List of British ice hockey league champions
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This is a list of the champions of British ice hockey's highest league (or leagues) since the inaugruation of the English League in 1931. British ice hockey has undergone numerous changes in structure and format including periods of regional and national leagues and periods of professional and ametuer leagues. A nationally organised structure has existed continuously since 1982 though three different leagues have served as the country's top flight division. The current Elite Ice Hockey League was established in 2003, replacing the Ice Hockey Superleague.
The current champions are the Belfast Giants.
[edit] 1931-35: English League Champions
The English League was founded in 1931 and existed for five seasons.
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1931-32 | University of Oxford |
| 1932-33 | University of Oxford |
| 1933-34 | Grosvenor House Canadians |
| 1934-35 | Streatham |
| 1935-36 | Birmingham Maple Leafs |
[edit] 1932-54: Scottish National League & English National League Champions
The Scottish National League was established in 1932 and was followed three years later by the English National League which became the sole English league in 1936. Both leagues were suspended between 1940 and 1946 due to World War II.
| Season | Scottish Champion | English Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1932-33 | Bridge of Weir | - |
| 1933-34 | Kelvingrove | - |
| 1934-35 | Bridge of Weir | - |
| 1935-36 | Glasgow Mohawks | Wembley Lions |
| 1936-37 | Glasgow Mohawks | Wembley Lions |
| 1937-38 | Perth Panthers | Harringay Racers |
| 1939-39 | Dundee Tigers | Harringay Greyhounds |
| 1939-40 | Dundee Tigers | Harringay Greyhounds |
| 1946-47 | Perth Panthers | Brighton Tigers |
| 1947-48 | - | Brighton Tigers |
| 1948-49 | Fife Flyers | Harringay Racers |
| 1949-50 | Fife Flyers | Streatham |
| 1950-51 | Paisley Pirates | Nottingham Panthers |
| 1951-52 | Ayr Raiders | Wembley Lions |
| 1952-53 | Ayr Raiders | Streatham |
| 1953-54 | Paisley Pirates | Nottingham Panthers |
[edit] 1954-60: British National League Champions
In 1954, the decision was taken to merge the two leagues into one competition. Twelve teams took part in the British National League's first season but all but one of the Scottish clubs withdrew after only one season leaving only five remaining teams.
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1954-55 | Harringay Racers |
| 1955-56 | Nottingham Panthers |
| 1956-57 | Wembley Lions |
| 1957-58 | Brighton Tigers |
| 1958-59 | Paisley Pirates |
| 1959-60 | Streatham |
[edit] 1966-83: Regional Champions
After only six seasons the British National League collapsed leaving the United Kingdom without an ice hockey league competition for the next six years. The Northern League was established by a number of Scottish and North East England teams in 1966 and it's formation led to the creation of the Southern League four years later.
| Season | Northern League Champion | Southern League Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1966-67 | Paisley Mohawks | - |
| 1967-68 | Paisley Mohawks | - |
| 1968-69 | Paisley Mohawks | - |
| 1969-70 | Murrayfield Racers | - |
| 1970-71 | Murrayfield Racers | Sussex Senators |
| 1971-72 | Murrayfield Racers | Sussex Senators |
| 1972-73 | Dundee Rockets | Altrincham Aces |
| 1973-74 | Whitley Warriors | Streatham |
| 1974-75 | Whitley Warriors | Streatham |
| 1975-76 | Murrayfield Racers | Streatham |
| 1976-77 | Fife Flyers | Streatham Redskins |
| 1977-78 | Fife Flyers | Solihull Barons |
In 1978 the Southern League split into the English League North and the English League South.
| Season | Northern League Champion | English League North Champion | English League South Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-79 | Murrayfield Racers | Sheffield Lancers | Streatham Redskins |
| 1979-80 | Murrayfield Racers | Liverpool Leopards | London Phoenix Flyers |
| 1980-81 | Murrayfield Racers | Blackpool Seagulls | Streatham Redskins |
| 1981-82 | Dundee Rockets | Blackpool Seagulls | Streatham Redskins |
In 1982 the British Hockey League was formed by fifteen teams who divided themselves into three sections for the new league's first season.
