The Autumn Cup was an ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom between 1946 and 2000. The competition was originally divided into English and Scottish competitions, known as the English Autumn Cup and the Scottish Autumn Cup between 1946 and 1954 when it became the British Autumn Cup until 1960. The competition did not take place again until 1967 when it was resurrected as the Northern Autumn Cup before it again became a national competition in 1983. Following a series of major sponsorships during the 1980s it became known as simply the Autumn Cup in 1991 before a sponsorship deal with Benson & Hedges renamed it the Benson & Hedges Cup (B&H Cup) in 1982 until their association ended in 2001 and the Autumn Cup discontinued.
The competition was contested during the opening months of each season with preliminary round games taking up the majority of the early season schedule. From 1983 finals were played at a predetermined venue with Sheffield Arena becoming the sole venue in 1991. Between 1983 and 2000, all but three finals were settled in regulation time with the 1983, 1986 and 1999 finals going into overtime and the 1983 and 1999 final being settled on penalty shots.
Winners
English Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up 1946 Brighton Tigers Wembley Monarchs 1947 Harringay Racers Streatham 1948 Wembley Monarchs Harringay Racers 1949 Harringay Racers Wembley Monarchs 1950 Brighton Tigers Streatham 1951 Streatham Nottingham Panthers 1952 Harringay Racers Streatham 1953 Streatham Brighton Tigers
Scottish Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up 1946 Dunfermline Vikings Paisley Pirates 1947 Paisley Pirates Falkirk Lions 1948 Fife Flyers Falkirk Lions 1949 Dundee Tigers Fife Flyers 1950 Fife Flyers Ayr Raiders 1951 Ayr Raiders Falkirk Lions 1952 Dunfermline Vikings Dundee Tigers 1953 Paisley Pirates Perth Panthers
British Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up 1954 Harringay Racers Falkirk Lions 1955 Nottingham Panthers Paisley Pirates 1956 Brighton Tigers Harringay Racers 1957 Wembley Lions Harringay Racers 1958 Brighton Tigers Edinburgh Royals 1959 Streatham Brighton Tigers
Northern Autumn Cup
From 1967 to 1977 the Autumn Cup only had a group stage. In 1978 and 1979 it also included semi-finals and the final. Year Winner2nd place 3rd place 1967 Paisley Mohawks Murrayfield Racers Glasgow Dynamos 1968 Murrayfield Racers Paisley Mohawks Whitley Warriors 1970 Murrayfield Racers Glasgow Dynamos Dundee Rockets 1971 Whitley Warriors Murrayfield Racers Dundee Rockets 1972 Fife Flyers Whitley Warriors Murrayfield Racers 1974 Murrayfield Racers Whitley Warriors Fife Flyers 1975 Fife Flyers Durham Wasps Murrayfield Racers 1976 Fife Flyers Whitley Warriors Murrayfield Racers 1977 Murrayfield Racers Fife Flyers Whitley Warriors
Year Winner Runner-up Score 1978 Fife Flyers Murrayfield Racers 15–8 1979 Murrayfield Racers Billingham Bombers 23–7
In 1980 the winner of Autumn Cup was awarded to the leaders of the Northern League at the halfway point (14 games into the season), that was the Murrayfield Racers
Kohler Engines Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up Score Venue 1983 Dundee Rockets Streatham Redskins 6-6Rockets win on penalties Streatham Ice Rink
Bluecol Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up Score Venue 1984 Durham Wasps Fife Flyers 6–4 Streatham Ice Rink
Norwich Union Trophy Year Winner Runner-up Score Venue 1985 Murrayfield Racers Durham Wasps 8–5 Murrayfield Ice Rink 1986 Nottingham Panthers Fife Flyers 5–4After overtime National Exhibition Centre 1987 Durham Wasps Murrayfield Racers 11–5 Fife Ice Arena 1988 Durham Wasps Tayside Tigers 7–5 National Exhibition Centre 1989 Murrayfield Racers Durham Wasps 10–4 Basingstoke Ice Rink 1990 Durham Wasps Murrayfield Racers 12–6 Whitley Bay Ice Rink
Autumn Cup Year Winner Runner-up Score Venue 1991 Nottingham Panthers Humberside Seahawks 7–5 Sheffield Arena
Benson & Hedges Cup Year Winner Runner-up Score Venue 1992 Cardiff Devils Whitley Bay Warriors 10–4 Sheffield Arena 1993 Murrayfield Racers Cardiff Devils 6–2 Sheffield Arena 1994 Nottingham Panthers Cardiff Devils 7–2 Sheffield Arena 1995 Sheffield Steelers Nottingham Panthers 5–2 Sheffield Arena 1996 Nottingham Panthers Ayr Scottish Eagles 5–3 Sheffield Arena 1997 Ayr Scottish Eagles Cardiff Devils 2–1 Sheffield Arena 1998 Nottingham Panthers Ayr Scottish Eagles 2–1 Sheffield Arena 1999 Manchester Storm London Knights 3-3Storm win on penalties Sheffield Arena 2000 Sheffield Steelers Newcastle Jesters 4–0 Sheffield Arena
Clubs by number of Autumn Cup titles Club Number of Titles Runner-up Last title Murrayfield Racers 9 3 1993 Nottingham Panthers 6 2 1998 Brighton Tigers 4 2 1958 Durham Wasps 4 2 1990 Fife Flyers 4 2 1978 Harringay Racers 4 3 1954 Streatham 3 3 1959 Sheffield Steelers 2 0 2000 Ayr Scottish Eagles 1 2 1997 Cardiff Devils 1 3 1993 Dundee Rockets 1 0 1983 Manchester Storm 1 0 1999 Paisley Mohawks 1 0 1967 Wembley Lions 1 0 1957 Wembley Monarchs 1 2 1948
References
A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey