Premier Handball League Explained

Sport:Handball
Premier Handball League
Founded:2012 (as The Super 8)
Teams:8
Country:England
Confed:EHF
Champions:NEM Hawks
Most Champs:London GD Handball Club (10 titles)
Relegation:Championship North
Championship South
Confed Cup:EHF Cup
EHF Challenge Cup
Website:premier-handball-league
Current Season:2022–23 Premier 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
1973Ford Warley HC
1974Ford Warley HC
1975Birkenhead
1976Birkenhead
1977Birkenhead Kirkby
1978Kirkby Select Brentwood '72
1979Brentwood '72 Kirkby Select
1980Brentwood '72 Kirkby Select
1981Brentwood '72
1982Brentwood '72
1983East Kilbride
1984
1985
1986Kirkby Select
1987
1988
1989Manchester United
1990Manchester United
1991Tryst 77
1992Tryst 77
1993
1994Manchester United
1995Manchester United
1996
1997Salford
1998
1999Tryst 77
2000Tryst 77
2001Great Dane (London GD) Ruislip Eagles
2002
2003Ruislip Eagles
2004Great Dane (London GD)
2005Great Dane (London GD) Heathrow
2006University of Manchester
2007Great Dane HC London
2008Great Dane (London GD) University of Manchester
2009Great Dane (London GD) Olympia HC
2010Olympia HC
2011
2012Salford
2013Salford Liverpool
2014Salford Deva
2015Warrington Wolves Coventry
2016Manchester
2017Warrington Wolves NEM Hawks Coventry
2018Liverpool
2019
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 ofpoints, 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 theclubs 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 thepromotion 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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Champions Wolves face promoted Liverpool in Premier Handball League op - England Handball Association. England Handball. Association. www.englandhandball.com.
  2. Web site: 21 May 2019. Historic League Winners. 22 March 2021.
  3. Web site: Clubs and Honours . Wirralhandballclub.tripod.com . 2012-08-20.
  4. Web site: MA+Directory++p12.jpg (image) . 1.bp.blogspot.com . 2012-08-20.
  5. Web site: Hadd . Russell . British Handball History: British Cup and League Tables 1983 . Britishhandballmemories.blogspot.com . 2009-03-09 . 2012-08-20.
  6. Web site: Rules and Regulations . England Handball Association . August 2016 .
  7. Web site: European Cup 2016/2017 . European Handball Federation . 2015-03-06 .