North Midlands 3
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North Midlands 3 was a tier 11 English Rugby Union league with teams from Birmingham, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to North Midlands (South) 2 and since the cancellation of North Midlands 4 at the end of the 1991–92 campaign there was no relegation. North Midlands 3 was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season with teams transferred into either North Midlands (South) 2 or North Midlands (North).
Current season or competition: 2003–04 North Midlands 3 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2004 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Chaddesley Corbett (1st title) (2003–04) (promoted to North Midlands (South) 2) |
| Most titles | Multiple teams (1 title) |
| Website | North Midlands RFU |
Original teams
North Midlands 3 honours
North Midlands 3 (1987–1992)
The original North Midlands 3 was a tier 9 league involving clubs from Birmingham and the West Midlands[f]. Promotion was to North Midlands 2 and relegation to North Midlands 4.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Selly Oak | Five Ways Old Edwardians | Old Moseleians, Yardley & District | [4] | |||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | West Midlands Police | Veseyans | Ledbury, Kynoch | [5] | |||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Old Griffinians | Redditch | Old Saltleians, Bournville | [6] | |||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Warley | Ross-on-Wye | Bromyard, Birmingham Welsh, Birchfield | [7] | |||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Five Ways Old Edwardians[g] | Old Centrals[h] | No relegation[i] | [8] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
North Midlands 3 (1992–1993)
Restructuring of the Midlands leagues saw North Midlands 3 drop two levels to become a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to North Midlands 2 and since the cancellation of North Midlands 4 at the end of the 1991–92 season there would be no relegation.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 12 | Birmingham Welsh | Old Saltleians | No relegation | [9] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
North Midlands 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 North Midlands 3 dropped another level to become a tier 12 league. Promotion continued to North Midlands 2 and there was no relegation. At the end of the 1995–96 season North Midlands 3 was cancelled and all clubs transferred into North Midlands 2.
North Midlands 3 (1999–2004)
North Midlands 3 was reintroduced after an absence of three seasons - this time as a level 11 league. Promotion was to North Midlands 2 and there was no relegation. At the end of the 2003–04 season the division was cancelled for good and all teams transferred into either North Midlands (South) 2 or North Midlands (North).
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–00 | 7 | Clee Hill | Essington | No relegation | [13] | |||||||||
| 2000–01 | 7 | Solihull | Worcester Wanderers | No relegation | [14] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | 8 | Bredon Star | Birchfield | No relegation | [15] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 7 | Stourbridge Lions | Dudley Wasps | No relegation | [16] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | 7 | Chaddesley Corbett | Harborne[k] | No relegation | [17] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Birmingham Welsh (1)
- Bredon Star (1)
- Clee Hill (1)
- Five Ways Old Edwardians (1)
- Old Griffinians (1)
- Selly Oak (1)
- Solihull (1)
- Stourbridge Lions (1)
- Upton-upon-Severn (1)
- Warley (1)
- West Midlands Police (1)
- Wulfrun (1)
Notes
- Selly Oak would later be renamed as Moseley Oak - the amateur side of Birmingham Moseley.
- The West Midlands included Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire along with the city of Birmingham. Clubs from Staffordshire and Warwickshire played in their own leagues.
- Restructuring of the Midlands leagues meant that champions Five Ways Old Edwardians were promoted two levels up into North Midlands 1.
- Restructuring meant that runners up Old Centrals were also promoted two levels up into North Midlands 1. The rest of the clubs in the division were promoted into North Midlands 2.
- The cancellation of North Midlands 4 at the end of the season, combined with all clubs being promoted from North Midlands 3, meant there was no relegation.
- The cancellation of North Midlands 3 at the end of the season meant that all clubs were promoted into North Midlands 2.
- The cancellation of North Midlands 3 meant that all seven clubs were promoted from the division. Six teams went up into North Midlands 2 (South), while the other (Greyhound) went into North Midlands (North).