyworth, Bingham | [10] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 10 | Buxton | Rolls-Royce | Cleethorpes, North Hykeham | [11] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 10 | Long Eaton | Nottingham Moderns | Meden Vale, Amber Valley | [12] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 9 | Ashfield | Tupton | No relegation[b] | [13] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 14 | Grimsby | Mellish | No relegation | [14] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 14 | Boston | East Retford | No relegation | [15] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 14 | No relegation | ||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
- Belper (2)
- Boston (2)
- Ashfield (1)
- Bakewell Mannerians (1)
- Barton & District (1)
- Buxton (1)
- Chesterfield Panthers (1)
- Grimsby (1)
- Long Eaton (1)
- Southwell (1)
- Uttoxeter (1)
- Worksop (1)
- Due to Midlands 5 East (North) being abolished there was no relegation and Midlands 4 East (North) would increase from 9 to 14 teams for the following season.
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