Midlands 3 East (South)

Summary

Midlands 3 East (South) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, all of whom play home and away matches 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 (South).

Midlands 3 East (South)
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Midlands 3 East (South)
SportRugby union
Instituted1992; 32 years ago (1992) (as Midlands East 2)
Number of teams12
Country England
HoldersStamford (2nd title) (2019–20)
(promoted to Midlands 2 East (South))
Most titlesLeicester Forest, Lutterworth, Market Harborough, Rushden & Higham, Stamford (2 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Promoted teams tend to move up to Midlands 2 East (South) while demoted teams typically drop to Midlands 4 East (South). Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.

2021–22 edit

Participating teams & locations edit

2020–21 edit

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

2019–20 edit

Participating teams & locations edit

2018–19 edit

Participating teams & locations edit

2017–18 edit

Participating teams & locations edit

Teams 2016-17 edit

Teams 2015-16 edit

Teams 2014-15 edit

Teams 2013-14 edit

Teams 2012–13 edit

  • Bedford Queens
  • Daventry
  • Deepings
  • Long Buckby
  • Northampton Casuals
  • Northampton Mens Own
  • Old Newtonians
  • Rugby St Andrews
  • Rushden & Higham
  • Stamford
  • Stewarts & Lloyds
  • Stockwood Park

Teams 2011–12 edit

  • Bedford Queens
  • Bedford Swifts
  • Biggleswade
  • Brackley
  • Daventry
  • Deepings
  • Northampton BBOB
  • Northampton Casuals
  • Rugby St Andrews
  • Rushden & Higham
  • Stamford
  • Stewarts & Lloyds

Teams 2010–11 edit

  • Bedford Queens
  • Bedford Swifts
  • Brackley
  • Daventry
  • Deepings
  • Long Buckby
  • Northampton Casuals
  • Northampton Mens Own
  • Oadby Wyggestonians
  • Old Newtonians
  • Rugby St Andrews
  • Rushden & Higham

Teams 2008–09 edit

  • Aylestone St James
  • Banbury
  • Huntingdon & District
  • Leicester Forest
  • Lutterworth
  • Northampton BBOB
  • Northampton Old Scouts
  • Old Newtonians
  • Old Northamptonians
  • Stewarts & Lloyds
  • Towcestrians
  • Vipers

Original teams edit

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:

Midlands 3 East (South) honours edit

Midlands East 2 (1992–1993) edit

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.

Midlands East 2
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1992–93 14 Kettering Northampton BBOB Glossop, Southwell, Market Rasen & Louth, Stamford [1]
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.

Midlands East 2 (1993–1996) edit

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.

Midlands East 2
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1993–94 13 Long Buckby Wellingborough Dronfield, Kesteven [2]
1994–95 13 Ilkeston Huntingdon & District Worksop, Grimsby, Luton [3]
1995–96 13 Lutterworth Old Northamptonians[a] No relegation[b] [4]
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.

Midlands East 2 (1996–2000) edit

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.

Midlands East 2
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 [5]
1997–98 17 Dunstablians Oadby Wyggestonian Bedford Queens, Northampton BBOB [6]
1998–99 17 Luton South Leicester Nottingham Casuals, Biggleswade
1999–00 17 Market Bosworth[c] Long Eaton[d] No relegation[e]
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.

Midlands 4 East (South) (2000–2006) edit

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 East Midlands 1.

Midlands 4 East (South)
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2000–01[7] 10 Market Harborough Melton Mowbray Sleaford, West Bridgford, Stamford [8]
2001–02 10 Lutterworth Old Northamptonians Oakham, Bugbrooke [9]
2002–03 10 Rushden & Higham Stockwood Park Biggleswade, Northampton BBOB [10]
2003–04 10 Coalville Daventry No relegation[g] [11]
2004–05 9 Leicester Forest Northampton Casuals Market Harborough [12]
2005–06 10 Vauxhall Motors Bugbrooke Stoneygate [13]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Midlands 4 East (South) (2006–2009) edit

Midlands 4 East (South) continued to be a tier 8 league with promotion up into Midlands 3 East (South). However, the cancellation of East Midlands 1 at the end of the 2005–06 season meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 East (South).

