Islington Handball Club (IHC) is an amateur English handball club based in Islington, London, UK. The club fields men's, women's and youth's teams, and competes in South Division of the Premier Handball League, England Handball Association’s (EHA) top male and female competition.
The men’s team achieved promotion back to the first division in 2023, whilst the women’s team achieved promotion to the first division in 2024.
The club has more than 120 members representing around 20 different nationalities.
The motto of the club is ‘Join the Mischief’.
History
The club was founded in 2012, but it was later incorporated as a Community Interest Company in 2017.
IHC started after an influx of interest in the sport due to the 2012 London Olympics. The club had initially three teams (one of each for men's, women's, and youth). The teams competed in EHA's regional leagues.
In 2017, the men's team reached the English Cup final and secured promotion to the top English Handball competition, the Handball Premier League. Due to administrative mistakes in registering players, the club was demoted to 3rd division at the end of the 2017 season.
Following this difficult event that nearly led to the club’s dissolution, the organisation underwent a comprehensive rebuilding process and in 2018 Yannick Argac was appointed as president. During this period, the club officially adopted the nickname “The Rats”, marking the beginning of its redevelopment. In 2019, Alexandra Vaideanu was elected president and has remained in the position since. Since its restructuring, Islington Handball Club has grown to become one of the largest handball clubs in England. The club fields five senior teams in addition to a number of youth teams. Its men’s and women’s first teams compete in England Handball Premier League. The club has enjoyed considerable competitive success in recent years. In the 2025–26 season, the men’s first team finished as runners-up in the England Handball Premier League after losing to Olympia Handball Club in the championship final. The club subsequently qualified for the British Super Cup, where it finished third overall in Great Britain. This result also secured qualification for the EHF European Cup, marking the club’s first participation in a European competition.
Teams
IHC currently fields five teams in EHA competitions:
Three men's teams: Team 1, competing in the EHA Premier League (South). Team 2, competing in the EHA Regional League South 1. The team acts as a development base for potential Team 1 players. Team 3, competing in the EHA Regional League South 2 (East). The team is open to players of any skill-level. Two women's teams: Team 1, competing in the EHA Premier League (South). Team 2, competing in the EHA Regional League South. The team acts both as a development base for potential Team 1 players, and an all-skill-level team.
A youth team, aiming to introduce children under 18 to the game, is also part of the club.
Men’s Team
Team 1 Coach: Icham Benallal
Goalkeepers M. Garriga C. Baudot Y. Argac
Right wingers M. Treinys L. Lopes Correia Da Silva
Left wingers J. Da Silva Carvalho
Line players M. Toumi T. Vercruysse
Left backs T. Accogli Y. Mallek V. Doucet
Centre backs A. Gug L. De Matos Figueredo H. Benallal
Right backs A. Rauner D. Damian Shackleford T. Pontaut S. Georg Rilling
Team 2 Coach: Renard Teipelke
Goalkeepers K. Sembian R. Reshef T. R. A. D. Valle
Right wingers B. Nocheski B. Esteves
Left wingers J. D. S. Carvalho S. Coates
Line players A. A. Plesca C. Makris
Left backs O. Castaigne R. Adeyemo V. Doucet
Centre backs A. Adams H. Kennard L. D. M. Figueredo
Right backs D. D. Shackleford F. Schlobach L. Tong H. Buehler
Team 3 Coach: Alexandra Văideanu
Goalkeepers T. Haines A. Rowe C.-E. Schverin
Right wingers B. Esteves S. R. Martinez
Left wingers Z. Xiao
Line players U. Enzel M. Fairless
Left backs B. Billard Y. Yukhymenko
Centre backs R. Teipelke G. P. Maretic J. Foex
Right backs J. Obodai T. Marshall K. Y. O. Fung
Women’s Team
Team 1
Coach: Anton Lammers
Goalkeepers E. Fourneau
Right wingers C. Boudreault
Left wingers A. T. Escriche I. Avraamidou
Line players J. Andres A. Tzagia
Left backs A. Jargoyhen E. S. Rivada
Centre backs S. Derussy E. L. Kowalski
Right backs M. G. Engoue
Team 2 Coach: Anton Lammers
Goalkeepers E. Fourneau
Right wingers G. F. Alencar R. Simmonds
Left wingers A. T. Escriche A. Sarasiti
Line players A. Tshimbalang M. Downey S. M. Inayat
Left backs M. E. Bagnulo C. M. Withag
Centre backs A. G. Vaideanu C. Filimon
Right backs M. G. Engoue G. G. Granchi
Youth Team In accordance with the EHA’s national guidelines and in the spirit of the game, Islington HC has re-established its youth team in 2022.
Achievements
Men’s Team 1 British Handball Super Cup 3rd: (1): 2025-26 EHA Men's Premier League Runners-Up: (1): 2025-26 EHA Men's Premier League South 2rd: (1): 2025-26 3rd: (2): 2023-24 2024-25 EHA Men's Premier League Play Off Winners: (2): 2016-17 2022-23 EHA Men's National Cup Runners-Up: (1): 2016-17 Semi-Finalists: (1): 2018-19
Men’s Team 2 EHA Men's Regional League South 1 2nd: (1): 2023-24 3rd: (1): 2024-25
Men’s Team 3 EHA Men's Regional League South 2 East 3rd: (2): 2023-24 2024-25
Women’s Team 1 EHA Women's Premier League South 5th: (1): 2024-25 EHA Women's Regional League South Runners-Up: (1): 2023-24 EHA Women's Premier League Play Off Runners-Up: (1): 2023-24
Women’s Team 2 EHA Women's Regional League South 5th: (1): 2024-25
References
External links Official Website