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Premier Handball League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2022–23 Premier Handball League
SportHandball
Founded2012
No. of teams8
CountryEngland
ConfederationEHF
Most recent
champion(s)		NEM Hawks
Most titlesLondon GD Handball Club (10 titles)
Relegation toChampionship North
Championship South
International cup(s)EHF Cup
EHF Challenge Cup
Official websitepremier-handball-league

The Premier Handball League is the highest level of men's club handball in England. It is organised by the England Handball Association.

History

The Premier Handball League was formerly known as the Super 8, and was re-branded for the 2017/18 season[1]

Year Champion Runner-up Relegated
1972 Heriot-Watt University
1973 Ford Warley HC
1974 Ford Warley HC
1975 Birkenhead
1976 Birkenhead
1977 Birkenhead Kirkby
1978 Kirkby Select Brentwood '72
1979 Brentwood '72 Kirkby Select
1980 Brentwood '72 Kirkby Select
1981 Brentwood '72 Liverpool
1982 Brentwood '72 Liverpool
1983 East Kilbride
1984 Liverpool
1985 Liverpool
1986 Kirkby Select
1987 Liverpool
1988 Liverpool
1989 Manchester United
1990 Manchester United
1991 Tryst 77
1992 Tryst 77
1993 Liverpool
1994 Manchester United
1995 Manchester United
1996 Liverpool
1997 Salford
1998 Liverpool
1999 Tryst 77
2000 Tryst 77
2001 Great Dane (London GD) Ruislip Eagles
2002 Liverpool
2003 Liverpool Ruislip Eagles
2004 Great Dane (London GD)
2005 Great Dane (London GD) Heathrow
2006 Oxford University University of Manchester
2007 University of Manchester Great Dane HC London
2008 Great Dane (London GD) University of Manchester
2009 Great Dane (London GD) Olympia HC
2010 London GD Olympia HC
2011 London GD Ruislip Eagles
2012 Salford Ruislip Eagles
2013 London GD Salford Liverpool
2014 London GD Salford Deva
2015 Warrington Wolves London GD Coventry
2016 London GD Olympia HC Manchester
2017 Warrington Wolves NEM Hawks Coventry
2018 London GD Olympia HC Liverpool
2019 London GD

Data sources: 1972-2019;[2] 1975-1976 Wirral Handball Club Clubs and Honours;[3] 1977-1982 Midlands Handball Association (1982) Handball Directory. page 12.;[4] 1983 British Handball Association Word is ... No.5 page 3;[5]

Format

The league consists of 8 teams which play each other twice in a season, once at each club's home venue. 3 points are awarded for each win, 2 points for a draw, and 1 point for a loss. Should the situation occur that two or more clubs finish with the same number of points, their final positions shall be determined by (and in the following order):[6] a. goal difference; b. taking into account the results of the headtohead Super 8 matches between the clubs concerned; c. goals scored; d. further matches played at a neutral venue.

The team finishing bottom of the Men's Premier Handball League (8th Place) will be relegated directly to their nearest Championship League (North or South). Following the final matches of the Championship, a series of playoff matches will take place to determine the club which will be promoted to the following season's Super 8.[6] The top 2 clubs from each Championship league will play 2 semifinals as follows:

The winners of the above semifinals will then play one match to determine the promotion spot.

European competitions

The Premier Handball League contributes teams to European Handball Federation club competitions. The England Handball Association is awarded places in European competition based on its EHF coefficient rank. Currently the Premier Handball League provides 1 team to the EHF Cup and 3 teams to the EHF Challenge Cup.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Association, England Handball. "Champions Wolves face promoted Liverpool in Premier Handball League op - England Handball Association". www.englandhandball.com.
  2. ^ "Historic League Winners". 21 May 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Clubs and Honours". Wirralhandballclub.tripod.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  4. ^ "MA+Directory++p12.jpg (image)". 1.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  5. ^ Hadd, Russell (9 March 2009). "British Handball History: British Cup and League Tables 1983". Britishhandballmemories.blogspot.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Rules and Regulations" (PDF). England Handball Association. August 2016.
  7. ^ "European Cup 2016/2017" (PDF). European Handball Federation. 6 March 2015.
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