Year by Year News Headlines in Great Britain
Last updated on Friday, 30 March 2007
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Year by Year News Headlines in Great
Britain
| 1894-95 | Britain's first recorded matches are played at Princes and Niagara rinks in London's Westminster and on Buckingham Palace's lake. |
| 1902-03 | The first ice hockey league is formed with five teams - Princes, Cambridge University, London Canadians and two teams from Henglers. |
| 1907-08 | Crossmyloof ice rink opened in Glasgow, Scotland on 1st October. |
| 1907-08 | On the 16th May, England are founder members with France, Belgium and Switzerland, of the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG), now the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The first ice hockey games are played in Scotland, at the old Crossmyloof rink in Glasgow which boasts a bandstand on pillars in the middle of the ice. |
| 1908-09 | In March, England beat Scotland 11-1 at Princes, the first match between the two countries. |
| 1909-10 | Princes, representing Great Britain, win the first European Championship in Switzerland. |
| 1912-13 | The British Ice Hockey Association (BIHA) is formed. Founding members are Princes, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Manchester and the Royal Engineers (Chatham, Kent). President is Major B M 'Peter' Patton. |
| 1913-14 | Major Patton serves briefly as President of the LIHG. |
| 1923-24 | Britain compete in the second Winter Olympics at Chamonix and finish third behind Canada and the USA. |
| 1927-28 | Richmond ice rink and a new rink at Crossmyloof open. Finished 3rd in European Championship. |
| 1928-29 | The Scottish Ice Hockey Association is formed with all teams based at the Crossmyloof rink. |
| 1929-30 | Britain enters the first World Championship in Chamonix finishing tenth. |
| 1930-31 | Streatham rink opens in February. An English League is formed. Teams finish in the following order : Oxford University, Grosvenor House, Princes, London Lions, Manchester, Sussex (Hove), Cambridge University. |
| 1931-32 | Ice hockey is heard on the radio for the first time. |
| 1932-33 | John F 'Bunny' Ahearne is appointed Secretary of the BIHA. He is to become the dominant figure in British (and later World) ice hockey for some forty years. |
| 1933-34 | The Empire Pool Wembley opens. It is the first of the big arenas in London, seating 10,000. Similar arenas follow at Earl's Court (1935) and Harringay (1936). The size of these stadiums revolutionises the sport which is to be dominated by Canadian players for the next quarter-century. |
| 1934-35 | Great Britain win silver at the European Championships. The English National League is formed with two teams at Wembley, two at Earl's Court and one each at Richmond, Streatham and Brighton. |
| 1935-36 | British ice hockey's finest hour. GB wins the Olympic, World and European titles at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany. |
| 1936-37 | Britain retain their European crown as the championships are held in London for the first time. Perth rink opens. |
| 1938-39 | Britain gain their fourth European title in Prague. Harringay Racers' home game against Streatham on 29th October is the first to be shown on television anywhere in the world. |
| 1945-46 | National Leagues re-formed with the addition of Nottingham Panthers and Paisley Pirates. The first Autumn Cup is played. |
| 1948-49 | Harringay Greyhounds fold. |
| 1949-50 | Wembley Monarchs fold. World & European Championships held in London again. Great Britain (no dual nationals) are European runners-up. |
| 1951-52 | Great Britain plays in World Championship Pool A. |
| 1952-53 | Great Britain plays in World Championship Pool B. |
| 1953-54 | Earl's Court announces it is withdrawing from ice hockey. |
| 1954-55 | Streatham pulls out of the sport and with only four English sides left, the English and Scottish leagues are merged and a twelve team British league is created. |
| 1955-56 | British League forced to trim to five teams : Nottingham Panthers, Wembley Lions, Paisley Pirates, Brighton Tigers and Harringay Racers. |
| 1957-58 | Harringay Arena closes after twenty-two years. |
| 1959-60 | British League folds at the end of the 1959-60 season, knocked out by a combination of TV, Canadian wage demands and rival attractions. Non-league hockey continues in Scotland, Durham, Whitley Bay, Altrincham, Blackpool, Brighton and Southampton. |
| 1961-62 | Great Britain plays in World Championship Pool A in Denver, Colorado, USA. |
| 1962-63 | Ice hockey ceases at Southampton. Vikings move to Wembley and revive the Lions (until 30th November 1968). |
| 1964-65 | The GB team played in a two-leg series with France to determine which World Championship group they would contest. |
| 1965-66 | Brighton Sports Stadium closes after 30 years and is demolished the following year. Solihull rink opens. |
| 1965-66 | Northern League formed with teams in north-east England and Scotland. Lasts for sixteen seasons until 1982. |
| 1969-70 | Southern League formed. Founder members are Altrincham Aces, Blackpool Seagulls, Solihull Vikings, Susses (Brighton) Senators and Wembley Vets. Last two teams are homeless. League lasts in various forms for twelve seasons. Paisley Arena closes. |
