# Counties 1 Midlands West (North)

Counties 1 Midlands West (North) (formerly Midands 2 West (North)) is a level 7 English rugby union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of clubs 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 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (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 West (North) and post the Rugby Football Union (RFU)'s Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Regional Midlands 2 West or to Regional 2 Midlands North. Relegated teams drop to Counties 2 Midlands West (North).

## 2024–25

Departing were Edwardians promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North whilst Old Saltleians were promoted to Regional 2 Midlands West. Harborne and Longton were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West). Camp Hill left on a Level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South).
Joining were Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton, both relegated, together with Veseyans, Newport (Salop) 2XV and Willenhall - all promoted.

## 2023–24

Departing were Tamworth promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North. Luctonians 2XV (1st) moved on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South) - promotion to level 6 was not permitted due to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues. Stourbridge Lions and Uttoxeter were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West) and Counties 2 Midlands West (East) respectively.
Joining were Harborne and Burntwood, both promoted, together with Kidderminster Carolians and Spartans both on a level transfer

## 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Midlands West (South).
Departing were Crewe & Nantwich, Moseley Oak and Walsall all promoted to Regional 2 Midlands West. Also leaving were Leek, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North.
Joining were Edwardians, Shrewsbury, Telford Hornets and Luctonians 2XV.

## 2020–21

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

## Teams 2016-17

* Camp Hill
* Kidderminster Carolians
* Leek (relegated from Midlands 1 West)
* Newcastle (Staffs) (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Old Saltleians
* Old Yardleians
* Shrewsbury
* Stafford
* Stourbridge Lions
* Tamworth (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Veseyans

## Teams 2015-16

* Camp Hill
* Handsworth (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Harborne (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Kidderminster Carolians
* Moseley Oak
* Old Saltleians
* Old Yardleians (transferred from Midlands 2 West (South))
* Shrewsbury
* Stafford
* Stourbridge Lions
* Veseyans
* Wolverhampton

## Teams 2014-15

* Bridgnorth
* Camp Hill
* Kidderminster Carolians (transferred from Midlands 2 West (South))
* Ludlow
* Moseley Oak
* Old Saltleians
* Shrewsbury (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Stafford
* Stourbridge Lions
* Tamworth RFC
* Veseyans (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Wolverhampton

## Teams 2013-14

* Aston Old Edwardians
* Bridgnorth
* Camp Hill (relegated from Midlands 1 West)
* Crewe & Nantwich
* Leek
* Ludlow
* Moseley Oak
* Old Saltleians
* Stafford
* Tamworth RFC
* Willenhall (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Wolverhampton

## Teams 2012–13

* Aston Old Edwardians
* Bridgnorth
* Leek
* Lordswood Dixonians
* Moseley Oak
* Old Saltleians
* Silhillians RFC (transferred from Midlands 2 West (South))
* Spartans (Midlands)
* Stafford
* Tamworth RFC
* Veseyans
* Wolverhampton

## Teams 2011–12

* Aston Old Edwardians
* Bridgnorth
* Burntwood (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Edgbaston Dixonians
* Leek
* Moseley Oak (promoted from Midlands 3 West (North))
* Old Saletians
* Shrewsbury
* Spartans
* Stafford
* Stoke-on-Trent (relegated from Midlands 1 West)
* Stourbridge Lions
* Tamworth

## Teams 2010-11

* Aston Old Edwardians
* Bridgnorth
* Leek
* Lordswood Dixonians
* Ludlow
* Old Saltleians
* Shrewsbury
* Stafford
* Stoke-on-Trent
* Stourbridge Lions
* Tamworth
* Willenhall

