Midlands 4 East (North)

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.

Counties 3 Midlands East (North)

Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2006; 19 years ago (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.

2024-25

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 8th East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 9th Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Lincoln II Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire New entry Market Rasen & Louth II Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire New entry Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 4th North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (8th) Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 7th Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire Re-entry Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (3rd) Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 11th

Cleethorpes East Retford Grimsby 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

North West

Joining were Ashbourne II, Belper, Paviors II and Rolls-Royce

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 12th Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (10th) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 3rd Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 5th Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 10th Mansfield II Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire New entry Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire 6th Paviors II The Ron Rossin Ground Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (5th) Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (7th) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 2nd

Amber Valley Ashbourne II Bakewell Belper Chesterfield Dronfield II Mansfield II Matlock II Paviors II Rolls-Royce Tupton Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) teams in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

2023-24

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 12th (West) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 4th (West) Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 11th (East) Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 9th (West) East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire 6th (West) Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 2nd (East) Mosborough Mosborough Miners Welfare Club Mosborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Level transfer from Counties 4 Yorkshire (4th) Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 9th (East) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 3rd (West) Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 10th (East)

Amber Valley Bakewell Chesterfield Cleethorpes Dronfield II East Retford Matlock II Meden Vale Mosborough Ollerton Tupton Worksop Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East teams

2022-23

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 .

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 3rd Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Midlands 4 East (North) West (runners-up) Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire New entry North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 4th Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Midlands 4 East (North) West (5th) Nottingham Medics Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 5th Paviors II The Ron Rossin Ground Nottingham, Nottinghamshire New entry Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire 2nd Southwell II Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire New entry Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 6th

Cleethorpes Meden Vale Newark II North Hykeham Nottinghamians Nottingham Medics Ollerton Paviors II Sleaford Southwell II Worksop Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East teams

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 6th Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire New entry Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 3rd Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire New entry Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire New entry Keyworth Willoughby Road Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire Re-entry Long Eaton II West Park 1,000 Long Eaton, Derbyshire New entry Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire New entry Melbourne II Cockshut Lane 2,000 Melbourne, Derbyshire New entry Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 7th Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 4th West Bridgford II The Memorial Ground West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire New entry

Amber Valley Ashbourne II Chesterfield Derby II Dronfield II Keyworth Long Eaton II Matlock II Melbourne II Rolls-Royce Tupton West Bridgford II Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Midlands East (North) West teams

2021–22

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 Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 3rd Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 6th North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 10th Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 9th Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire 4th Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 14th

Cleethorpes Gainsborough North Hykeham Ollerton Sleaford Worksop Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 East (North) East teams

West Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 13th Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 7th Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 5th Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire 11th Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (11th) Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (12th) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 8th

Amber Valley Chesterfield Meden Vale Nottinghamians Nottingham Moderns Rolls-Royce Tupton Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 East (North) West teams

2020–21

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.

2019–20

Participating teams & locations

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 14th Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire 5th Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 8th Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 3rd East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 4th Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 13th Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 11th North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 6th Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire 12th Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 7th Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire 10th Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (11th) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (12th) Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 9th

Amber Valley Boston Chesterfield Cleethorpes East Retford Gainsborough Meden Vale North Hykeham Nottinghamians Ollerton Skegness Sleaford Tupton Worksop Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 4 East (North) teams

2018–19

Participating teams & locations

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (3rd) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire 9th Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 4th Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (champions) East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 3rd Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (5th) Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (12th) Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (4th) Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 6th North Hykeham One NK North Hykeham, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (runners up) Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (6th) Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 7th Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire 8th Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 5th

Amber Valley Boston Chesterfield Cleethorpes East Retford Gainsborough Grimsby Meden Vale Mellish North Hykeham Nottinghamians Ollerton Skegness Worksop Locations of the 2018–19 Midlands 4 East (North) teams

2017–18

Participating teams & locations

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (11th) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire 8th Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (12th) East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 4th Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 3rd Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 6th Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (champions) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 5th Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 7th

Ashfield Boston Chesterfield East Retford Mellish Ollerton Skegness Tupton Worksop Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 4 East (North) teams

Teams 2016–17

• 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

Teams 2015–16

• 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

Teams 2014–15

• 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

Teams 2013–14

• 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

Teams 2012–13

• Ashfield
• Boston
• Chesterfield Panthers
• Cleethorpes
• Horncastle
• Keyworth
• Long Eaton
• Nottinghamians
• Nottingham Corsairs
• Skegness
• Tupton
• Worksop

Teams 2009–10

• 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

Teams 2008–09

• 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

Original teams

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 4 East (North) honours

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).

Midlands 5 East (North)
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.

Midlands 4 East (North)
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.

Number of league titles

• 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)

Notes

1. No relegation as division would increase from 10 to 12 teams for the following season.
2. 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.

See also

• Midlands RFU
• Leicestershire RU
• Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England