NIHL SOUTH D1 CONFIRMED; D2 WORK ONGOING


The League Management Committee (LMC) of NIHL South can today confirm
that Division 1 South will run in 17/18 with the following nine clubs:
Bracknell Bees
Basingstoke Bison
Cardiff Fire
Invicta Dynamos
London Raiders
Milton Keynes Thunder
Peterborough Phantoms
Streatham IHC
Swindon Wildcats

The teams will play each other twice at home and twice away for a 32
game League season.  The top eight sides will qualify for the post
season under the format previously announced.

An NIHL S1 Cup competition will also be operating and details will be
confirmed very soon.

Work is continuing with clubs to resolve the structure for NIHL 2
South and details will be announced as soon as the discussions have
been concluded.

A spokesperson for the NIHL South LMC said: “It’s been a long five
days since we were informed of the withdrawal of three member teams
from NIHL1.

“We’re naturally disappointed, as are our member teams, that the
Conference system as agreed in the meeting on the 7th May is not going
to be possible to run now.

“Since this happened, we’ve been consulting with our member teams in
both NIHL1 and NIHL2 to resolve the way forward, and it is clear that
from discussions that we have nine teams that are committed to the
NIHL1 standard and therefore we’re pleased to get this information out
today.

“It has always been our intention to attempt to return NIHL1 South to
ten teams at the earliest possibly opportunity.  Therefore we can
confirm that with nine teams in the league there will be no relegation
at the end of the 17/18 season.

“For NIHL 2 South we are talking with all clubs involved and working
as quickly as possible while ensuring that whatever is put in place is
workable and sustainable for all clubs involved this year and going
forward.”