Billingham Bombers
Encyclopedia
The Billingham Bombers are an ice hockey
team from the town of Billingham
in the Stockton-on-Tees borough of Teesside
. They are currently members of the English National Ice Hockey League
and the Northern League
. The Bombers play their home games at the Billingham Forum Ice Rink.
The Bombers were founded in 1971 as members of the Northern League
. In 1982 they became a founder member of the British Hockey League
and changed their name to the Cleveland Bombers. Between 1991 and 1995 the team played under the name of the Teesside Bombers before reverting back to their original name. Between 1982 and 1986 and again between 1990 and 1994, the Bombers played in the Premier League, the top flight division of British
ice hockey at the time.
In more recent times the Bombers won the English League Northern section regular season championship and Northern section play off championship during the 2005-06 season.
The Billingham Bombers did not compete in any league due to a refurbishment of their home venue Billingham Forum Ice Rink in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons
Ice Hockey returned to the forum in the 2011/12 seasons after merging with the Northern Stars
who were facing problems with their home rink The Metro Radio Arena. The new club was renamed Billingham Stars.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team from the town of Billingham
Billingham
Billingham is a town in the unitary authority of Stockton on Tees, in north east England, with a population of 35,765 . It was founded circa 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people, which is where the name Billingham is thought to have originated...
in the Stockton-on-Tees borough of Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
. They are currently members of the English National Ice Hockey League
English National Ice Hockey League
The English National Ice Hockey League is an amateur ice hockey league below the English Premier Ice Hockey League which is administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. It is split into two conferences, north and south...
and the Northern League
Northern League (ice hockey, 2005)
The Northern League is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, contested by teams from England, Wales and Scotland. Named for the Northern League which existed in the 1960s and 70s, it was founded in 2005 in the same format as the defunct Border League...
. The Bombers play their home games at the Billingham Forum Ice Rink.
The Bombers were founded in 1971 as members of the Northern League
Northern League (ice hockey, 1967)
The Northern League was the top-flight ice hockey league in Scotland and initially northern England, from 1966. In 1982 it merged with the Inter-City League and the English League North to form the British Hockey League....
. In 1982 they became a founder member of the British Hockey League
British Hockey League
The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League...
and changed their name to the Cleveland Bombers. Between 1991 and 1995 the team played under the name of the Teesside Bombers before reverting back to their original name. Between 1982 and 1986 and again between 1990 and 1994, the Bombers played in the Premier League, the top flight division of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ice hockey at the time.
In more recent times the Bombers won the English League Northern section regular season championship and Northern section play off championship during the 2005-06 season.
The Billingham Bombers did not compete in any league due to a refurbishment of their home venue Billingham Forum Ice Rink in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons
Ice Hockey returned to the forum in the 2011/12 seasons after merging with the Northern Stars
TDC Northern Stars
TDC Northern Stars are an ice hockey team who were previously called the Newcastle ENL Vipers. They changed names from the Vipers to the Northern Stars in 2010. They are currently sponsored by TDC Waste Management and compete in the English National Hockey League North 1 and the newly formed NIHL...
who were facing problems with their home rink The Metro Radio Arena. The new club was renamed Billingham Stars.