English League
The English League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1931 and operated until 1936 when it disbanded, being replaced by the English National League.
A new league of the same name was founded during 1988 and continued on until 1999.
History
It was founded by seven teams in 1931. The English League was the first ice hockey league to operate in England since the British League in 1929-30. A six team English League Division 2 was also set up.
The league remained split into Division 1 and Division 2 until 1934-35, when the second division did not operate. Most of its top teams left to form the English National League after the season, leaving the English League greatly depleted.
For its swan song in 1935-36, the league was divided into two four team divisions, the Northern and Southern groups. The Birmingham Maple Leafs won the Northern Group. The Southern Group folded in December, with the Streatham Royals being named champions. The two teams then met in a final game, won by Birmingham.
The second incarnation of the English League was formed in 1987-88, once again as an all-English competition that was effectively the fourth-level of British hockey. It lay below the three tiers of the British Hockey League initially. For 1988-89, it became the third tier competition with the demise of the BHL Division Two. A Division 2 league was also introduced, with a Division 3 competition being ushered in the following year.
The English Conference was formed in lieu of Divisions 2 and 3 for the 1991-92 season. The league remained in operation until disbanding after the 1993-94 season. After the dissolution of the Conference and the U21 A League, the English League expanded from seven to 23 teams, admitting many outfits from the two scrapped leagues.
Champions
Original
Division 1
- 1931-32: Oxford University
- 1932-33: Oxford University
- 1933-34: Grosvenor House Canadians
- 1934-35: Streatham
- 1935-36: Birmingham Maple Leafs
Division 2
- 1931-32: Grosvenor House A
- 1932-33: Warwickshire
- 1933-34: Bournemouth
- Participating teams
- Bournemouth (1933-1934)
- Grosvernor House A (1931-1934)
- London Lions A (1932-1933)
- Purely Imperials (1933-1934)
- Princes II (1931-1932)
- P's and Q's A (1932-1933)
- Oxfordshire (1931-1933)
- Queens A (1933-1934)
- Sussex (1931-1932)
- Southampton (1931-1933)
- Streatham (1932-1933)
- Streatham A (1933-1934)
- Warwickshire (1932-1933)
- Westover Ice Club (1931-1933)
New
- 1987-88: Durham Hornets (playoffs), Ashfield Islanders (South)
- 1988-89:
- Division 1: Humberside Seahawks
- Division 2: Medway Marauders (South East), Swindon Cougars (South West), Nottingham Trojans (North and playoffs)
- 1989-90:
- Division 1: Bracknell Bees
- Division 2: Billingham Buccaneers (North and playoffs), Medway Marauders (South), Peterborough Titans (Midlands)
- Division 3: Birmingham Eagles (playoffs), Bradford Oilers (North), Lee Valley Whalers (South)
- 1990-91:
- Division 1: Oxford City Stars
- Division 2: Whitley Braves (playoffs), Southampton Knights (South A), Grimsby Buffaloes (North B)
- Division 3: Birmingham Eagles (Central and playoffs), Grimsby Redwings (North), Oxford City Planets (South)
- 1991-92: Medway Bears
- 1992-93: Solihull Barons
- 1993-94: Wightlink Raiders
- 1994-95: Wightlink Raiders
- 1995-96: Wightlink Raiders
References
- Homes of British Ice Hockey, Martin C. Harris (2005).
- A to Z encyclopaedia of ice hockey
See also
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