# 1996–97 England Hockey League season

The 1996–97 English Hockey League season took place from October 1996 until April 1997.
The Men's National League was won by Reading with the Women's National League going to Slough.
The Men's Hockey Association Cup was won by Teddington and the AEWHA Cup was won by Ipswich.

## Men's National League Premier Division League Standings

| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Reading | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 79 | 53 | 26 | 47 |
| 2 | Teddington | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 78 | 56 | 32 | 46 |
| 3 | Southgate | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 68 | 55 | 13 | 41 |
| 4 | Cannock | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 79 | 52 | 27 | 39 |
| 5 | Canterbury | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 65 | 59 | 6 | 35 |
| 6 | East Grinstead | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 65 | 52 | 13 | 34 |
| 7 | Guildford | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 76 | 64 | 12 | 33 |
| 8 | Old Loughtonians | 22 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 59 | 56 | -3 | 32 |
| 9 | Hounslow | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 43 | 65 | -22 | 21 |
| 10 | Barford Tigers | 22 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 36 | 70 | -34 | 20 |
| 11 | Surbiton | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 44 | 73 | -29 | 19 |
| 12 | Havant | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 36 | 73 | -37 | 8 |
* = Champions
* = Relegated

## Women's National League Premier Division League Standings

| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| 1 | Slough | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 41 | 15 | 34 |
| 2 | Ipswich | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 17 | 30 |
| 3 | Clifton | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 33 | 20 | 25 |
| 4 | Sutton Coldfield | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 32 | 17 |
| 5 | Doncaster | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 28 | 13 |
| 6 | Hightown | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 19 | 38 | 13 |
| 7 | Trojans | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 29 | 12 |
| 8 | Leicester | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 32 | 12 |
* = Champions
* = Relegated

## Men's Cup (Hockey Association Cup)
### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| St Albans | Chelmsford | 2-1 |
| Old Loughtonians | Reading | 2-5 |
| Cannock | Teddington | 4-6 aet |
| Surbiton | Guildford | 5-1 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| Reading | St Albans | 10-1 |
| Surbiton | Teddington | 1-3 |

### Final

(Held at the Stadium, Milton Keynes on 11 May)
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| Teddington | Reading | 2-1 |
Teddington Jon Ebsworth, Tyrone Moore, Phil McGuire, S Dawkins, Tony Colclough, Jason Laslett, Jimmy Wallis, Simon Nicklin, Jon Hauck, Nick Conway, Andy Billson subs D Haydon, Paul Way, G Read Reading Wayne Box GK, John Slay, Jon Wyatt, Charlie Oscroft, Andy Holden, Mark Hoskin, G Edwards, K Sanders, Robert Todd, Mark Pearn, Scott Ashdown subs A Jones, Simon Briscoe, Jonathan Loose

## Women's Cup (AEWHA Cup)
### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| Doncaster | Sutton Coldfield | 4-1 |
| Clifton | Canterbury | 3-1 |
| Hightown | Aldridge | 3-1 |
| Ipswich | Slough | 4-2 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| Clifton | Ipswich | 4-2 |
| Hightown | Doncaster | 2-0 |

### Final

(Held at Milton Keynes on 25 May)
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Score |
| Hightown | Clifton | 2-2 (3-2 p) |
Hightown Carolyn Reid; Linda Carr (capt), Michaela Morton, Caroline Gilbert, K Walsh; Julie Aspin, Fiona Lee, Michelle Liptrot, Lucy Newcombe, Tina Cullen, Yana Williams Sub Maggie Souyave Clifton Claire Burr; Sue Brimble, Rachel O'Bryan, Michelle Robertson, Louise Hipkins, Lorraine Marsden, Tammy Miller (capt), Elaine Basterfield, Lucy Culliford, Denise Marston-Smith, Juliet Rayden Subs J Martin, J Scullion