Midlands 5 East (North)


Counties 4 Midlands East / are level 10 English Rugby Union leagues and level 5 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season.
Formed in 2006, the league was originally split into 2 regional divisions – Midlands 6 East and Midlands 6 East - but, by the 2009-10 season, the league merged into a single division. Promoted teams typically moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and there is no relegation due to it being one of the basement divisions for Midlands rugby. At the end of the 2017-18 season the division was abolished with the majority of teams moving up into Midlands 4 East (North). The league was reinstated in two divisions - West and East - ahead of the 2025-26 season.

2025-26

After a seven year hiatus the league was reinstated in two divisions.

North West

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amber ValleyLower SomercotesAlfreton, DerbyshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West)
Chesterfield PanthersDunston Road2,000Chesterfield, DerbyshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West)
East RetfordOrdsall RoadRetford, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East)
Ilkeston IIThe StuteIlkeston, DerbyshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central)
Mansfield IIEakring Road1,000Mansfield, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West)
Matlock IICromford MeadowsCromford, Matlock, DerbyshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West)
Meden ValeElkesley RoadMeden Vale, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East)
WorksopStubbing LaneWorksop, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East)

North East

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
East LeakeCostock Road Playing FieldsEast Leake, NottinghamshireNew entry
HorncastleThe WongHorncastle, LincolnshireRe-entry
Kesteven IIWoodnookGrantham, LincolnshireNew entry
Lincoln IILongdales ParkLincoln, LincolnshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East)
Mellish IIWar Memorial GroundArnold, Nottingham, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central)
Nottingham Casuals IIWeir Field Recreation GroundBeeston, Nottingham, NottinghamshireNew entry
Nottingham Moderns IIFerryfieldsWilford, Nottingham, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central)
Paviors IIThe Ron Rossin GroundNottingham, NottinghamshireRelegated from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West)

2018-25

Not contested

2017–18

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amber ValleyLower SomercotesAlfreton, DerbyshireRelegated from Midlands 4 East (North)
BinghamThe PavilionBingham, Nottinghamshire7th
CleethorpesKGV Playing FieldsCleethorpes, Lincolnshire3rd
GainsboroughRoses Sports FieldsGainsborough, Lincolnshire5th
KeyworthWilloughby RoadWidmerpool, Nottinghamshire2nd
Mansfield WoodhouseSlate LaneMansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire8th
Meden ValeElkesley RoadMeden Vale, NottinghamshireRelegated from Midlands 4 East (North)
North HykehamOne NKNorth Hykeham, Lincolnshire4th
NottinghamiansAdbolton LaneHolme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire6th

Teams 2016-17

Teams 2015-16

  • Barton & District
  • Bingham '
  • Creswell Crusaders
  • Gainsborough
  • Keyworth '
  • Meden Vale
  • Nottinghamians
  • Ollerton
  • Skegness
  • Woodhouse Giants

Teams 2014-15

Teams 2013-14

  • Birstall
  • Creswell Crusaders
  • Gainsborough
  • Horncastle
  • Meden Vale
  • North Hykeham
  • Nottingham Corsairs
  • Ollerton
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Sileby Town
  • Woodhouse Giants

Teams 2012–13

  • Bingham
  • Castle Donington
  • Creswell Crusaders
  • East Leake
  • Leesbrook
  • Meden Vale
  • North Hykehan
  • Ollerton
  • Rolls-Royce

Teams 2008–09

Teams 2007–08

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 2006 it was split into two separate divisions - Midlands 6 East and Midlands 6 East - containing the following teams:
Midlands 6 East
  • Barton & District – N/A
  • Bourne - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Cleethorpes - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Gainsborough - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Horncastle – N/A
  • North Hykeham – N/A
  • Nottingham Corsairs - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Ollerton - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Skegness - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
Midlands 6 East
  • All Spartans Old Boys
  • Belper - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Buxton – relegated from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Chesterfield Panthers (2nd XV) – N/A
  • Leesbrook - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Meden Vale - transferred from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire
  • Melbourne - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Rolls-Royce - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Tupton - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire
  • Uttoxeter - transferred from Derbyshire/North Leicestershire

Midlands 5 East (North) honours

Midlands 6 East (North-East) / (North-West) / South (2006–2009)

The league was originally divided into two sub-divisions known as Midlands 6 East and Midlands 6 East. These divisions were introduced along with their counterpart Midlands 6 East (South) at tier 10 to replace the discontinued East Midlands/South Leicestershire 2, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire leagues. Promotion was to Midlands 5 East (North) and there was no relegation.

Midlands 5 East (North) (2009–present)

Midlands 6 East were remerged into a single division ahead of the 2009–10 season known as Midlands 5 East, which remained a tier 10 league along with its counterpart Midlands 5 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 4 East (North) and there was no relegation. The league was discontinued at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Promotion play-offs

Between 2008 and 2009 there was a promotion playoff between the runners-up of Midlands 5 East and Midlands 5 East for the third and final promotion place to Midlands 4 West (North), with the team with the superior league record having home advantage in the tie. The playoffs were dissolved at the end of the 2008-09 season when Midlands 5 East became one division. By the end of the promotion play-offs the Midlands 5 East teams won all both playoff games and the home team has also won promotion both times.

Number of league titles