Level 9 English Rugby Union league
Counties 3 Midlands West (North) (formerly 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 , 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. Further restructuring followed in the wake of the RFU's Adult Competition Review and from season 2022-23 it has been known by its current name.
Promoted teams move up to Counties 2 Midlands West (North) while relegated teams drop to Counties 4 Midlands West (North) .
2024-25
Departing were Aston Old Edwardians and Trentham, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands West (East) and Counties 2 Midlands West (West) respectively. Cleobury Mortimer (6th) went on a level transfer to Counties 3 Midlands West (South) . Shrewsbury II (11th) and Ludlow II (12th) were relegated into the Shropshire merit leagues.
Joining were Burton III , Handsworth , Rugeley, Stoke-on-Trent II and Uttoxeter .
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aldridge
Bourne Vale
Aldridge , West Midlands
10th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
4th
Burton III
Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill
Burton , Staffordshire
Promoted from Counties 4 Midlands West (North)
Cannock
Morgan Ground
Huntington , Cannock Chase , Staffordshire
8th
Eccleshall
Baden Hall
Eccleshall , Staffordshire
7th
Handsworth
Charles Lewis Memorial Ground
Walsall , West Midlands
Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands West (West)
Leek II
Altrad Park
Cheddleton , Staffordshire
3rd
Newcastle (Staffs) II
Lilleshall Road
Clayton , Newcastle-under-Lyme , Staffordshire
5th
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands West (West)
Stoke-on-Trent II
Hartwell Lane
Barlaston , Staffordshire
Promoted from Counties 4 Midlands West (North) (3rd)
Stone
Stone Hockey Club
Aston By Stone, Staffordshire
9th
Uttoxeter
Oldfields Sports & Social Club
2,000
Uttoxeter , Staffordshire
Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands West (East)
Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Midlands West (North) teams
2023-24
Departing were Willenhall and Rugeley, both promoted to Counties 2 Midlands West (West) . Wednesbury (9th) and Warley (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands West (North) and Counties 4 Midlands West (South) respectively.
Joining were Aldridge, Cleobury Mortimer, Stone, Leek II , Shrewsbury II and Newcastle (Staffs) II.
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aldridge
Bourne Vale
Aldridge , West Midlands
Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands West (North) (12th)
Aston Old Edwardians
ASunnybank Avenue
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
5th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
4th
Cannock
Morgan Ground
Huntington , Cannock Chase , Staffordshire
7th
Cleobury Mortimer
Love Lane
Cleobury Mortimer , Shropshire
Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands West (North) (11th)
Eccleshall
Baden Hall
Eccleshall , Staffordshire
6th
Leek II
Altrad Park
Cheddleton , Staffordshire
New entry
Ludlow II
The Linney
Ludlow , Shropshire
8th
Newcastle (Staffs) II
Lilleshall Road
Clayton , Newcastle-under-Lyme , Staffordshire
New entry
Shrewsbury II
Sundorne Castle
Uffington , Shrewsbury , Shropshire
New entry
Stone
Stone Hockey Club
Aston By Stone, Staffordshire
Promoted from Counties 4 Midlands West (North)
Trentham
New Inn Lane
Trentham , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire
3rd
Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Midlands West (North) teams
2022-23
Departing were Oswestry and Market Drayton, both promoted to Counties 2 Midlands West (North) . Birmingham Exiles (10th) departed on a level transfer to Counties 3 Midlands West (South) . Essington (12th) were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands West (North) . Yardley & District (8th) did not return for the new season.
