Midlands 3 West (North) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 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. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (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 West (North).
Promoted teams tend to move up to Midlands 2 West (North) while demoted teams typically drop to Midlands 4 West (North). Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
2021-22
Participating teams & locations
Team
|
Ground
|
Capacity
|
City/Area
|
Previous season
|
Aldridge |
Bourne Vale |
|
Aldridge, West Midlands
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 WN (runners-up)
|
Burntwood |
The Sportsway |
|
Burntwood, Staffordshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 WN (11th)
|
Clee Hill |
Tenbury Road |
|
Cleehill, Shropshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 WN (champions)
|
Cleobury Mortimer |
Love Lane |
|
Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire
|
6th
|
Eccleshall |
Baden Hall |
|
Eccleshall, Staffordshire
|
9th
|
Edwardians |
Memorial Ground |
|
Solihull, West Midlands
|
5th
|
Handsworth |
Charles Lewis Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
10th
|
Harborne |
Metchley Park |
|
Birmingham, West Midlands
|
3rd
|
Linley & Kidsgrove |
Kidsgrove Cricket Club |
|
Kidsgrove, Staffordshire
|
7th
|
Shrewsbury |
Sundorne Castle |
|
Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 WN (12th)
|
Telford Hornets |
Hinkshay Road |
|
Telford, Shropshire
|
8th
|
Veseyans |
Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
4th
|
|
|
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
|
Cleobury Mortimer |
Love Lane |
|
Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire
|
9th
|
Eccleshall |
Baden Hall |
|
Eccleshall, Staffordshire
|
7th
|
Edwardians |
Memorial Ground |
|
Solihull, West Midlands
|
4th
|
Handsworth |
Charles Lewis Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
10th
|
Harborne |
Metchley Park |
|
Birmingham, West Midlands
|
6th
|
Linley & Kidsgrove |
Kidsgrove Cricket Club |
|
Kidsgrove, Staffordshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 WN (champions)
|
Old Saltleians |
Watton Lane |
|
Water Orton, Warwickshire
|
3rd
|
Telford Hornets |
Hinkshay Road |
|
Telford, Shropshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 WN (12th)
|
Uttoxeter |
Oldfields Sports & Social Club |
2,000 |
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
|
5th
|
Veseyans |
Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 WN (11th)
|
Wednesbury |
Woden Road North |
|
Wednesbury, West Midlands
|
8th
|
Willenhall |
Bognop Road |
|
Essington, Staffordshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 WN (runners up)
|
|
|
2018–19
Participating teams & locations
Team
|
Ground
|
Capacity
|
City/Area
|
Previous season
|
Burntwood |
The Sportsway |
|
Burntwood, Staffordshire
|
3rd
|
Cannock |
Morgan Ground |
|
Huntington, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
|
6th
|
Cleobury Mortimer |
Love Lane |
|
Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 West (North) (12th)
|
Eccleshall |
Baden Hall |
|
Eccleshall, Staffordshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 West (North) (champions)
|
Edwardians |
Memorial Ground |
|
Solihull, West Midlands
|
7th
|
Handsworth |
Charles Lewis Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
9th
|
Harborne |
Metchley Park |
|
Birmingham, West Midlands
|
5th
|
Old Saltleians |
Watton Lane |
|
Water Orton, Warwickshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 West (North) (11th)
|
Shrewsbury |
Sundorne Castle |
|
Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
|
4th
|
Trentham |
New Inn Lane |
|
Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
|
10th
|
Uttoxeter |
Oldfields Sports & Social Club |
2,000 |
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
|
8th
|
Wednesbury |
Woden Road North |
|
Wednesbury, West Midlands
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 West (North) (runners up)
|
|
|
2017–18
Participating teams & locations
Team
|
Ground
|
Capacity
|
City/Area
|
Previous season
|
Barton-under-Needwood |
Holland Sports Club |
|
Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 West (North) (runners up)
|
Burntwood |
The Sportsway |
|
Burntwood, Staffordshire
|
3rd
|
Cannock |
Morgan Ground |
|
Huntington, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
|
10th
|
Edwardians |
Memorial Ground |
|
Solihull, West Midlands
|
6th
|
Handsworth |
Charles Lewis Memorial Ground |
|
Walsall, West Midlands
|
4th
|
Harborne |
Metchley Park |
|
Birmingham, West Midlands
|
8th
|
Shrewsbury |
Sundorne Castle |
|
Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 West (North) (11th)
|
Stafford |
The County Ground |
|
Stafford, Staffordshire
|
Relegated from Midlands 2 West (North) (10th)
|
Telford Hornets |
Hinkshay Road |
|
Telford, Shropshire
|
7th
|
Trentham |
New Inn Lane |
|
Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
