# Midlands 2 East (North)

Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midland 2 East (North)) is a level 7 English Rugby Union league and level 3 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. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name
Promoted teams tend to move up to Regional Midlands 2 North or occasionally to Regional 2 Midlands East. Relegated teams drop to Counties 2 Midlands East (North).

## 2024-25

Departing were Ilkeston, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North as runners-up (Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted on Level 6 owing to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues). Boston and Birstall were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North).
Joining were Kesteven and Nottingham Moderns promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North), whilst Manor Park moved on a level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands West (South).

### Participating teams & locations
## 2023-24

Departing were Mellish, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North as runners-up (Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted on Level 6 owing to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues). Ashbourne and Ashby and were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North) whilst Coalville dropped to Counties 2 Midlands West (East).
Joining were Belgrave and Nuneaton Old Edwardians, both relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North, whilst Boston and Mansfield were both promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North).

### Participating teams & locations
## 2022-23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Midlands East (North).
Departing were Long Eaton, Melbourne, Matlock and Newark - all promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North.
Joining were Mellish and Birstall, both promoted from Midlands 3 East (North), together with Burton 2XV and Hinckley 2XV, both new entries.

### Participating teams & locations
## 2020–21

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

## 2016–17 teams

* Ashbourne
* Coalville
* Kesteven (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Loughborough (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Market Bosworth
* Matlock (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Melbourne
* Newark (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Nottingham Casuals
* Southwell
* Spalding
* West Bridgford

## 2015–16 teams

* Ashbourne
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Coalville
* Dronfield
* Mansfield (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Market Bosworth
* Melbourne
* Nottingham Casuals
* Southwell (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Spalding (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Stamford
* West Bridgford

## 2014–15 teams

* Ashbourne
* Ashby (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Coalville (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Dronfield
* Loughborough
* Market Bosworth (relegated from Midlands 1 West)
* Matlock (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Melbourne
* Nottingham Casuals
* Stamford
* West Bridgford (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))

## 2013–2014 Teams

* Ashbourne
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Belgrave
* Dronfield
* Kesteven (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Loughborough (relegated from Midlands 1 East)
* Melbourne (promoted from Midlands 3 East (North))
* Melton Mowbray
* Nottingham Casuals
* Oakham
* Spalding
* Stamford

## 2012–2013 Teams

* Ashbourne
* Aylestone St James
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Belgrave
* Coalville
* Dronfield
* Kesteven
* Leicester Forest
* Melton Mowbray
* Nottingham Casuals
* Nuneaton Old Edwardians
* Oakham
* Sleaford

## 2011–2012 Teams

* Ashbourne
* Aylestone St James
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Belgrave
* Leicester Forest
* Market Bosworth RFC
* Melton Mowbray
* Newark
* Nottingham Casuals
* Nottingham Moderns
* Oakham
* West Bridgford

## 2010–2011 Teams

* Ashby
* Aylestone St James
* Bakewell Mannerians
* Belgrave
* Lincoln
* Loughborough
* Market Bosworth
* Market Rasen and Louth
* Melton Mowbray
* Nottingham Moderns
* Oakham
* West Bridgford
Market Rasen and Louth have won the league this season and are promoted to Midlands 1 East as champions for the season 2011/2012. Loughborough finished second and also gained promotion by beating Peterborough Lions, who placed 2nd in Midlands 2 East (South) in the promotion playoff.
Lincoln and Ashby finished in the bottom two positions and have therefore been relegated for the coming season.

