English Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The English Hockey League is a national hockey
league run by England Hockey
. It is currently sponsored by Slazenger
and known as the Slazenger England Hockey League or EHL. It is widely recognised as the most significant English
hockey
league system.
The Slazenger EHL league structure was altered for the 2008/2009 season, with the aim of promoting appropriate competition for the teams involved whilst reducing the overheads incurred by teams having to travel long distances. There is now only one national league, the Premier league, which is fed by three "Conference" leagues, split into North, West and East regions.
Previously there was a national Premier and national Division One league, which had players fed into it by a North league and South league.
The above league structure is identical for men and women's hockey.
The EHL takes new teams into the National North/West/East leagues from separately run regional hockey associations, such as the North Hockey Association
. These associations run a multiple-division league structure of their own, and are in turn fed by teams from county or sub-regional hockey associations or leagues. For example, the Yorkshire Hockey Association
runs 11 divisions, and those promoted out of the top Division will be received into the lower divisions of the North Hockey Association
. Those promoted from the North Hockey Association
's top league will be entered into the National North league of the EHL, from which they can be promoted into the EHL Premier league.
The reigning champions of the English Hockey Premier League are Beeston Hockey Club
who beat former champions East Grinstead Hockey Club
in the championship play off final 2-1.
east grin .16. 12 . 3 . 1 .43 . 39.
beeston .16. 11 . 1 . 4 .17 . 34.
surbiton .16 9 . 1 . 6 . 1 . 28.
reading .16 7 . 3 . 6 . 7 . 24.
lbrough std.16 7 . 2 . 7 .-1 . 23.
westminster .16 6 . 3 . 7 .-4 . 21.
bowdon .16 5 . 5 . 6 .-7 . 20.
cannock .16 4 . 5 . 7 .-11. 16.
brooklands M.U .16 3 . 3 .10 .-20. 12.
canterbury .16 1 . 4 .11 .-25. 7.
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
league run by England Hockey
England Hockey
England Hockey is the national governing body for the sport of hockey in England. There are separate governing bodies for the sport in the other parts of the United Kingdom. It was formed on 1 January 2003 to replace the English Hockey Association which had had to suspend operations 2002 because...
. It is currently sponsored by Slazenger
Slazenger
Slazenger is a British sports equipment brand name sold throughout the world, involving a variety of sporting categories namely cricket, tennis and hockey...
and known as the Slazenger England Hockey League or EHL. It is widely recognised as the most significant English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
league system.
Divisions
Previously there was a national Premier and national Division One league, which had players fed into it by a North league and South league.
The above league structure is identical for men and women's hockey.
The EHL takes new teams into the National North/West/East leagues from separately run regional hockey associations, such as the North Hockey Association
North Hockey Association
The North Hockey Association is a hockey league based in the North of England. It feeds teams into the Slazenger England Hockey League and takes teams from sub-regional leagues, such as the Yorkshire Hockey Association.- League Structure :...
. These associations run a multiple-division league structure of their own, and are in turn fed by teams from county or sub-regional hockey associations or leagues. For example, the Yorkshire Hockey Association
Yorkshire Hockey Association
The Yorkshire Hockey Association is a hockey league based in Yorkshire, England. It has numerous men's and women's divisions, as well as junior leagues, for a wide range of abilities. It is the home league for most hockey clubs in Yorkshire playing at an amateur level....
runs 11 divisions, and those promoted out of the top Division will be received into the lower divisions of the North Hockey Association
North Hockey Association
The North Hockey Association is a hockey league based in the North of England. It feeds teams into the Slazenger England Hockey League and takes teams from sub-regional leagues, such as the Yorkshire Hockey Association.- League Structure :...
. Those promoted from the North Hockey Association
North Hockey Association
The North Hockey Association is a hockey league based in the North of England. It feeds teams into the Slazenger England Hockey League and takes teams from sub-regional leagues, such as the Yorkshire Hockey Association.- League Structure :...
's top league will be entered into the National North league of the EHL, from which they can be promoted into the EHL Premier league.
The reigning champions of the English Hockey Premier League are Beeston Hockey Club
Beeston Hockey Club
Beeston Hockey Club was founded in 1907. Beeston play their home games at the superb facilities at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham, England. Beeston play in the English Hockey League premier division recently finishing 2nd in the 2009/10 season, losing to East Grinstead Hockey Club in the...
who beat former champions East Grinstead Hockey Club
East Grinstead Hockey Club
East Grinstead Hockey Club is a field hockey club, founded in 1897. It is based in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England. The men's 1st XI play in the English Hockey League Premier Division, while the women's 1st XI play in the South Club's Women Hockey Division 3B...
in the championship play off final 2-1.
