The 2001–02 National Division Three North was the second season (fifteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division Two while promoted teams included Scunthorpe who were champions of Midlands Division 1 while Darlington Mowden Park (champions) and Blaydon (playoffs) came up from North Division 1.[1][2][3] The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the promotion system changing for this season with a playoff system being introduced. The champions of both National Division Three North and National Division Three South would automatically go up but the runners up of these two divisions would meet each other in a one off match (at the home ground of the side with the superior league record) to see who would claim the third and final promotion place to National Division Two for the following season.
After the havoc caused by the previous seasons foot-and-mouth crisis, this year's competition was much more straightforward with all fixtures being fulfilled. Doncaster were easily the top side in the competition, strolling to the league title with almost a perfect record (they lost just the one game) and gaining promotion to the 2002–03 National Division Two.[4] As league runners up, Dudley Kingswinford had a tough playoff game away against 2001–02 National Division Three South runners up Launceston who were ultimately too strong for the Midlands side who lost 26 - 0 and had to spend another season in National Division Three North.[5] Unlike 2000-01 the relegation process was much more straightforward expect that four teams would go down instead of the usual two. West Hartlepool were the first team to be relegated, suffering their fourth relegation in a row (the north-west club were actually a Premiership team at the start of this slide), followed swiftly by Sandal as easily the two worst sides in the league. Morley and Whitchurch were the other teams to be relegated, being much more competitive but not having quite enough to stay safe.[4] West Hartlepool, Sandal and Morley dropped to North Division 1 while Whitchurch went into Midlands Division 1.[6][7]
The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Launceston were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, Dudley Kingswinford, they hosted the play-off match.
^Note that due to extremely poor record by media and other sources 120 home attendances are missing (see below) so the total attendance will not be 100% accurate. The average attendance has also been taken into account with the missing games not included.
^Missing home attendances v Dudley Kingswinford on 1 September 2001, Doncaster on 20 October 2001, Nuneaton on 17 November 2001, Scunthorpe on 8 December 2001 and Liverpool St Helens on 30 March 2002.
^Missing home attendances v New Brighton on 6 October 2001, Whitchurch on 27 October 2001, West Hartlepool on 10 November 2001, Morley on 1 December 2001, Scunthorpe on 26 January 2002, Dudley Kingswinford on 9 February 2002, Darlington Mowden Park on 2 March 2002, Tynedale on 30 March 2002 and Sandal on 13 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Bedford Athletic on 27 October 2001, Dudley Kingswinford on 10 November 2001, Blaydon on 24 November 2001, Tynedale on 1 December 2001, Doncaster on 8 December 2001, Whitchurch on 12 January 2002, New Brighton on 26 January 2002, Liverpool St Helens on 9 February 2002, West Hartlepool on 16 February 2002, Nuneaton on 9 March 2002 and Scunthorpe on 6 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Nuneaton on 8 September 2001, Liverpool St Helens on 6 October 2001, New Brighton on 27 October 2001, Whitchurch on 10 November 2001, West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001, Sandal on 1 December 2001, Tynedale on 15 December 2001, Blaydon on 12 January 2002, Bedford Athletic on 9 February 2002, Morley on 9 March 2002 and Darlington Mowden Park on 13 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Blaydon on 20 October 2001 and Tynedale on 17 November 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Whitchurch on 1 September 2001, Darlington Mowden Park on 20 October 2001, Sandal on 3 November 2001, Morley on 17 November 2001, New Brighton on 8 December 2001, Nuneaton on 19 January 2002, Tynedale on 2 February 2002, Dudley Kingswinford on 6 April 2002 and Doncaster on 27 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Doncaster on 22 September 2001, Tynedale on 20 October 2001, Scunthorpe on 10 November 2001, Bedford Athletic on 24 November 2001, Dudley Kingswinford on 8 December 2001, Liverpool St Helens on 12 January 2002, Sandal on 2 February 2002, New Brighton on 16 February 2002, Darlington Mowden Park on 23 February 2002, Nuneaton on 2 March 2002, West Hartlepool on 16 March 2002 and Whitchurch on 6 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Whitchurch on 22 September 2001, West Hartlepool on 20 October 2001, Sandal on 17 November 2001, Scunthorpe on 1 December 2001, Bedford Athletic on 15 December 2001, Darlington Mowden Park on 29 December 2001, Tynedale on 19 January 2002, Doncaster on 2 February 2002, Blaydon on 23 February 2002, Nuneaton on 23 March 2002, Morley on 30 March 2002 and Liverpool St Helens on 13 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v West Hartlepool on 1 September 2001, Darlington Mowden Park on 22 September 2001, Sandal on 20 October 2001, Scunthorpe on 27 October 2001, Liverpool St Helens on 10 November 2001, Whitchurch on 8 December 2001, Bedford Athletic on 12 January 2002, Dudley Kingswinford on 16 February 2002, Doncaster on 16 March 2002, Blaydon on 6 April 2002 and Morley on 20 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Doncaster on 1 September 2001, Tynedale on 22 September 2001, Bedford Athletic on 10 November 2001, Darlington Mowden Park on 16 March 2002 and West Hartlepool on 6 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v New Brighton on 1 September 2001, West Hartlepool on 17 November 2001, Sandal on 23 February 2002, Liverpool St Helens on 23 March 2002 and Doncaster on 30 March 2002.
^Missing home attendances v New Brighton on 1 September 2001, Scunthorpe on 8 September 2001, Liverpool St Helens on 27 October 2001, New Brighton on 10 November 2001, Whitchurch on 24 November 2001, West Hartlepool on 8 December 2001, Morley on 9 February 2002 and Sandal on 9 March 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Morley on 8 September 2001, Bedford Athletic on 6 October 2001, Dudley Kingswinford on 27 October 2001, Nuneaton on 1 December 2001, Sandal on 15 December 2001, Scunthorpe on 12 January 2002, Whitchurch on 26 January 2002, New Brighton on 9 February 2002, Liverpool St Helens on 2 March 2002, Doncaster on 23 March 2002, Darlington Mowden Park on 30 March 2002 and Tynedale on 13 April 2002.
^Missing home attendances v Darlington Mowden Park on 17 November 2001, Liverpool St Helens on 1 December 2001, Doncaster on 19 January 2002, Blaydon on 2 February 2002, Scunthorpe on 9 February 2002, Tynedale on 2 March 2002, New Brighton on 9 March 2002 and Nuneaton on 13 April 2002.
^Note that as this figure is from 2 home games only (due to poor attendance tracking) it is highly unlikely that Doncaster's final attendance average was this high.
England