Joining were Cannock, Eccleshall, Ludlow II
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aston Old Edwardians
ASunnybank Avenue
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
7th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
3rd
Cannock
Morgan Ground
Huntington , Cannock Chase , Staffordshire
Promoted from Midlands 5 West (South) (runners-up)
Eccleshall
Baden Hall
Eccleshall , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (11th)
Ludlow II
The Linney
Ludlow , Shropshire
New entry
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
6th
Trentham
New Inn Lane
Trentham , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire
5th
Warley
Tatbank Road
Oldbury , West Midlands
11th
Wednesbury
Woden Road North
Wednesbury , West Midlands
9th
Willenhall
Bognop Road
Essington , Staffordshire
4th
Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Midlands West (North) teams
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
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
7th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
3rd
Birmingham Exiles
Old Damson Lane
Elmdon , West Midlands
10th
Essington
High Hill Centre
Essington , Staffordshire
8th
Market Drayton
Greenfields Lane
Market Drayton , Shropshire
4th
Oswestry
Granville Park
Oswestry , Shropshire
Level transfer from Lancs/Cheshire 2 (3rd)
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
5th
Trentham
New Inn Lane
Trentham , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire
6th
Warley
Tatbank Road
Oldbury , West Midlands
11th
Wednesbury
Woden Road North
Wednesbury , West Midlands
Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (11th)
Willenhall
Bognop Road
Essington , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (12th)
Yardley & District
Cole Hall Lane
Stechford , Birmingham , West Midlands
9th
Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Staffordshire and the West Midlands
Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Shropshire
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
Aldridge , West Midlands
6th
Aston Old Edwardians
Sunnybank Avenue
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
5th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
7th
Birmingham Exiles
Old Damson Lane
Elmdon , West Midlands
Promoted from Midlands 5 WS (champions)
Cannock
Morgan Ground
Huntington , Cannock Chase , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (12th)
Clee Hill
Tenbury Road
Cleehill , Shropshire
4th
Essington
High Hill Centre
Essington , Staffordshire
10th
Market Drayton
Greenfields Lane
Market Drayton , Shropshire
9th
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
3rd
Trentham
New Inn Lane
Trentham , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 WN (11th)
Warley
Tatbank Road
Oldbury , West Midlands
Promoted from Midlands 5 WN (runners up)
Yardley & District
Cole Hall Lane
Stechford , Birmingham , West Midlands
8th
Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Staffordshire and the West Midlands
Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Shropshire
2018–19
Participating teams & locations
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aldridge
Bourne Vale
Aldridge , West Midlands
Promoted from Midlands 5 West (South) (champions)
Aston Old Edwardians
Sunnybank Avenue
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
6th
Barton-under-Needwood
Holland Sports Club
Barton-under-Needwood , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (12th)
Bloxwich
Stafford Road Sports Club
Bloxwich , Walsall , West Midlands
8th
Clee Hill
Tenbury Road
Cleehill , Shropshire
4th
Essington
High Hill Centre
Essington , Staffordshire
9th (not relegated)
Linley & Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove Cricket Club
Kidsgrove , Staffordshire
Promoted from Midlands 5 West (North) (runners up)
Market Drayton
Greenfields Lane
Market Drayton , Shropshire
5th
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
3rd
Willenhall
Bognop Road
Essington , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (11th)
Yardley & District
Cole Hall Lane
Stechford , Birmingham , West Midlands
7th
Locations of the 2018-19 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Staffordshire and the West Midlands
Locations of the 2018-19 Midlands 4 West (North) teams in Shropshire
2017–18
Participating teams & locations
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aston Old Edwardians
Sunnybank Avenue
Kingstanding , Birmingham , West Midlands
9th
Bloxwich
Stafford Road Sports Club
Bloxwich , Walsall , West Midlands
4th
Church Stretton
Church Stretton School
Church Stretton , Shropshire
8th
Clee Hill
Tenbury Road
Cleehill , Shropshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (11th)
Eccleshall
Baden Hall
Eccleshall , Staffordshire
Relegated from Midlands 3 West (North) (12th)
Essington
High Hill Centre
Essington , Staffordshire
7th
Market Drayton
Greenfields Lane
Market Drayton , Shropshire
Promoted from Midlands 5 West (North) (runners up)
Rugeley
St Augustine's Field
Rugeley , Staffordshire
3rd
Wednesbury
Woden Road North
Wednesbury , West Midlands
6th
Yardley & District
Cole Hall Lane
Stechford , Birmingham , West Midlands
10th
Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 4 West (North) teams
Teams 2016-17
Teams 2015-16
Teams 2014-15
Teams 2013-14
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:
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 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.
Number of league titles
Notes
^ No relegation as the division would be increased from 9 to 11 teams for the following season.
^ Church Stretton dropped out of the league before the season and were automatically relegated. No other teams were relegated this season.
See also
References
Governing body National teams
International competitions
Competition divisions
European competitions National competitions London and South East competitions Midland competitions Northern competitions South West competitions County competitions Discontinued competitions Related articles Other