## Original teams

Teams in Midlands 2 East (North) and Midlands 2 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 1 East, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
* Amber Valley - relegated from Midlands 2 East (9th)
* Ampthill - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (5th)
* Belgrave - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (3rd)
* Chesterfield Panthers - promoted from Nott, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (champions)
* Dronfield - promoted from Nott, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (5th)
* Hinckley - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (champions)
* Luton - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (4th)
* Mellish - promoted from Nott, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (4th)
* Scunthorpe - relegated from Midlands 2 East (10th)
* Spalding - promoted from Nott, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (runners up)
* Stewarts & Lloyds - relegated from Midlands 2 East (11th)
* Stoneygate - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (runners up)
* West Bridgford - promoted from Nott, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (3rd)

## Midlands 2 East (North) honours
### Midlands East 1 (1992–1993)

Midlands 2 East (North) and Midlands 2 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 7 division called Midlands East 1. Promotion was to Midlands 2 and relegation to Midlands East 2.
Midlands East 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference |
| 1992–93 | 13 | Belgrave | Hinckley | Dronfield, West Bridford | |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands East 1 (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 1 East dropped to become a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to Midlands 2 and Midlands East 2.
Midlands East 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 1993–94 | 13 | Hinckley | Scunthorpe | Nottingham Moderns, Luton |
| 1994–95 | 13 | Scunthorpe | Long Buckby | Chesterfield, Northampton BBOB, Wellingborough |
| 1995–96 | 13 | Kettering | Huntingdon & District | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands East 1 (1996–2000)

At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 1 returned to being a tier 7 league. Promotion and relegation continued to Midlands 2 and Midlands East 2.
Midlands East 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 1996–97 | 17 | Nottingham Moderns | Old Northamptonians | Northampton BBOB, Biggleswade, Amber Valley |
| 1997–98 | 17 | Lincoln | Northampton Old Scouts | Ashbourne |
| 1998–99 | 17 | Wellingborough | Dunstablians | Coalville, Vipers |
| 1999–00 | 17 | Dunstablians | Luton | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands 3 East (North) (2000–2009)

Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 1 split into two tier 7 regional leagues - Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 2 East (formerly Midlands 2) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (North) (formerly Midlands East 2).
Midlands East 3 (North) :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 2000–01 | 10 | Spalding | Ilkeston | Paviors, Long Eaton, Oadby Wyggestonians |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Market Bosworth | Nottingham Moderns | Market Rasen & Louth |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Newark | Loughborough Students | Lincoln |
| 2003–04 | 10 | Melton Mowbray | Matlock | No relegation |
| 2004–05 | 12 | Paviors | Matlock | West Bridgford, Mellish |
| 2005–06 | 12 | Melton Mowbray | Ilkeston | Ashfield, Grimsby |
| 2006–07 | 12 | Syston | Lutterworth | Ashbourne, Belgrave |
| 2007–08 | 12 | Mansfield | Spalding | Oakham, Grimsby |
| 2008–09 | 12 | Ilkeston | Spalding | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands 2 East (North) (2009–present)

League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 2 East (North) and Midlands 2 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 7. Promotion was now to Midlands 1 East (formerly Midlands 2 East) and relegation to Midlands 3 East (North) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)).
Midlands 2 East (North) :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 2009–10 | 12 | Coalville | Spalding | Grimsby, Sleaford |
| 2010–11 | 12 | Market Rasen & Louth | Loughborough | Ashby, Lincoln |
| 2011–12 | 12 | Newark | Market Bosworth | Nottingham Moderns, West Bridgford |
| 2012–13 | 11 | Coalville | Oakham | Aylestone St James |
| 2013–14 | 12 | Belgrave | Spalding | Melton Mowbray, Kesteven |
| 2014–15 | 12 | Matlock | Coalville | Ashby, Loughborough |
| 2015–16 | 12 | Dronfield | West Bridgford | Bakewell Mannerians, Mansfield |
| 2016–17 | 12 | Melbourne | Coalville | Spalding, Kesteven |
| 2017–18 | 12 | West Bridgford | Matlock | Bakewell Mannerians, Nottingham Casuals |
| 2018–19 | 12 | Melbourne | Dronfield | Ashby, Southwell |
| 2019–20 | 12 | Dronfield | Matlock | Ashfield, Nottingham Casuals |
| 2020–21 | 12 | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

## Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Midlands 2 East (North) and Midlands 2 East (South) for the third and final promotion place to Midlands 1 East (asides from 2008–09 which was played between the runners up of Midlands 2 West (South) and Midlands 2 East (North) due to RFU restructuring). The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Midlands 2 East (South) teams have ten wins to the Midlands 2 East (North) teams eight; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
Midlands 2 East (North) v Midlands 2 East (South) promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2000–01 | Stewarts & Lloyds (S) | 9-13 | Ilkeston (N) | Occupation Road, Corby, Northamptonshire | |
| 2001–02 | Nottingham Moderns (N) | 26-8 | Stewarts & Lloyds (S) | Ferryfields, Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire | |
| 2002-03 | Peterborough (S) | 3-59 | Loughborough Students (N) | Fortress Fengate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2003-04 | Peterborough (S) | 33-13 | Matlock (N) | Fortress Fengate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2004-05 | Matlock (N) | 25-10 | Stewarts & Lloyds (S) | Cromford Meadows, Cromford, Derbyshire | |
| 2005–06 | Ilkeston (N) | 24-21 | Banbury (S) | The Stute, Ilkeston, Derbyshire | |
| 2006–07 | Lutterworth (N) | 3-21 | Banbury (S) | Ashby Lane, Lutterworth, Leicestershire | |
| 2007–08 | Leighton Buzzard (S) | 16-15 | Spalding (N) | Wright's Meadow, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire | |
| 2008–09 | Promotion playoffs different for this season only. | Promotion playoffs different for this season only. | Promotion playoffs different for this season only. | Promotion playoffs different for this season only. | Promotion playoffs different for this season only. |
| 2009–10 | Spalding (N) | 25-10 | Market Harborough (S) | Memorial Field, Spalding, Lincolnshire | 400 |
| 2010–11 | Peterborough Lions (S) | 17-20 | Loughborough (N) | Bretton Woods, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2011–12 | Market Bosworth (S) | 17-14 | Lutterworth (N) | Cadeby Lane, Market Bosworth, Warwickshire | |
| 2012–13 | Huntingdon (S) | 30-17 | Oakham (N) | The Racecourse, Brampton, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2013–14 | Spalding (N) | 24-14 | Newbold on Avon (S) | Memorial Field, Spalding, Lincolnshire | 400 |
| 2014–15 | Coalville (N) | 25-36 | Wellingborough (S) | Memorial Ground, Coalville, Leicestershire | |
| 2015–16 | Lutterworth (S) | 43-17 | West Bridgford (N) | Ashby Lane, Lutterworth, Leicestershire | |
| 2016–17 | Oundle (S) | 30-12 | Coalville (N) | Occupation Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire | 400 |
| 2017–18 | Luton (S) | 35-22 | Matlock (N) | Newlands Road, Luton, Bedfordshire | |
| 2018–19 | Market Harborough (S) | 25-21 | Dronfield (N) | Cadeby Lane, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire | |
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Belgrave (S) - promoted instead. |
| 2020–21 | |
| Green background is the promoted team. M2EN = Midlands 2 East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 East (North)) and M2ES = Midlands 2 East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) |||||||||||

### 2008–09 promotion play-offs

As mentioned above the 2008–09 promotion playoffs in Midlands 3 were different due to RFU restructuring for the following season. The two runners up with the worst league records in the four regional divisions at this level would have to face each other for the final promotion spot, with the team with the superior league record having home advantage.
Midlands 2 West (South) v Midlands 2 East (North) promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2008–09 | Spalding (N) | 12-14 | Nuneaton Old Edwardians (S) | Memorial Field, Spalding, Lincolnshire | |
| Green background is the promoted team. S = Midlands 2 West (South) (formerly Midlands 3 West (South)) and N = Midlands 2 East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) ||||||

## Number of league titles

* Belgrave (2)
* Coalville (2)
* Dronfield (2)
* Melbourne (2)
* Melton Mowbray (2)
* Newark (2)
* Dunstablians (1)
* Hinckley (1)
* Ilkeston (1)
* Kettering (1)
* Lincoln (1)
* Mansfield (1)
* Market Bosworth (1)
* Market Rasen & Louth (1)
* Matlock (1)
* Nottingham Moderns (1)
* Paviors (1)
* Scunthorpe (1)
* Spalding (1)
* Syston (1)
* Wellingborough (1)
* West Bridgford (1)