Midlands 4 East (South)
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2006–07 10 Vipers Northampton BBOB Biggleswade, Rushden & Higham [14]
2007–08 10 Aylestone St James Old Newtonians Oadby Wyggestonians, Stockwood Park [15]
2008–09 12 Market Harborough Peterborough Lions No relegation[h] [16]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Midlands 3 East (South) (2009–present) edit

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 (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (South) (formerly Midlands 5 East (South)).

Midlands 3 East (South)
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2009–10 11 Bugbrooke Stockwood Park No relegation[i] [17]
2010–11 12 Oadby Wyggestonians Long Buckby Northampton Mens Own, Old Newtonians [18]
2011–12 12 Northampton BBOB Biggleswade Brackley, Bedford Swifts [19]
2012–13 12 Stamford Rushden & Higham Old Newtonians, Long Buckby [20]
2013–14 12 Biggleswade Stewarts & Lloyds Deepings, Brackley [21]
2014–15 12 Rushden & Higham Vipers Northampton Mens Own, Bedford Queens [22]
2015–16 11 Oundle Stockwood Park No relegation[j] [23]
2016–17 12 Stewarts & Lloyds Long Buckby Aylestone St James, St Neots [24]
2017–18 12 St Ives (Midlands) Vipers Northampton Mens Own, Northampton BBOB [25]
2018–19 12 Leicester Forest Northampton Casuals Biggleswade, Birstall [26]
2019-20 12 Stamford Oakham St Neots, Northampton BBOB, Bedford Queens [27]
2020–21 12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Due to the cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the season, eight clubs were promoted including Lincoln, Wellingborough, Nottingham Moderns, Ashbourne, Northampton BBOB and Coalville.
  2. ^ Due to widespread restructuring caused by the cancellation of National 5 North there was no relegation.
  3. ^ Champions Market Bosworth would be promoted into the new Midlands 3 East (North).
  4. ^ Due to Midlands league restructuring five clubs would be promoted including Glossop (3rd) and Loughborough who would go up into Midlands 3 East (North), while Vipers (4th) would go up into Midlands 3 East (South).
  5. ^ As Midlands East 2 was due to split up into two regional leagues there was no relegation. Clubs that were not promoted were transferred into either Midlands 4 East (North) or Midlands 4 East (South).
  6. ^ Prior to the 2000–01 season Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were part of a Midlands East 1.
  7. ^ No relegation but Biddenham would drop out of the league for the following season.
  8. ^ No relegation but Vauxhall Motors would drop out of the league for the following season.
  9. ^ No relegation as the division would increase from 11 to 12 teams for the next season.
  10. ^ As the league was set to expand from 11 to 12 teams for the following season there was no relegation.
  11. ^ One of Lutterworth's titles was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  12. ^ Dunstablians title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  13. ^ Ilkeston's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  14. ^ Kettering's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  15. ^ Long Buckby's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  16. ^ Luton's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  17. ^ Market Bosworth's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
  18. ^ Northampton Men's Own title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993-94. Headline. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1.
  2. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994-95. Headline. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1.
  3. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995-96. Headline. pp. 176–179. ISBN 0-7472-7850-4.
  4. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. Headline. pp. 192–195. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4.
  5. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. Headline. pp. 156–159. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
  6. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998-99. Headline. pp. 90–93. ISBN 0-7472-7653-6.
  7. ^ "2000-2001 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  8. ^ "2000-2001 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  9. ^ "2001-2002 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  10. ^ "2001-2002 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  11. ^ "2003-2004 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  12. ^ "2004-2005 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  13. ^ "2005-2006 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  14. ^ "2006-2007 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  15. ^ "2007-2008 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  16. ^ "2008-2009 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  17. ^ "2009-2010 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  18. ^ "2010-2011 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  19. ^ "2011-2012 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  20. ^ "2012-2013 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  21. ^ "2013-2014 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  22. ^ "2014-2015 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  23. ^ "2015-2016 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  24. ^ "2016-2017 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  25. ^ "2017-2018 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  26. ^ "2018-19 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  27. ^ "Men's Midlands Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  • English RFU (2008). "Rugby First". RFU. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  • Rugby First: To view previous seasons in the league, search for any club within that league then click on to club details followed by fixtures and then select the appropriate season.