Midlands 4 West (North) Explained

Midlands 4 West (North)
Current Season:	2019–20 Midlands 4 West (North)
Sport:	Rugby union
Founded:	(as Midlands 5 West (North))
Teams:	12
Champion:	Clee Hill (1st title)
Season:	2019–20) (promoted to Midlands 3 West (North)
Most Champs:	Eccleshall, Harborne
Count:	2
Website:	England RFU

Midlands 4 West (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 West Midlands region including Shropshire, Staffordshire, parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands and occasionally Cheshire, 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 2005-06 season, the division was originally known as Midlands 5 West (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 West (North) while since the dissolution of Midlands 5 West (North) at the end of the 2018-19 season relegated teams drop to Midlands 5 West (South).

2021–22

Participating teams & locations

Cannock who finished 12th in 2019-20 were relegated to Midlands 5 West (South) with their place taken by Oswestry who were level transferred from Lancs/Cheshire 2 which was disbanded before the start of the 2021-22 season.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aston Old Edwardians	ASunnybank Avenue			7th
Barton-under-Needwood	Holland Sports Club			3rd
Birmingham Exiles	Old Damson Lane			10th
	High Hill Centre			8th
Market Drayton	Greenfields Lane			4th
Oswestry	Granville Park			Level transfer from Lancs/Cheshire 2 (3rd)
Rugeley	St Augustine's Field			5th
Trentham	New Inn Lane			6th
Warley	Tatbank Road			11th
	Woden Road North			Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (11th)
Willenhall	Bognop Road			Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (12th)
	Cole Hall Lane			9th

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
Aldridge	Bourne Vale			6th
Aston Old Edwardians	Sunnybank Avenue			5th
Barton-under-Needwood	Holland Sports Club			7th
Birmingham Exiles	Old Damson Lane			Promoted from Midlands 5 WS (champions)
Cannock	Morgan Ground			Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (12th)
Clee Hill	Tenbury Road			4th
	High Hill Centre			10th
Market Drayton	Greenfields Lane			9th
Rugeley	St Augustine's Field			3rd
Trentham	New Inn Lane			Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (11th)
Warley	Tatbank Road			Promoted from Midlands 5 WN (runners up)
	Cole Hall Lane			8th

2018–19

Participating teams & locations

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aldridge	Bourne Vale			Promoted from Midlands 5 West (South) (champions)
Aston Old Edwardians	Sunnybank Avenue			6th
Barton-under-Needwood	Holland Sports Club			Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (12th)
Bloxwich	Stafford Road Sports Club			8th
Clee Hill	Tenbury Road			4th
	High Hill Centre			9th (not relegated)
Linley & Kidsgrove	Kidsgrove Cricket Club			Promoted from Midlands 5 West (North) (runners up)
Market Drayton	Greenfields Lane			5th
Rugeley	St Augustine's Field			3rd
Willenhall	Bognop Road			Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (11th)
	Cole Hall Lane			7th

2017–18

Participating teams & locations

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aston Old Edwardians	Sunnybank Avenue			9th
Bloxwich	Stafford Road Sports Club			4th
Church Stretton	Church Stretton School			8th
Clee Hill	Tenbury Road			Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (11th)
Eccleshall	Baden Hall			Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (12th)
	High Hill Centre			7th
Market Drayton	Greenfields Lane			Promoted from Midlands 5 West (North) (runners up)
Rugeley	St Augustine's Field			3rd
	Woden Road North			6th
	Cole Hall Lane			10th

Teams 2016-17

• Aston Old Edwardians
• Barton-Under-Needwood
• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bloxwich (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Church Stretton
• Essington (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Five Way Old Edwardians
• Rugeley
• St Leonards (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Trentham
• Wednesbury (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Yardley & District

Teams 2015-16

• Aldridge (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Aston Old Edwardians (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Barton-Under-Needwood
• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bromyard
• Church Stretton (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Market Drayton
• Rugeley
• Telford Hornets
• Uttoxeter (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Yardley & District

Teams 2014-15

• Barton-Under-Needwood (transferred from Midlands 4 West (South))
• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bromyard
• Cannock
• Cleobury Mortimer
• Greyhound
• Market Drayton (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Rugeley (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Telford Hornets (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Tenbury
• Yardley & District (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))