| 1970-71 | Murrayfield Racers are the first team to win British ice hockey's Grand Slam of the Icy Smith Cup (unofficial British club championship), Northern League, Autumn Cup and Spring Cup. |
| 1972-73 | With NHL President-to-be John Ziegler and Alan Weeks among the directors, London Lions play one season at Wembley as the forerunner of a proposed European League. Billingham Bombers formed. Ice hockey returns to Streatham. |
| 1975-76 | Ice hockey returns to Southampton. |
| 1979-80 | Ice hockey returns to Nottingham Stadium after 20 years. |
| 1980-81 | English and Scottish National Leagues re-formed for one season. Dundee Rockets return and team manager Tom Stewart brings in the first good quality, paid, overseas players for more than 20 years - Roy Halpin, Chris Brinster and Kevin O'Neill. The East of England ice rink opens in Peterborough (Pirates), heralding an unprecedented wave of ice rink building in Britain. |
| 1981-82 | Dundee Rockets win the Grand Slam of British Championship (Mecca Trophy), Northern League and Scottish National League. Frederick Meredith takes over from Bunny Ahearne as BIHA President. British League is revived in the Autumn. |
| 1982-83 | The BIHA sign a five-year contract with brewing giant, Whitbread, to sponsor the British League under the Heineken brand name, a deal worth £100,000 in the first season. Dundee Rockets are the first Heineken British Champions and become the first British side to play in the European Cup. |
| 1983-84 | Ice hockey returns to Wembley for the Heineken Championships. Four new rinks open - at Gillingham (Medway Bears), Lee Valley (Lions), Oxford (City Stars) and Telford (Tigers). Dundee Rockets win the Grand Slam of league, championship and Autumn Cup. |
| 1984-85 | The BIHA sign a three-year £50,000 contract with the Norwich Union Insurance Group to sponsor the Autumn Cup, reintroduced the previous season. Swindon (Wildcats) ice rink opens. NHL Iron Man Gary Unger joins Dundee Rockets and plays in Britain for three seasons. |
| 1985-86 | Tony Hand, 18, star forward with Murrayfield Racers, is the first Briton to be drafted by an NHL club, the Edmonton Oilers. The Norwich Union Cup final is held at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and draws over 5,000 spectators. Another four rinks open at Belfast, Cardiff (Devils), Glasgow (Eagles) and Slough (Jets) but Crossmyloof closes to ice hockey after almost sixty years. |
| 1986-87 | Four more new rinks - at Chelmsford (Chieftains), Livingston in Scotland, Romford (Raiders) and Bracknell (Bees). The BIHA appoints its first full-time chief referee, Nico Toemen from Holland, and a new secretary, David Pickles, replaces the long-serving Mrs Pat Marsh. |
| 1987-88 | New rinks in Basingstoke (Beavers), Hull (Humberside Seahawks) and Stevenage. Durham's Cooper brothers, Stephen and Ian, shock the hockey world by joining Division One's Cardiff Devils. Blackpool Seagulls (insufficient finance) and Southampton (Mecca close rink) pull out of import hockey. |
| 1988-89 | Britain return to the World Championships in Belgium for the first time in eight years but fail to win promotion from Pool D. The Kingsway ice rink in Dundee closes. Alex Dampier is appointed coach of the national team in succession to Terry Matthews and the BIHA permits dual nationals to play for Britain. The first promotion/relegation play-offs are introduced. |
| 1989-90 | Britain wins promotion to Pool C. After a thrilling, three-hour final at Wembley featuring 24 penalty shots, televised live on BBC Grandstand, Cardiff Devils beat Murrayfield Racers to clinch the Heineken League and Championship. Streatham ice rink is sold and Redskins withdraw from import hockey. New rinks in Alexandra Palace and Milton Keynes (Kings). |
| 1990-91 | Sheffield Steelers are formed to play in the new 8,500-seat Sheffield Arena, the largest stadium in Britain to stage regular league hockey, and attract the biggest crowds since the first British League fold in 1960. New rinks at Blackburn (Blackhawks) and in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Durham Wasps pull off the Grand Slam of league, championship and cup. |
| 1991-92 | Britain win promotion to Pool B. Durham Wasps repeat their league and cup double. Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks play at Wembley, the first NHL sides to appear in Britain for 33 years. Tobacco company Gallaher Ltd agrees a three-year deal with the BIHA to sponsor the Autumn Cup which is renamed the Benson & Hedges Cup. The sponsorship is worth £70,000 in 1992. New rinks open in Dumfries and Paisley. |
| 1992-93 | Britain wins promotion to World Championship Pool A. Heineken sponsorship ends after 10 years and £5 million. Cardiff Devils win the third Grand Slam of the modern era. New rink in Guildford (Flames). NHL teams New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs play at Wembley. Scotland win 50th Home International at Sheffield Arena. Britain compete in Olympic Qualifying Tournament at Sheffield Arena. Ice Hockey Players Association (GB) formed. |