| Season | Section A Champion | Section B Champion | Section C Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-83 | Dundee Rockets | Durham Wasps | Altrincham Aces |
[edit] 1983-96: Premier Division Champions
In 1983 nine clubs became part of the British Hockey League's Premier Division, the first truly national league competition in the United Kingdom for twenty-three years. The Premier Division served as the top flight of British ice hockey for thirteen seasons.
| Season | Clubs | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1983-84 | 9 | Dundee Rockets |
| 1984-85 | 10 | Durham Wasps |
| 1985-86 | 10 | Durham Wasps |
| 1986-87 | 10 | Murrayfield Racers |
| 1987-88 | 10 | Murrayfield Racers |
| 1988-89 | 10 | Durham Wasps |
| 1989-90 | 9 | Cardiff Devils |
| 1990-91 | 10 | Durham Wasps |
| 1991-92 | 10 | Durham Wasps |
| 1992-93 | 10 | Cardiff Devils |
| 1993-94 | 12 | Cardiff Devils |
| 1994-95 | 12 | Sheffield Steelers |
| 1995-96 | 10 | Sheffield Steelers |
[edit] 1996-03: Superleague Champions
In 1996, eight clubs resigned from the British Hockey League to form the Ice Hockey Superleague. The new league removed limitations on the number of none British players and relaxed wage cap rules. The Superleague operated for seven seasons before it's collapse in 2003.
| Season | Clubs | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 8 | Cardiff Devils |
| 1997-98 | 8 | Ayr Scottish Eagles |
| 1998-99 | 8 | Manchester Storm |
| 1999-00 | 8 | Bracknell Bees |
| 2000-01 | 9 | Sheffield Steelers |
| 2001-02 | 7 | Belfast Giants |
| 2002-03 | 5 | Sheffield Steelers |
[edit] 2003-Present: Elite League Champions
The Superleague collapsed in 2003 following chronic financial problems which had plagued it for much of it's existence. Three of the five teams that ended the 2002-03 season formed the Elite Ice Hockey League and were joined by three British National League clubs and two new organisations.
| Season | Clubs | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 8 | Sheffield Steelers |
| 2004-05 | 7 | Coventry Blaze |
| 2005-06 | 8 | Belfast Giants |
[edit] Clubs by number of League Championships
| Club | Number of Titles | Last Title |
|---|---|---|
| Streatham/Streatham Redskins | 11 | 1981-82 |
| Murrayfield Racers | 8 | 1987-88 |
| Durham Wasps | 6 | 1991-92 |
| Sheffield Steelers | 5 | 2003-04 |
| Cardiff Devils | 4 | 1996-97 |
| Dundee Rockets | 4 | 1983-84 |
| Fife Flyers | 4 | 1977-78 |
| Paisley Mohawks | 3 | 1968-69 |
| Paisley Pirates | 3 | 1958-59 |
| Brighton Tigers | 3 | 1957-58 |
| Nottingham Panthers | 3 | 1955-56 |
| Harringay Racers | 3 | 1954-55 |
| Belfast Giants | 2 | 2005-06 |
| Blackpool Seagulls | 2 | 1981-82 |
| Altrincham Aces | 2 | 1982-83 |
| Whitley Warriors | 2 | 1974-75 |
| Sussex Senators | 2 | 1971-72 |
| Ayr Raiders | 2 | 1952-53 |
| Harringay Greyhounds | 2 | 1939-40 |
| Perth Panthers | 2 | 1946-47 |
| Dundee Tigers | 2 | 1939-40 |
| Glasgow Mohawks | 2 | 1936-37 |
| Bridge of Weir | 2 | 1934-35 |
| University of Oxford | 2 | 1931-32 |
| Coventry Blaze | 1 | 2004-05 |
| Bracknell Bees | 1 | 1999-00 |
| Manchester Storm | 1 | 1998-99 |
| Ayr Scottish Eagles | 1 | 1997-98 |
| Liverpool Leopards | 1 | 1979-80 |
| London Phoenix Flyers | 1 | 1979-80 |
| Sheffield Lancers | 1 | 1977-78 |
| Solihull Barons | 1 | 1976-77 |
| Birmingham Maple Leafs | 1 | 1935-36 |
| Kelvingrove | 1 | 1933-34 |
| Grosvenor House Canadians | 1 | 1933-34 |
