Midlands 4 East (North) Explained

Midlands 4 East (North)
Sport:Rugby union
Founded: (as Midlands 5 East (North))
Teams:14
Champion:Boston (2nd title)
Season:2019–20)
(promoted to Midlands 3 East (North)
Most Champs:Belper, Boston
Count:2
Website:England RFU

Midlands 4 East (North) is a level 9 English Rugby Union league 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.

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.

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.

East

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
KGV Playing Fields 3rd
Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields 6th
North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar 10th
Ollerton Boughton Sports Field 9th
Sleaford David Williams Pavilion 4th
Worksop Stubbing Lane 14th

West

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amber Valley Lower Somercotes 13th
Dunston Road 2,000 7th
Meden Vale Elkesley Road 5th
Adbolton Lane 11th
Ferryfields Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (11th)
Moor Lane Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (12th)
Tupton North Side 8th

2020–21

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

2019–20

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amber Valley Lower Somercotes 14th
Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 5th
Dunston Road 2,000 8th
KGV Playing Fields 3rd
East Retford Ordsall Road 4th
Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields 13th
Meden Vale Elkesley Road 11th
North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar 6th
Adbolton Lane 12th
Ollerton Boughton Sports Field 7th
Skegness Wainfleet Road 10th
Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (11th)
Tupton North Side Relegated from Midlands 3 EN (12th)
Worksop Stubbing Lane 9th

2018–19

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (3rd)
Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 9th
Dunston Road 2,000 4th
KGV Playing Fields Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (champions)
East Retford Ordsall Road 3rd
Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (5th)
Springfield Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (12th)
Meden Vale Elkesley Road Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (4th)
Mellish War Memorial Ground 6th
North Hykeham One NK Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (runners up)
Adbolton Lane Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (6th)
Ollerton Boughton Sports Field 7th
Skegness Wainfleet Road 8th
Worksop Stubbing Lane 5th

2017–18

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (11th)
Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 8th
Dunston Road 2,000 Relegated from Midlands 3 East (North) (12th)
East Retford Ordsall Road 4th
Mellish War Memorial Ground 3rd
Ollerton Boughton Sports Field 6th
Skegness Wainfleet Road Promoted from Midlands 5 East (North) (champions)
Tupton North Side 5th
Worksop Stubbing Lane 7th

Teams 2016–17

Teams 2015–16

Teams 2014–15

Teams 2013–14

Teams 2012–13

Teams 2009–10

Teams 2008–09

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 2006 as Midlands 5 East (North), it contained the following teams:

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)
SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsReference
2006–07 10 Bakewell Mannerians [1]
2007–08 10 Barton & District [2]
2008–09 10 Worksop No relegation [3]
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)
SeasonNo. of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsReference
2009–10 12 Uttoxeter [4]
2010–11 11 Belper [5]
2011–12 12 Southwell [6]
2012–13 12 Boston [7]
2013–14 12 Chesterfield Panthers [8]
2014–15 12 Belper [9]
2015–16 10 Buxton [10]
2016–17 10 Long Eaton [11]
2017–18 9 Ashfield No relegation [12]
2018–19 14 Grimsby No relegation [13]
2019–20 14 Boston No relegation [14]
2020–21 14 No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2006–2007 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  2. Web site: 2007–2008 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  3. Web site: 2008–2009 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  4. Web site: 2009–2010 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  5. Web site: 2010–2011 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  6. Web site: 2011–2012 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  7. Web site: RFU . England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  8. Web site: 2013–2014 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 7 March 2015.
  9. Web site: 2014–2015 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2015.
  10. Web site: RFU . England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2016.
  11. News: 2016–2017 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 22 April 2017.
  12. Web site: 2017–2018 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 28 April 2018.
  13. Web site: 2018–19 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 13 April 2019.
  14. Web site: Men's Midlands Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.