Teams for 2010/2011 season
The following tables list the teams playing in the Slazenger EHL and which league they are taken from.| Premier | Conference East | Conference North | Conference West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beeston HC Beeston Hockey Club Beeston Hockey Club was founded in 1907. Beeston play their home games at the superb facilities at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham, England. Beeston play in the English Hockey League premier division recently finishing 2nd in the 2009/10 season, losing to East Grinstead Hockey Club in the... |
Holcombe HC | Sheffield Hallam HC | Cardiff & UWIC HC |
| Bowdon HC | Canterbury HC | University of Durham HC | Team Bath Buccaneers HC |
| Cannock Cannock Hockey Club Cannock Hockey Club are an English field hockey team. They were established in 1905, and are based in the village of Hatherton, near Cannock, Staffordshire. Both the men's and women's first teams play in the England Hockey League Premier Division, the top division of hockey in England... |
Harleston Magpies HC | Olton & West Warwicks HC | Whitchurch HC |
| East Grinstead East Grinstead Hockey Club East Grinstead Hockey Club is a field hockey club, founded in 1897. It is based in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England. The men's 1st XI play in the English Hockey League Premier Division, while the women's 1st XI play in the South Club's Women Hockey Division 3B... |
Wimbledon HC | Leek HC | Guildford HC |
| Hampstead & W HC | Bromley & Beckenham HC | Belper HC | Cheltenham HC |
| University of Exeter | Indian Gym HC | Brookland MU HC | Havant HC |
| Loughborough Students HC | Teddington HC | Barford Tigers HC | University of Birmingham HC |
| Reading Reading Hockey Club Reading Hockey Club is a field hockey club based at Sonning Lane in the English town of Reading.It is presently one of the most successful clubs in the United Kingdom with National League and Cup honours.... |
Old Loughtonians HC | Deeside Ramblers HC | Bournville HC |
| Southgate HC Southgate Hockey Club Southgate Hockey Club is a field hockey club in North London. It is based at Southgate Hockey Centre in Trent Park, near Oakwood. The club has 14 adult teams , and a large junior section with teams playing at all age groups.-History:... |
City of Peterborough HC | Doncaster HC | Fareham HC |
| Surbiton HC | Oxted HC Oxted hockey club Oxted Hockey Club is based in Oxted, Surrey, England. Formed of 4 men's hockey teams, 1 development side, 2 ladies teams with 2 vets sides, we provide training of high standard for adults of all ability that are willing to play, and also training for a number of junior sides, ranging from a few... |
Preston HC | Lichfield HC |
| Premier | Conference East | Conference North | Conference West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leicester HC | Chelmsford HC Chelmsford Hockey Club Chelmsford Hockey Club is a hockey club from Chelmsford, Essex, England who play in the English Hockey League. The club's home is Chelmer Park.-History:... |
Wakefield Bradford HC | Buckingham HC |
| Canterbury HC | Surbiton HC | Sutton Coldfield HC | Exe HC |
| University of Birmingham HC | Sevenoaks HC | Sunderland HC | Isca HC |
| Clifton HC | Horsham HC | Loughborough Students HC | Trojans HC |
| Bowdon Hightown HC | Ipswich HC | University of Durham HC | Firebrands HC |
| Reading HC Reading Hockey Club Reading Hockey Club is a field hockey club based at Sonning Lane in the English town of Reading.It is presently one of the most successful clubs in the United Kingdom with National League and Cup honours.... |
Cambridge City HC | Doncaster HC | Swansea HC |
| Olton & WW HC | Old Loughtonians HC | Aldridge & Walsall HC | Staines HC |
| Brookland Poynton HC | St Albans HC | Belper HC | Team Bath Buccaneers HC |
| Slough HC | Harleston Magpies HC | Beeston HC Beeston Hockey Club Beeston Hockey Club was founded in 1907. Beeston play their home games at the superb facilities at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham, England. Beeston play in the English Hockey League premier division recently finishing 2nd in the 2009/10 season, losing to East Grinstead Hockey Club in the... |
Barnes Hounslow HC |
| Cannock HC Cannock Hockey Club Cannock Hockey Club are an English field hockey team. They were established in 1905, and are based in the village of Hatherton, near Cannock, Staffordshire. Both the men's and women's first teams play in the England Hockey League Premier Division, the top division of hockey in England... |
Dereham HC | Springfields UCLAN HC | Worcester HC |
current premier table
name.pld.won.drw.lst.gd .ptseast grin .16. 12 . 3 . 1 .43 . 39.
beeston .16. 11 . 1 . 4 .17 . 34.
surbiton .16 9 . 1 . 6 . 1 . 28.
reading .16 7 . 3 . 6 . 7 . 24.
lbrough std.16 7 . 2 . 7 .-1 . 23.
westminster .16 6 . 3 . 7 .-4 . 21.
bowdon .16 5 . 5 . 6 .-7 . 20.
cannock .16 4 . 5 . 7 .-11. 16.
brooklands M.U .16 3 . 3 .10 .-20. 12.
canterbury .16 1 . 4 .11 .-25. 7.