SWINDON Wildcats will not defend the National and Autumn Cups they won in the 2017-18 season after the National Ice Hockey League announced the competitions would not be run next season.

Aaron Nell's Link Centre side lifted the two trophies after victories over the Sheffield Steeldogs and Basingstoke Bison respectively earlier this year but the tournaments have been scrapped for the 2018-19 campaign.

Officials from member clubs and the league management committee met this weekend in Sheffield and Newbury to agree the format of competition for the NIHL next season with separate cup competitions being run for both North and South at Division One level next term.

The South competition will feature seven teams - the Cats, Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bees, Invicta Dynamos, London Raiders, Peterborough Phantoms and Streatham IHC - playing home and away against each other. The top four sides will qualify for two-legged semi final, with the final also being over two legs.

Meanwhile, with no club promoted from Division Two, Swindon's NIHL South One (Britton) division will remain unchanged for next season, featuring the seven sides named above, plus Cardiff Fire and Milton Keynes Thunder, the clubs playing each other twice home and away.

As before, the top eight teams in each division will proceed to the play-offs and play two-legged quarter finals, progressing to semi-finals and final.

The two regional finalists in each North and South league will qualify for the Final Four weekend which will again take place in Coventry.

League manager Richard Carpenter said: "It was a long weekend but once again very much worthwhile to see all NIHL clubs and discuss issues face to face.

"The league has come a long way in the last 12 months and we look forward to the new campaign starting in September."