THE Midlands Leagues structure has been finalised for the 2019-20 season.
Birmingham and Solihull, who were relegated from National Two South at the end of last season, were due to rejoin the Midlands Leagues but have decided to withdraw from all leagues and revert to an amateur club.
Their decision to join the Greater Birmingham Merit Table has removed the need for a Midlands club to be level-transferred from Midlands Premier, which will include promoted Bromsgrove, to South West Premier.
At the other end of the pyramid, organisers have combined Midlands Five West (North) and (South) into one division, which includes Stourport and Chaddesley Corbett, to provide clubs with more league rugby against different opposition.
A place has been left in the expanded league for Five Ways OEs who are considering rejoining the leagues after several seasons of playing Merit Table and friendly matches.
Herefordshire club Luctonians, who played in the Midlands Premier last season, will return to the big time in National Two North having beaten North Premier runners-up Blaydon in their promotion play-off.
Promoted Kidderminster Carolians will join Droitwich, Hereford and Worcester in Midlands One West.
Malvern drop back down to join Evesham in Midlands Two West (South).
Upton go down and Tenbury rise up to take their places in Midlands Four West (South).
LEAGUES
Midlands Premier: Bournville, Bridgnorth, Bromsgrove, Burton, Doncaster Phoenix, Kettering, Newport, Nuneaton, Paviors, Peterborough Lions, Sandbach, Sheffield, South Leicester.
Midlands One West: Droitwich, Dudley Kingswinford, Hereford, Kenilworth, Kidderminster Carolians, Lichfield, Ludlow, Newbold-on-Avon, Old Halesonians, Stoke, Stourbridge Lions, Whitchurch, Worcester.
Midlands Two West (North): Burntwood, Camp Hill, Crewe & Nantwich, Leek, Longton, Moseley Oak, Newcastle, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Tamworth, Walsall, Wolverhampton.
Midlands Two West (South): Barkers’ Butts, Earlsdon, Evesham, Leamington, Malvern, Nuneaton OE, Old Laurentians, Pinley, Silhillians, Southam, Spartans, Stratford.
Midlands Three West (North): Cleobury Mortimer, Eccleshall, Edwardians, Handsworth, Harborne, Linley & Kidsgrove, Old Saltleians, Telford Hornets, Uttoxeter, Veseyans, Wednesbury, Willenhall.
Midlands Three West (South): Alcester, Bedworth, Berkswell & Balsall, Burbage, Coventry Welsh, Ledbury, Manor Park, Old Coventrians, Old Leamingtonians, Rugby St Andrews, Stoke OB, Woodrush.
Midlands Four West (North): Aldridge, Aston OE, Barton-under-Needwood, Birmingham Exiles, Cannock, Clee Hill, Essington, Market Drayton, Rugeley, Trentham, Warley, Yardley & District.
Midlands Four West (South): Birmingham CS, Bromyard, Claverdon, Coventrians, Dunlop, Harbury, Kings Norton, Old Wheatleyans, Old Yardleians, Pershore, Tenbury, Upton.
Midlands Five West: Atherstone, Bishops Castle, Bloxwich, Chaddesley Corbett, Dixonians, Five Ways OE, Greyhound, Keresley, Redditch, Rugby Welsh, Stourport, Trinity Guild.
Clubs playing league rugby outside Midlands: Bredon Star, Ross-on-Wye.
Non-league clubs: Birmingham Barbarians, Birmingham & Solihull, Church Stretton, Dudley Wasps.
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