|
Promoted from Midlands 4 West (North) (champions)
|
Uttoxeter |
Oldfields Sports & Social Club |
2,000 |
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
|
5th
|
Willenhall |
Bognop Road |
|
Essington, Staffordshire
|
9th
|
|
|
Teams 2016-17
Teams 2015-16
Teams 2014-15
Teams 2013-14
Teams 2012–13
Teams 2010–11
Original teams
Teams in Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 West, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
Midlands 3 West (North) honours
Midlands West 2 (1992–1993)
Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands West 2. Promotion was to Midlands West 1 and relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
1992–93 |
13 |
Nuneaton Old Edwardians |
Aston Old Edwardians |
Handsworth |
|
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
|
Midlands West 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 Midlands 2 West dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands West 1 while relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
1993–94 |
13 |
Old Laurentians |
Newport (Salop) |
No relegation |
|
1994–95 |
13 |
Luctonians |
Kenilworth |
Coventry Welsh, Dunlop
|
|
1995–96 |
13 |
Selly Oak |
Malvern
|
No relegation
|
|
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
|
Midlands West 2 (1996–2000)
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands West 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands West 1 while relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
1996–97 |
17 |
Telford Hornets |
Woodrush |
Trinity Guild, Newcastle (Staffs), Rugby St Andrews
|
|
1997–98 |
17 |
Shrewsbury |
Evesham |
Coventry Saracens |
|
1998–99 |
17 |
Newcastle (Staffs) |
Birmingham Exiles |
Manor Park, GPT Coventry, Warley
|
|
1999–00 |
17 |
Kidderminster Carolians
|
Old Yardleians
|
No relegation
|
|
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
|
Midlands 4 West (North) (2000–2004)
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands West 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 West (North) and relegation to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire 1.
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
2000–01 |
10 |
Bridgnorth |
Lordswood Dixonians |
Warley, Edwardians
|
|
2001–02 |
10 |
Burntwood |
Willenhall |
Wheaton Aston, Cleobury Mortimer, Handsworth
|
|
2002–03 |
10 |
Telford Hornets |
Old Saltleians |
No relegation |
|
2003–04 |
10 |
Wednesbury |
Newport (Salop) |
Handsworth, Uttoxeter
|
|
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
|
Midlands 4 West (North) (2004–2006)
At the start of the 2004–05 season Midlands 4 West (North) remained at tier 8 of the league system, with promotion continuing to Midlands 3 West (North). However, the restructuring of the leagues below meant that relegation was now to either North Midlands (North) or Staffordshire
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
2004–05 |
10 |
Newcastle (Staffs) |
Ludlow |
Yardley & District, Selly Oak
|
|
2005–06 |
10 |
Old Saltleians |
Burntwood |
No relegation
|
|
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
|
Midlands 4 West (North) (2006–2009)
At the start of the 2006–07 season Midlands 4 West (North) remained at tier 8 of the league system, with promotion continuing to Midlands 3 West (North). The cancellation of the Staffordshire league meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (North).
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
2006–07 |
12 |
Leek |
Lordswood Dixonians |
Old Griffinians, Aldridge
|
|
2007–08 |
12 |
Old Halesonians |
Bournville |
Telford Hornets, Harborne
|
|
2008–09 |
12 |
Willenhall |
Shrewsbury |
Cleobury Mortimer |
|
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
|
Midlands 3 West (North) (2009–present)
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 West (North) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) and relegation to Midlands 4 West (North) (formerly Midlands 5 West (North)).
|
Season
|
No of teams
|
Champions
|
Runners–up
|
Relegated teams
|
Reference
|
2009–10 |
12 |
Leek |
Tamworth |
Bloxwich |
|
2010–11 |
12 |
Burntwood |
Moseley Oak |
Bishop's Castle & Onny Valley, Telford Hornets
|
|
2011–12 |
12 |
Veseyans |
Wolverhampton |
Harborne, Uttoxeter
|
|
2012–13 |
12 |
Willenhall |
Stourbridge Lions |
Cleobury Mortimer, Eccleshall
|
|
2013–14 |
12 |
Veseyans |
Shrewsbury |
Market Drayton, Yardley & District
|
|
2014–15 |
12 |
Handsworth |
Harborne |
Aston Old Edwardians, Uttoxeter
|
|
2015–16 |
12 |
Tamworth |
Newcastle (Staffs) |
Bloxwich, Wednesbury
|
|
2016–17 |
12 |
Ludlow |
Cleobury Mortimer |
Eccleshall, Clee Hill
|
|
2017–18 |
12 |
Telford Hornets |
Stafford |
Barton-Under-Needwood, Willenhall
|
|
2018–19 |
12 |
Shrewsbury |
Burntwood |
Cannock, Trentham
|
|
2019–20 |
12 |
Uttoxeter |
Old Saltleians |
Willenhall, Wednesbury
|
|
2020–21 |
12 |
|
|
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
|
Number of league titles
See also