English National League

For the current league see English National Ice Hockey League

The English National League was an early ice hockey league in England. It operated from 1935 to 1954, with an intermission due to World War II between 1940 and 1946.

History

It was founded in 1935 by four of the teams who had previously competed in the English League. Streatham, Wembley Lions, Wembley Canadians, and the Richmond Hawks of the English League were joined by three new sides, the Earl's Court Rangers, Brighton Tigers, and Kensington Corinthians, to form the English National League.

The league's membership rose to 11 teams the following year, as it admitted the Harringay Greyhounds, Harringay Racers, Earl's Court Royals (who had previously been the Kensington Corinthians), Manchester Rapids, and the Southampton Vikings. Manchester and Southampton began the season in France as the Rapides de Paris and Français Volants, respectively, but relocated to England in November 1936.

The spike in teams was short-lived, as three of the previous season's new members (Earl's Court, Manchester, and Southampton), along with founding member Richmond Hawks, did not return for the 1937-38 season. The league's membership further decreased over the next two seasons, leaving only five teams remaining for the final pre-war season in 1939-40.

It was suspended during the Second World War, but returned in 1946. The first post-war season consisted of seven teams, buoyed by the return of the Brighton Tigers and the addition of the Nottingham Panthers. The 1946-47 season also saw the introduction of end-of-year playoffs. The Harringay Greyhounds won the playoff championship in the only year they were held.

Membership fluctuated between five and eight teams for the entirety of the post-war period. In 1954 the league merged with the Scottish National League to form the British National League.

Champions

Regular season winners

1936: Wembley Lions

1937: Wembley Lions

1938: Harringay Racers

1939: Harringay Greyhounds

1940: Harringay Greyhounds

1947: Brighton Tigers

1948: Brighton Tigers

1949: Harringay Racers

1950: Streatham

1951: Nottingham Panthers

1952: Wembley Lions

1953: Streatham

1954: Nottingham Panthers

Playoff winners

1947: Harringay Greyhounds

References

• A to Z encyclopaedia of ice hockey

See also

• British ice hockey league champions

English National League seasons
1935–36 - 1936–37 - 1937–38 - 1938–39 - 1939–40 - 1946–47 - 1947–48 - 1948–49 - 1949–50 - 1950–51 - 1951–52 - 1952–53 - 1953–54

European Hockey Overview

Top-Level Leagues

International Alps Hockey League - BeNe League - Erste Liga - International Hockey League - Kontinental Hockey League National Andorra - Armenia - Austria - Belarus - Belgium - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Croatia - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Georgia - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Romania - Serbia - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Turkey - Ukraine - United Kingdom

Second-Level Leagues

Belarus - Belgium - Bulgaria - Czech Republic - Denmark - England - Finland - France - Germany - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Russia - Slovakia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Turkey - Ukraine

Third-Level Leagues

Austria - Belgium - Czech Republic - Denmark - England - Finland - France - Germany - Hungary - Italy - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Russia - Scotland - Slovakia - Sweden - Switzerland

Fourth-Level and lower Leagues

Austria - Belgium (4, 5) - Czech Republic (4, 5) - Finland (4, 5, 6, 7) - France - Germany (4, 5) - Hungary - Italy - Netherlands (4, 5, 6, 7) - Norway (4, 5, 6, 7) - Poland - Russia (Night League, Amateur Leagues) - Sweden (4, 5, 6, 7, 8), Switzerland (4, 5, 6, 7)

Cup Competitions

Cups Belarus - Belgium - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Czech Republic - Denmark - East Germany - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Netherlands (Cup, Ron Berteling Schaal) - Norway - Poland - Romania - Scotland - Serbia - Slovakia - Slovenia - Soviet Union - Spain - Switzerland - Ukraine - Yugoslavia Supercups Belgium - Estonia - Hungary - Italy - Poland - Netherlands - Slovenia - Spain

Defunct Leagues

Soviet Union - Russia - Czechoslovakia - Yugoslavia - West Germany - East Germany - Ireland - Luxembourg - Macedonia - Malta - Portugal - Alpenliga - Interliga - Inter-National League - North Sea Cup - Panonian League - Eastern European - Balkan League (1994-1997) - Baltic League (2001) - Baltic Hockey League (2020) - Carpathian League - Slohokej Liga - Balkan Ice Hockey League - English League - English National League - Scottish National League - British Hockey League - Ice Hockey Superleague - German Championship - Swedish Championship - Klass I - Svenska Serien - Elitserien - Swedish Division I - SM-sarja - Swiss National Championship - Swiss International Championship

Women's Leagues

International leagues European Women's Hockey League - EWHL Super Cup National leagues Austria - Belarus - Belgium - Bulgaria - Croatia - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland (1, 2, 3, U20, U18, U16) - France - Germany (1, 2, 3, Cup) - Great Britain (England U16) - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Romania - Russia (U18) - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden (1, 2, 3, 4, U20) - Switzerland - Turkey - Ukraine Defunct leagues Czechoslovakia - Interliga - Low Countries Cup

Junior Leagues

Austria - Belarus - Belgium - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Croatia - Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia) - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany (East Germany) - Great Britain - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Romania - Russia (Soviet Union) - Serbia - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Turkey - Ukraine - Yugoslavia

University Leagues

European University Hockey League - Czech Republic - Great Britain - Netherlands - Russia (RSHL, MSHL, SHLC, SHLMO, SibSHL, SPSHL) - Sweden

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