The England Hockey League (EHL) is a national hockey league run by England Hockey. It is the top of the English field hockey league system. The men's league is sponsored by 'NOW: Pensions' and is known as the NOW: Pensions Men's Hockey League, and the women's league is sponsored by Investec and is known as the Investec Women's Hockey League.
Divisions
The 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. Previously there was a national Premier and national Division One league, which had players fed into it by a North league and South league. There is now only one Premier Division, which is fed by three "Conference" leagues, split into North, West and East regions.[1]
The EHL takes new teams into the National North/West/East leagues from five separately run regional hockey associations: East, Midlands, North, South and West. 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.
Teams for 2013/14 season
The following tables list the teams playing in the England Hockey League for the 2013/14 season.[2][3]
Men's Hockey League
Women's Hockey League
| Premier Division | Conference East | Conference North | Conference West |
|---|
| Beeston | Chelmsford | Ben Rhydding | Barnes Hounslow Ealing |
| Bowdon Hightown | East Grinstead | Boots (Nottingham) | Bristol Firebrands |
| Canterbury | Harleston Magpies | Bradford Wakefield | Buckingham |
| Clifton | Holcombe | Brooklands Poynton | Exe |
| Leicester | Horsham | Doncaster | Gloucester City |
| Olton & West Warwicks | Ipswich | Kendal | Isca University |
| Reading | Old Loughtonians | Loughborough Students | Oxford Hawks |
| Surbiton | Sevenoaks | University of Durham | Slough |
| Sutton Coldfield | St. Albans | Stourport | Swansea |
| University of Birmingham | Wimbledon | Whitley Bay & Tynemouth | Trojans |
|
Recent champions
Men's Hockey League Premier Division
[4]
Women's Hockey League Premier Division
| Season |
Champions |
Runners Up |
| 1999-00 |
Hightown |
Ipswich |
| 2000–01 |
Leicester |
Ipswich |
| 2001–02 |
Slough |
Olton & West Warwicks |
| 2002–03 |
Slough |
Canterbury |
| 2003–04 |
Hightown |
Chelmsford |
| 2004–05 |
Leicester |
Ipswich |
| 2005–06 |
Leicester |
Canterbury |
| 2006–07 |
Leicester |
Slough |
| 2007–08 |
Slough |
Bowdon Hightown |
| 2008–09 |
Bowdon Hightown |
Olton & West Warwicks |
| 2009–10 |
Slough |
Leicester |
| 2010–11 |
Reading |
Leicester |
| 2011–12 |
Leicester |
Reading |
| 2012–13 |
Reading |
Leicester |
[5]
External links
References