Teams 2013-14

• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bromyard
• Cannock
• Clee Hill
• Cleobury Mortimer (relegated from Midlands 3 West (North))
• Five Ways Old Edwardians
• Greyhound
• Harborne
• St Leonards (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))
• Tenbury
• Warley (promoted from Midlands 5 West (North))

Teams 2012–13

• Barton-Under-Needwood
• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bromyard
• Cannock
• Clee Hill
• Five Ways O.E.
• Harborne
• Market Drayton
• Telford Hornets
• Tenbury
• Uttoxeter

Teams 2008–09

• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Burntwood
• Cleobury Mortimer
• Handsworth
• Leek
• Moseley Oak
• Newcastle
• Old Yardleians
• Shrewsbury
• Tamworth
• Veseyans
• Willenhall

Teams 2007–08

• Bishops Castle & Onny Valley
• Bournville
• Burntwood
• Harborne
• Old Halesonians
• Old Yardleians
• Moseley Oak
• Tamworth
• Telford Hornets
• Veseyans
• Willenhall

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 2005 as Midlands 5 West (North), it contained the following teams:

• Bloxwich - transferred from North Midlands (North) (4th)
• Bournville - transferred from North Midlands (North) (9th)
• Cannock - transferred from Staffordshire 1 (champions)
• Essington - transferred from North Midlands (North) (7th)
• Five Ways Old Edwardians - transferred from North Midlands (North) (6th)
• Old Griffinians - transferred from North Midlands (North) (3rd)
• Selly Oak - relegated from Midlands 4 West (North) (9th)
• Warley -transferred from North Midlands (North) (5th)
• Yardley & District - relegated from Midlands 4 West (North) (10th)

Midlands 4 West (North) honours

Midlands 5 West (North) (2005–2009)

Midlands 5 West (North) was introduced ahead of the 2005–06 season as a tier 9 league to replace the discontinued North Midlands (North) and Staffordshire 1 leagues. Promotion was to Midlands 4 West (North) and relegation to Midlands 6 West (North).

<											----> Midlands 5 West (North)
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
2005–06	9	Old Griffinians			^[1]
2006–07	10	Bournville			^[2]
2007–08	10	Handsworth			^[3]
2008–09	11	Bloxwich			^[4]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Midlands 4 West (North) (2009–present)

Further league restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 5 West (North) and Midlands 5 West (South) were renamed as Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 9. Promotion was now to Midlands 3 West (North) (formerly Midlands 4 West (North)) and relegation to Midlands 5 West (North) (formerly Midlands 6 West (North)) until that league was discontinued at the end of the 2018–19 season.

<											----> Midlands 4 West (North) Honours
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Reference
2009–10	9	Eccleshall		No relegation	^[5]
2010–11	11	Harborne			^[6]
2011–12	11	Edwardians			^[7]
2012–13	11	Market Drayton			^[8]
2013–14	11	Harborne			^[9]
2014–15	11	Cleobury Mortimer			^[10]
2015–16	11	Uttoxeter			^[11]
2016–17	12	Trentham			^[12]
2017–18	10	Eccleshall			^[13]
2018–19	11	Linley			^[14]
2019–20	12	Clee Hill			^[15]
2020–21	12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Eccleshall (2)
• Harborne (2)
• Bloxwich (1)
• Bournville (1)
• Clee Hill (1)
• Cleobury Mortimer (1)
• Edwardians (1)
• Handsworth (1)
• Linley (1)
• Market Drayton (1)
• Old Griffinians (1)
• Trentham (1)
• Uttoxeter (1)

See also

• Midlands RFU
• North Midlands RFU
• Staffordshire RU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2005-2006 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 29 November 2015.
2. Web site: 2006-2007 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
3. Web site: 2007-2008 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
4. Web site: 2008-2009 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
5. Web site: 2009-2010 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
6. Web site: 2010-2011 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
7. Web site: 2011-2012 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
8. Web site: 2012-2013 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
9. Web site: 2013-2014 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 7 March 2015.
10. Web site: 2014-2015 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 2 May 2015.
11. Web site: 2015-2016 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 2 May 2016.
12. Web site: 2016-2017 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 22 April 2017.
13. Web site: 2017-2018 Midlands Division. England Rugby. 28 April 2018.
14. Web site: 2018-19 Midlands Division. England Rugby. RFU. 13 April 2019.
15. Web site: Men's Midlands Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.