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.
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2006 (as Midlands 5 East (North)) |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Boston (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Midlands 3 East (North)) |
| Most titles | Belper, Boston (2 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
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.
Participating teams & locations
2020–21
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20
Participating teams & locations
2018–19
Participating teams & locations
2017–18
Participating teams & locations
Teams 2016–17
- Amber Valley
- Boston (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- East Retford
- Long Eaton
- Mellish
- Meden Vale (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Nottingham Moderns (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Ollerton (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Tupton
- Worksop
Teams 2015–16
- Amber Valley (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Bingham
- Birstall (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Buxton
- Cleethorpes
- East Retford
- Long Eaton
- Mellish (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- North Hykeham (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Rolls-Royce
- Tupton
- Worksop
Teams 2014–15
- Ashfield
- Belper
- Bingham
- Buxton
- Cleethorpes
- East Retford (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Keyworth
- Long Eaton
- Rolls-Royce (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Skegness (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Tupton
- Worksop
Teams 2013–14
- Amber Valley (relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Ashfield
- Belper(relegated from Midlands 3 East (North))
- Bingham (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Keyworth
- Leesbrook (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Long Eaton
- Nottinghamians
- Tupton
- Worksop
Teams 2012–13
- Ashfield
- Boston
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Horncastle
- Keyworth
- Long Eaton
- Nottinghamians
- Nottingham Corsairs
- Skegness
- Tupton
- Worksop
Teams 2009–10
- Belper (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Castle Donington (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Chesterfield Panthers
- Cleethorpes
- Dronfield
- East Leake
- East Retford
- Leesbrook
- Nottinghamians
- Rolls-Royce (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Skegness Panthers
- Uttoxeter
Teams 2008–09
- Amber Valley
- Ashby
- Ashfield
- Barton & District (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Belgrave
- Boston
- Kesteven
- Market Rasen & Louth
- Mellish
- Nottingham Casuals (promoted from Midlands 5 East (North))
- Oakham
- Southwell
Original teams
When this division was introduced in 2006 as Midlands 5 East (North), it contained the following teams:
- Bakewell Mannerians - promoted from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (champions)
- Boston - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (3rd)
- Dronfield - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (9th)
- East Leake - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (6th)
- Keyworth - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (7th)
- Long Eaton - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (8th)
- Nottingham Casuals - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (4th)
- Nottinghamians - promoted from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire (champions)
- University of Derby - promoted from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (runners up)
- Worksop - transferred from Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire (5th)
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).
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | 10 | Bakewell Mannerians | Boston | Long Eaton, Worksop, Keyworth | [1] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 10 | Barton & District | Nottingham Casuals | University of Derby, Dronfield | [2] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 10 | Worksop | Melbourne | No relegation[a] | [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.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No. of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 12 | Uttoxeter | Dronfield | Castle Donington | [4] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 11 | Belper | Nottingham Corsairs | Boston | [5] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | Southwell | East Retford | Leesbrook, East Leake | [6] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 12 | Boston | Skegness | Horncastle, Nottingham Corsairs | [7] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Chesterfield Panthers | Amber Valley | Nottinghamians, Leesbrook | [8] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | Belper | Ashfield | Skegness, Keyworth, Bingham | [9] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 10 | Buxton | Rolls-Royce | Cleethorpes, North Hykeham | [10] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 10 | Long Eaton | Nottingham Moderns | Meden Vale, Amber Valley | [11] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 9 | Ashfield | Tupton | No relegation[b] | [12] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 14 | Grimsby | Mellish | No relegation | [13] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 14 | Boston | East Retford | No relegation | [14] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 14 | No relegation | ||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Belper (2)
- Boston (2)
- Ashfield (1)
- Bakewell Mannerians (1)
- Barton & District (1)
- Buxton (1)
- Chesterfield Panthers (1)
- Grimsby (1)
- Long Eaton (1)
- Southwell (1)
- Uttoxeter (1)
- Worksop (1)
Notes
See also
References
- 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.