2001–02 National Division Three North
The 2001–02 National Division Three North was the second season of the fourth division 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 and Blaydon came up from North Division 1. 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 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 and gaining promotion to the 2002–03 National Division Two. 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. 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, 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. West Hartlepool, Sandal and Morley dropped to North Division 1 while Whitchurch went into Midlands Division 1.
Participating teams and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Bedford Athletic | Putnoe Woods | 500 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Blaydon | Crow Trees | 2,000 | Swalwell, Tyne and Wear |
| Darlington Mowden Park | Yiewsley Drive | Darlington, County Durham | |
| Doncaster | Castle Park | 3,075 | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
| Dudley Kingswinford | Heathbrook | Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands | |
| Liverpool St Helens | Moss Lane | St Helens, Merseyside | |
| Morley | Scatcherd Lane | Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire | |
| New Brighton | Hartsfield | 2,000 | Wirral, Merseyside |
| Nuneaton | Liberty Way | 4,314 | Nuneaton, Warwickshire |
| Sandal | Milnthorpe Green | Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire | |
| Scunthorpe | Heslam Park | Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire | |
| Tynedale | Tynedale Park | 2,000 | Corbridge, Northumberland |
| West Hartlepool | Brinkburn | 1,000 | Hartlepool, County Durham |
| Whitchurch | Edgeley Park | Whitchurch, Shropshire |
Final league table
Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.
Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.
Rounds 7 & 14 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 3 November 2001.
- Game initially rescheduled from 29 December 2001 but postponed again until 16 February 2002.
- Game initially rescheduled from 3 November 2001 but postponed again until 2 March 2002.
- Game initially rescheduled from 29 December 2001 but postponed again until 16 February 2002.
Round 15
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
Round 16
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
Round 17
----Round 18
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 2002.
Round 19
----Round 20
----Rounds 7 & 14 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.
- Game rescheduled firstly from 22 December 2001 and then from 29 December 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.
- Game initially rescheduled from 3 November 2001 & then 29 December 2001.
Round 21
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 April 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 April 2002.
Rounds 14, 15 & 22 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 29 December 2002.
- Game brought forward from 9 March 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
Round 22
- Game brought forward to 2 March 2002.
Round 23
----Rounds 15 & 16 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 12 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
Round 24
----Round 25
----Round 26
----Round 18 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.
Round 21 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 23 February 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 23 February 2002.
Promotion play-off
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.Total season attendances
Individual statistics
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 83 pts86 - 3 Doncaster at home to Darlington Mowden Park on 13 April 2002
;Largest away win — 61 pts
71 - 0 Dudley Kingswinford away to Sandal on 24 November 2001
;Most points scored — 95 pts
95 - 13 Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001
;Most tries in a match — 15
Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001
;Most conversions in a match — 10
Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Blaydon at home to New Brighton on 6 October 2001
Scunthorpe at home to Blaydon on 3 November 2001
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A
Player
;Most points in a match — 35Matt Donkin for Doncaster at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001
;Most tries in a match — 7
Matt Donkin for Doncaster at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001
;Most conversions in a match — 10
John Liley for Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001
;Most penalties in a match — 6
James Lofthouse for Blaydon at home to New Brighton on 6 October 2001
Tim Robinson for Scunthorpe at home to Blaydon on 3 November 2001
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A
Attendances
;Highest — 2,000Doncaster at home to Dudley Kingswinford on 26 January 2002
;Lowest — 100
Sandal at home to Dudley Kingswinford on 24 November 2001 and Whitchurch on 16 February 2002
;Highest Average Attendance — 1,500
Doncaster
;Lowest Average Attendance — 150
Nuneaton