| 1993-94 | Britain relegated from World Championship Pool A. David Frame is appointed as the BIHA's first chief executive. Britain are relegated to Pool B. Cardiff Devils win league and championship double for the third time. Edinburgh's Tony Hand scores his 2,000th league point. |
| 1994-95 | Britain finished 7th in World Championship Pool B. Manchester's Nynex Arena opened - the largest ice hockey arena in Europe (16,500 seats). Durham Wasps sold to Newcastle United FC (Sir John Hall). Sky Sports shows British League matches throughout the season on satellite and cable TV. The Superleague was announced in November as the top league in the UK - starting in the 1996-97 season . |
| 1995-96 | Britain finished 4th in World Championship Pool B. The sponsorship of the Benson & Hedges Cup is extended to 1998 in a £750,000 deal. Durham ice rink closed in July. After a decade-long saga - Ayr Centrum Arena finally opened on the 25th August. Sheffield Steelers win the league and the last Wembley championship. The Superleague inaugural season starts in the Autumn. The second tier of British hockey could not agree a national format and as a result, there was a Premier League and a Northern Premier League. |
| 1996-97 | Britain finished 6th in World Championship Pool B. Cardiff Devils win the first Superleague title, Sheffield Steelers win the championship and Ayr Scottish Eagles win the cup. The British National League is formed in time for the 1997-98 season (the fifth time this league title had been used). |
| 1997-98 | Britain finished 6th in World Championship Pool B. Ayr Scottish Eagles win the Grand Slam - having won the Benson & Hedges cup in the Autumn of 1997 they went on to win the Superleague and the championships. For good measure Ayr also won the one-season Express Cup. |
| 1998-99 | Britain finished 2nd in World Championship Pool B. Nottingham Panthers won the Benson & Hedges cup in the Autumn of 1998, Manchester Storm won the Superleague, Cardiff Devils won the British Championship and Sheffield Steelers won the Challenge Cup. GB competed in World Championship Pool B at Odense & Rodovre, between the 8th and 17th of April. |
| 1999-00 | Britain's 2nd place finish in the 1999 World Championship Pool B qualified them to contest a place in the 2000 Pool A. They narrowly lost out to Norway (1-2) for the final slot. Britain finished 3rd in World Championship Pool B. London Knights (UK) won the British Championship, Bracknell Bees won the Superleague, Manchester Storm won the Benson & Hedges cup in the Autumn of 1999 and Sheffield Steelers won the Challenge Cup. |
| 2000-01 | Britain finished 2nd in World Championship Division I (Group B). Britain U20 junior team finished 3rd in World Championship (Junior) Division II (Group B). Britain U18 junior team finished 3rd in World Championship (Junior U18) Division II. London Knights (UK) qualified for the Final round of the Continental Cup and narrowly missed out on the title, they finished on the same points as winners Zurich Lions but lost out on the result between the two teams (0-1). Sheffield Steelers won the British Championship, the Superleague, the Benson & Hedges cup in the Autumn of 2000 and the Challenge Cup. |
| 2001-02 | Britain finished 4th in World Championship Division I (Group B). Britain U20 junior team finished 3rd in World Championship (Junior) Division II (Group A). Britain U18 junior team finished 3rd in World Championship (Junior U18) Division II. Sheffield Steelers won the British Championship, Belfast Giants won the Superleague, Ayr Scottish Eagles won the Challenge Cup. |
| 2002-03 | Britain played in the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge. Britain finished 5th in World Championship Division I (Group B). Britain U20 junior team finished 2nd in World Championship (Junior) Division II (Group A). Britain U18 junior team finished 6th in World Championship (Junior U18) Division I (Group A). Belfast Giants qualified for the Superfinal of the Continental Cup finishing 6th of eight teams. Belfast Giants won the British Championship, Sheffield Steelers won the Superleague and the Challenge Cup. |
| 2003-04 | Britain withdrew from the 2006 Olympic Qualifying process due to a lack of funding - the only one of 21 potential qualifiers to do so. Britain finished 5th in World Championship Division I (Group A). Britain U20 junior team won World Championship (Junior) Division II (Group B) gold and gained promotion to Division I. Britain U18 junior team won World Championship (Junior U18) Division II (Group B) gold and gained promotion to Division I. The Elite League replaced the Superleague as the top level of ice hockey in the UK. Sheffield Steelers won the British Championship and the Elite League. Nottingham Panthers won the Challenge Cup. |
| 2004-05 | Britain finished 4th in World Championship Division I (Group A). Britain U20 junior team finished 6th in World Championship (Junior) Division I (Group A) and are relegated to Division II. Britain U18 junior team finished 6th in World Championship (Junior U18) Division I (Group A) and are relegated to Division II. Coventry Blaze win the British Championship, the Elite League and the Challenge Cup. |
| 2005-06 |
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