## Original teams

Teams in Midlands 2 West (North) and Midlands 2 West (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 1 West, which contained the following sides when in was introduced in 1992:
* Bromsgrove - relegated from Midlands 2 West (11th)
* Dudley Kingswinford - promoted from North Midlands 1 (runners up)
* Kings Norton - promoted from North Midlands 1 (4th)
* Leek - promoted from Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 (4th)
* Ludlow - promoted from North Midlands 1 (5th)
* Newbold-on-Avon - relegated from Midlands 2 West (9th)
* Newcastle (Staffs) - promoted from Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 (runners up)
* Old Halesonians - promoted from North Midlands 1 (3rd)
* Old Leamingtonians - promoted from Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 (5th)
* Old Longtonians - promoted from Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 (champions)
* Old Yardleians - promoted from North Midlands 1 (champions)
* Sutton Coldfield - relegated from Midlands 2 West (10th)
* Willenhall - promoted from Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 (3rd)

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

Midlands 2 West (North) and Midlands 2 West (South) were originally part of a single tier 7 division called Midlands West 1. Promotion was to Midlands 2 and relegation to Midlands West 2.
Midlands West 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference |
| 1992–93 | 13 | Willenhall | Newbold-on-Avon | Old Yardleians | |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands West 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 West dropped to become a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to Midlands 2 and Midlands West 2.
Midlands West 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 1993–94 | 13 | Sutton Coldfield | Bromsgrove | Nuneaton Old Edwardians |
| 1994–95 | 13 | Newport (Salop) | Longton | Ludlow, Newcastle (Staffs) |
| 1995–96 | 13 | Luctonians | Dudley Kingswinford | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

### Midlands West 1 (1996–2000)

At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands West 1 returned to being a tier 7 league. Promotion and relegation continued to Midlands 2 and Midlands West 2.
Midlands West 1 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 1996–97 | 17 | Longton | Malvern | Dixonians, Stoke Old Boys, Tamworth |
| 1997–98 | 17 | Newbold-on-Avon | Keresley | Nuneaton Old Edwardians |
| 1998–99 | 17 | Malvern | Selly Oak | Ludlow, Willenhall, Leek |
| 1999–00 | 17 | Selly Oak | Shrewsbury | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |||||||||||

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

Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands West 1 split into two tier 7 regional leagues - Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 2 West (formerly Midlands 2) and relegation to Midlands 4 West (North) (formerly Midlands West 2).
Midlands 3 West (North) :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 2000–01 | 10 | Shrewsbury | Stafford | Newcastle (Staffs) |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Lordswood Dixonians | Aston Old Edwardians | Leek, Old Halesonians, Selly Oak |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Aston Old Edwardians | Stoke-on-Trent | Newport (Salop) |
| 2003–04 | 12 | Burton | Sutton Coldfield | Lordswood Dixonians, Burntwood |
| 2004–05 | 12 | Camp Hill | Newport (Salop) | Willenhall, Old Saltleians |
| 2005–06 | 12 | Lichfield | Bridgnorth | Telford Hornets, Newcastle (Staffs) |
| 2006–07 | 12 | Sandbach | Sutton Coldfield | Burntwood, Old Yardleians |
| 2007–08 | 12 | Camp Hill | Stoke-on-Trent | Shrewsbury, Leek |
| 2008–09 | 12 | Old Halesonians | Bournville | Wednesbury, Stourbridge Lions |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

