Midlands 3 East (North)
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Current season or competition: 2024–25 Counties 2 Midlands East (North) | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1992 (as Midlands East 2) |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Most titles | Ashbourne, Ashby, Grimsby, Oakham (2 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 East (North)) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 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. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to the current name of Midlands 3 East (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Counties 1 Midlands East (North) while demoted teams typically drop into Counties 3 Midlands East North West or Counties 3 Midlands East North East.
Participating teams & locations
Departing were Keyworth and Ashby, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North) as champions and runners-up respectively.
With a reorganisation of the leagues below, a greater than usual number of clubs were relegated meaning Boston (8th) and Newark II (11th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) together with Birstall (9th) relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (South North), while Derby II (10th) and Ashfield (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North West).
Ashbourne (3rd) left on a level transfer to Counties 2 Midlands West (West).
 Locations of the 2025–26 Counties 2 Midlands East (North) teams
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2024–25
Departing were Kesteven and Nottingham Moderns, both promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Grimsby and Belper were relegated.
Joining were Boston and Birstall, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Keyworth were promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) whilst Mosborough came up from Counties 3 Midlands East (North).
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2024–25 Counties 2 Midlands East (North) teams
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2023–24
Departing were Boston and Mansfield, both promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Bakewell Mannerians (10th), East Retford (11th) and Sielby (12th) were relegated.
Joining were Asbourne and Ashby, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Newark II were promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) East whilst Derby II came up from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) West. Melton Mowbray joined on a level transfer from Counties 2 Midlands East (South).
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 2 Midlands East (North) teams
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2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Midlands East (North)).
Departing were Mellish and Birstall, both promoted to Counties 1 Milands East (North).
Joining were Gainsborough and Nottingham Moderns, both promoted.
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2022–23 Counties 2 Midlands East (North) teams
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2021–22
The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Buxton (4th) in 2019-20 did not return for the new season.
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 3 East (North) teams
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2020–21
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 3 East (North) teams
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2018–19
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2018–19 Midlands 3 East (North) teams
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2017–18
Participating teams & locations
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Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 3 East (North) teams
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Teams 2016–17
- Ashby
- Ashfield
- Bakewell Mannerians (relegated from Midlands 2 East)
- Belper
- Birstall (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Buxton (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Grimsby
- Lincoln
- Mansfield (relegated from Midlands 2 East)
- Rolls-Royce (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Sleaford
Teams 2015–16
- Ashby (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Ashfield (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Aylestone St James
- Belper (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Boston
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Grimsby
- Kesteven
- Lincoln
- Loughborough (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Nottingham Moderns
- Sleaford
Teams 2014–15
- Amber Valley (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Aylestone St James
- Boston
- Chesterfield Panthers (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Grimsby
- Kesteven (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Lincoln
- Mellish
- Melton Mowbray
- Nottingham Moderns RFC
- Sleaford
- Southwell
Teams 2013–14
- Ashby
- Aylestone St James (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Boston (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- East Retford
- Grimsby
- Lincoln
- Mellish
- Nottingham Moderns
- Skegness (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Sleaford (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Southwell
- West Bridgford
Teams 2012–13
- Amber Valley
- Ashby
- Belper
- East Retford (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Grimsby
- Kesteven
- Lincoln
- Melbourne
- Mellish
- Nottingham Moderns (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
- Southwell (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- West Bridgford RFC (relegated from Midlands 2 East (North))
Teams 2011–12
- Amber Valley
- Ashby
- Belper
- Dronfield
- Grimsby
- Kesteven
- Lincoln
- Melbourne
- Mellish
- Nottingham Boots Corsairs
- Sleaford
- Worksop
Teams 2010–11
- Amber Valley
- Ashbourne
- Ashfield
- Dronfield (promoted from Midlands 4 East (North))
- Grimsby
- Kesteven
- Melbourne
- Mellish
- Nottingham Casuals
- Sleaford
- Southwell
- Worksop
Teams 2008–09
- Ashbourne
- Bakewell Mannerians
- Coalville
- Grimsby
- Ilkeston
- Lincoln
- Loughborough
- Melton Mowbray
- Nottingham Moderns
- Sleaford
