# National Conference League Division Three

The National Conference League Division Three is the fourth level of the National Conference League and sits in the seventh tier of the British rugby league system.
It is the entry league for the NCL and sits above the Conference League South although there is no promotion and relegation between the two or the regional leagues. Any club wanting to compete in the NCL has to send an application to the league.

## Background

In 2011, NCL clubs voted to switch from playing in winter to summer which resulted in a reorganisation of the amateur pyramid. The current summer competition, the Rugby League Conference, was to be scrapped with its National Division effectively become part of the NCL while most of its regional divisions would continue as they were.
NCL Division Three was the NCLs most geographically diverse division with six out of the ten clubs competing being located outside the north of England. There was no promotion in the leagues first season, only a top six playoff was played to determine the winners. Of the ten clubs who competed in the first season only two, Coventry Bears and Underbank Rangers, returned the following season.

## Clubs in 2025

| Club | Founded | Location |
| Bentley | 1963 | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
| Beverley | 1883 | Beverley, Hull, East Yorkshire |
| Distington | | Distington, Cumbria |
| Eastmoor Dragons | 1873 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Featherstone Lions | 1994 | Featherstone, West Yorkshire |
| Leigh East | 1977 | Leigh, Greater Manchester |
| Millom | 1873 | Millom, Cumbria |
| Milford | | Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| Myton Warriors | 1997 | Hull, East Yorkshire |
| Saddleworth Rangers | 1930 | Saddleworth, Greater Manchester |
| Seaton Rangers | 1890 | Seaton, Workington, Cumbria |

## Results

| Season | Winners | Runners up | Playoff Winner | Score | Playoff Runner up | Bottom team |
| 2012 | Hemel Stags | Underbank Rangers | Hemel Stags | 17-10 | Underbank Rangers | South Wales Hornets |
| 2013 | Kells | Pilkington Recs | No playoff held | No playoff held | No playoff held | Peterlee Pumas |
| 2014 | Featherstone Lions | Blackbrooke | Underbank Rangers | 20-6 | Crosfield | Peterlee Pumas |
| 2015 | Hunslet Club Parkside | Thornhill Trojans | Stanningley | 20-17 | Drighlington | Eastmoor Dragons |
| 2016 | Crossfields | Drighlington | Drighlington | 32-18 | Woolston Rovers | Gateshead Storm |
| 2017 | West Bowling | Stanningley | Dewsbury Moor | 16-10 | Woolston Rovers | Waterhead Warriors |
| 2018 | Beverley | Barrow Island | Clock Face Miners | 16-12 | Millom | Stanley Rangers |
| 2019 | Woolston Rovers | Hunslet Warriors | Dewsbury Celtic | 30-16 | Heworth | Salford City Roosters |
| 2020 | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2022 | East Leeds | Waterhead Warriors | Shaw Cross Sharks | 30-18 | Oldham St Annes | Eastmoor Dragons |
| 2023 | Oldham St Annes | Ellenborough | Millom | 20-6 | Leigh East | Seaton Rangers |
| 2024 | East Leeds (2) | Hensingham | Drighlington | 17-10 | Distington | Featherstone Lions |

### Winners

| Club | Wins | Runners up | Winning years |
| East Leeds | 2 | 0 | 2022, 2024 |
| Hemel Stags | 1 | 0 | 2012 |
| Kells | 1 | 0 | 2013 |
| Featherstone Lions | 1 | 0 | 2014 |
| Hunslet Club Parkside | 1 | 0 | 2015 |
| Crosfield | 1 | 0 | 2016 |
| West Bowling | 1 | 0 | 2017 |
| Beverley | 1 | 0 | 2018 |
| Woolston Rovers | 1 | 0 | 2019 |