Cambridge City II and Cambridge University may play on in MR Cricket Hockey East League
Cambridge City and Cambridge University could see their MR Cricket Hockey East League campaigns extended.
A curtailment has been called on most of the league structure, but the top two divisions may be able to resume.
With the England Hockey National League set to expand for the 2021/22 campaign, there will be promotion opportunities available for two teams, with no relegations.
It means that City II and the university in the men’s Premier A and women’s Premier may continue.
A league statement said: “At the East League Management Committee meeting last Thursday, it was discussed and agreed that the only divisions with anything riding on the outcome was the Women’s Premier Division and the Men’s Premier A Division.
“This is because the England Hockey National League’s plan to expand the National League in the 2021/22 season is continuing and they wish to take two teams from our top Women’s and Men’s divisions and there will be no relegations.
“Informal work has been going on behind the scenes with the clubs concerned to assess the appetite to return to play and we hope, should travel arrangements be sufficient, that we will be able to complete the minimum season requirement of each team playing each other once for those Premier teams that wish to compete.
“Those who do not wish to compete will not be forced to play, as has been the case with any East League hockey since the pandemic began.
"We will be in contact with those clubs more formally in the next week or so to agree fixture timetables, etc."
It added: “For the remaining divisions it was agreed that the season would be terminated with immediate effect.”
A new structure will be in place for the 2021/22 season, which will see men’s and women’s teams playing under the same league structure for the first time - with one Premier Division, two Division One divisions and four Division Twos in a quadrant format.
The Norfolk Ladies League will also be absorbed into the East League.