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

League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) were renamed as Midlands 2 West (North) and Midlands 2 West (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 7. Promotion was now to Midlands 1 West (formerly Midlands 2 West) and relegation to Midlands 3 West (North) (formerly Midlands 4 West (North)).
Midlands 2 West (North) :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams |
| 2009–10 | 12 | Lichfield | Old Saltleians | Wolverhampton, Ashbourne |
| 2010–11 | 12 | Ludlow | Old Saltleians | Willenhall, Stourbridge Lions |
| 2011–12 | 12 | Stoke-on-Trent | Old Saltleians | Shrewsbury, Burntwood, Lordswood Dixonians |
| 2012–13 | 11 | Silhillians | Selly Oak | Veseyans |
| 2013–14 | 12 | Leek | Crewe & Nantwich | Aston Old Edwardians, Willenhall |
| 2014–15 | 12 | Bridgnorth | Old Saltleians | Tamworth, Ludlow |
| 2015–16 | 12 | Moseley Oak | Wolverhampton | Harborne, Handsworth |
| 2016–17 | 11 | Stourbridge Lions | Camp Hill | Shrewsbury, Stafford |
| 2017–18 | 12 | Whitchurch | Crewe & Nantwich | Cleobury Mortimer, Old Saltleians |
| 2018–19 | 12 | Ludlow | Tamworth | Telford Hornets, Veseyans |
| 2019–20 | 12 | Wolverhampton | Camp Hill | Shrewsbury, Burntwood |
| 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 West (North) and Midlands 2 West (South) for the third and final promotion place to Midlands 1 West (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 West (South) teams had ten wins to Midlands 2 West (North) teams eight; and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams seven.
Midlands 2 West (North) v Midlands 2 West (South) promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2000–01 | Stafford (N) | 32-10 | Leamington (S) | The County Ground, Stafford, Staffordshire | |
| 2001–02 | Bedworth (S) | 10-6 | Aston Old Edwardians (N) | Smarts Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire | |
| 2002-03 | Old Coventrians (S) | 15-17 | Stoke-on-Trent (N) | Till Hill Lane, Coventry, Warwickshire | |
| 2003-04 | Sutton Coldfield (N) | 3-37 | Leamington (S) | Roger Smoldon Ground, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands | |
| 2004-05 | Newport (Salop) (N) | 25-12 | Pershore (S) | The Old Showground, Newport, Shropshire | |
| 2005–06 | Bridgnorth (N) | 17-14 | Hereford (S) | Edgar Davis Ground, Bridgnorth, Shropshire | |
| 2006–07 | Sutton Coldfield (N) | 11-18 | Stratford-upon-Avon (S) | Roger Smoldon Ground, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands | |
| 2007–08 | Droitwich (S) | 3-18 | Stoke-on-Trent (N) | The Glyn Mitchell Memorial Ground, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire | |
| 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 | Old Saltleians (N) | 12-14 | Old Laurentians (S) | Watton Lane, Water Orton, Warwickshire | |
| 2010–11 | Bedworth (S) | 15-6 | Old Saltleians (N) | Smarts Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire | |
| 2011–12 | Old Saltleians (N) | 3-27 | Berkswell & Balsall (S) | Watton Lane, Water Orton, Warwickshire | |
| 2012–13 | Old Laurentians (S) | 16-6 | Selly Oak (S) | Fenley Field, Rugby, Warwickshire | |
| 2013–14 | Crewe & Nantwich (N) | 18-13 | Banbury (S) | Newcastle Road, Nantwich, Cheshire | 500 |
| 2014–15 | Old Laurentians (S) | 32-23 | Old Saltleians (N) | Fenley Field, Rugby, Warwickshire | 500 |
| 2015–16 | Earlsdon (S) | 5-20 | Wolverhampton (N) | Mitchell Avenue, Canley, Coventry, West Midlands | |
| 2016–17 | Camp Hill (N) | 53-0 | Silhillians | Haslucks Green Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands | |
| 2017–18 | Malvern (S) | 53-12 | Crewe & Nantwich (N) | Spring Lane, Malvern, Worcestershire | |
| 2018–19 | Kidderminster Carolians (S) | 33-17 | Tamworth (N) | Marlpool Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire | 500 |
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Malvern (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Malvern (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Malvern (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Malvern (S) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Malvern (S) - promoted instead. |
| 2020–21 | |
| Green background is the promoted team. N = Midlands 2 West (North) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) and S = Midlands 2 West (South) (formerly Midlands 3 West (South)) ||||||

## Number of league titles

* Camp Hill (2)
* Lichfield (2)
* Ludlow (2)
* Moseley Oak (2)
* Aston Old Edwardians (1)
* Bridgnorth (1)
* Burton (1)
* Leek (1)
* Longton (1)
* Lordswood Dixonians (1)
* Luctonians (1)
* Malvern (1)
* Newbold-on-Avon (1)
* Newport (Salop) (1)
* Old Halesonians (1)
* Sandbach (1)
* Shrewsbury (1)
* Silhillians (1)
* Stoke-on-Trent (1)
* Stourbridge Lions (1)
* Sutton Coldfield (1)
* Whitchurch (1)
* Willenhall (1)
* Wolverhampton (1)