British National League (1996–2005)
The British National League (BNL) is a defunct second-level professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Although no formal promotion and relegation existed during its period of existence, it was considered to have a standard below that of the Ice Hockey Superleague (later replaced by the Elite Ice Hockey League) and above that of the English National Ice Hockey League and the Scottish National League.
The league was founded in 1996 to replace the first division of the British Hockey League and for its first season only was split into the Northern Premier League and the Premier League. From 2000 until 2003, it was sponsored by Findus. It was disbanded at the end of the 2004/05 season, when the Edinburgh Capitals and Newcastle Vipers both left the league to join the rival Elite League.
Teams
- Basingstoke Bison (98 - 03)
- Blackburn Hawks (96 - 97)
- Bracknell Bees (03 - 05)
- Cardiff Devils (01 - 03)
- Castlereagh Knights (96 - 97)
- Coventry Blaze (formerly Solihull Blaze 96 - 98) (99 - 03)
- Dumfries Vikings (96 - 97)
- Dundee Texol Stars (01 - 05)
- Edinburgh Capitals (formerly Murrayfield Royals) (96 - 05)
- Fife Flyers (96 - 05)
- Guildford Flames (96 - 05)
- Hull Stingrays (formerly Hull Thunder) (99 - 05)
- Kingston Hawks (96 - 98)
- Lancashire Hawks (97 - 98)
- Medway Bears (96 - 97)
- Milton Keynes Kings (later Solihull/Milton Keynes) (99 - 03)
- Newcastle Vipers (02 - 05)
- Paisley Pirates (96 - 02)
- Peterborough Pirates (96 - 02)
- Slough Jets (96 - 02)
- Swindon IceLords (96 - 97)
- Telford Tigers (98 - 99)
- Whitley Bay Warriors (96 - 97)
Regular season champions
- 96/97 North - Fife Flyers
- 96/97 South - Swindon IceLords
- 97/98 Guildford Flames
- 98/99 Slough Jets
- 99/00 Fife Flyers
- 00/01 Guildford Flames
- 01/02 Dundee Stars
- 02/03 Coventry Blaze
- 03/04 Fife Flyers
- 04/05 Bracknell Bees
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| British National League seasons |
|---|
| 1996–97 - 1997–98 - 1998–99 - 1999–00 - 2000–01 - 2001–02 - 2002–03 - 2003–04 - 2004–05 |