When this division was introduced in 1996 it contained the following teams: • Blyth - relegated from
North East 2 (8th) •
Bramley - relegated from
North East 2 (13th) •
Darlington - promoted from
Durham/Northumberland 1 (champions) •
Hull - relegated from
North East 2 (9th) •
Pocklington - promoted from
Yorkshire 1 (champions) • Ripon - relegated from
North East 2 (12th) •
Sunderland - promoted from
Durham/Northumberland 1 (runners up) •
Thornensians - relegated from
North East 2 (11th) •
Whitley Bay Rockcliff - relegated from
North East 2 (10th) •
Whitby - relegated from
North East 2 (7th) ==North East 3 honours==