- Spalding
- West Bridgford
Original teams
Teams in Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 East, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
- Coalville - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (6th)
- Glossop - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (6th)
- Kesteven - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (9th)
- Kettering - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (7th)
- Lincoln - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (10th)
- Long Buckby - promoted from East Midlands 1 (champions)
- Lutterworth - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (10th)
- Market Rasen & Louth - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 (runners up)
- Northampton BBOB - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (9th)
- South Leicester - promoted from Leicestershire 1 (champions)
- Southwell - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (7th)
- Stamford - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (8th)
- Wellingborough - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (8th)
- Worksop - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 (champions)
Midlands 3 East (North) honours
Midlands East 2 (1992–1993)
Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands East 2. Promotion was to Midlands East 1 and relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 14 | Kettering | Northampton BBOB | Glossop, Southwell, Market Rasen & Louth, Stamford | [2] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands East 2 (1993–1996)
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North, meaning that Midlands 2 East dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Long Buckby | Wellingborough | Dronfield, Kesteven | [3] | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Ilkeston | Huntingdon & District | Worksop, Grimsby, Luton | [4] | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Lutterworth | Old Northamptonians[a] | No relegation[b] | [5] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands East 2 (1996–2000)
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 17 | Northampton Men's Own | Northampton Old Scouts | Chesterfield Panthers, East Retford, Mellish | [6] | |||||||||
| 1997–98 | 17 | Dunstablians | Oadby Wyggestonian | Bedford Queens, Northampton BBOB | [7] | |||||||||
| 1998–99 | 17 | Luton | South Leicester | Nottingham Casuals, Biggleswade | ||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | 17 | Market Bosworth[c] | Long Eaton[d] | No relegation[e] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands 4 East (North) (2000–2006)
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North)[f] and relegation to either Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 West.[g]
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 10 | Matlock | Market Rasen & Louth | Worksop, Ashfield, Belper | [8] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | 10 | Loughborough Students | Paviors | Melbourne, East Retford, Amber Valley | [9] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 10 | Mellish | West Bridgford | Ashfield, Long Eaton | [10] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | 10 | Grimsby | Lincoln | Buxton | [11] | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | 10 | Oakham | Ashfield | Nottingham Casuals, East Leake | [12] | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | 10 | Ashbourne | Sleaford | No relegation[h] | [13] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands 4 East (North) (2006–2009)
Midlands 4 East (North) continued to be a tier 8 league with promotion up into Midlands 3 East (North). However, the cancellation of Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 West at the end of the 2005–06 season meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 East (North).
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | 12 | Grimsby | West Bridgford | Chesterfield Panthers, East Retford | [14] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 12 | Bakewell Mannerians | Ashbourne | Castle Donington | [15] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 12 | Market Rasen & Louth | Belgrave | No relegation[i] | [16] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Midlands 3 East (North) (2009–present)
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 East (North)) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (North) (formerly Midlands 5 East (North)).
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| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 11 | Oakham | Ashby | Boston | [17] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 12 | Ashbourne | Nottingham Casuals | Ashfield, Southwell | [18] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | Dronfield | Sleaford | Nottingham Corsairs, Worksop | [19] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 12 | Melbourne | Kesteven | Amber Valley, Belper | [20] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Ashby | West Bridgford | Skegness, East Retford | [21] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | Melton Mowbray | Southwell | Mellish, Amber Valley | M[22] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 12 | Kesteven | Loughborough | Nottingham Moderns, Boston | [23] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 12 | Lincoln | Bakewell Mannerians | Chesterfield Panthers, Ashfield | [24] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 13 | Long Eaton | Ashby | Grimsby, Sileby Town | [25] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 12 | Nottingham Casuals | Ashfield | Tupton, Sleaford | [26] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 12 | Ashby | Southwell | Rolls-Royce, Nottingham Moderns | [27] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Ashbourne (2)
- Ashby (2)
- Grimsby (2)
- Oakham (2)
- Bakewell Mannerians (1)
- Dronfield (1)
- Dunstablians (1)[j]
- Ilkeston (1)[k]
- Kesteven (1)
- Kettering (1)[l]
- Lincoln (1)
- Long Buckby (1)[m]
- Long Eaton (1)
- Loughborough Students (1)
- Lutterworth (1)[n]
- Luton (1)[o]
- Market Bosworth (1)[p]
- Market Rasen & Louth (1)
- Matlock (1)
- Melbourne (1)
- Mellish (1)
- Melton Mowbray (1)
- Northampton Men's Own (1)[q]
- Nottingham Casuals (1)