Top stars can plan to pack hockey bags

The country's finest players can now begin to plan when they must pack their hockey bags and where they will be heading to, after the release of the 2011-12 season fixtures.

England Hockey has confirmed a number of intriguing matches on the opening weekend of the new campaign, which is due to be on September 17th and 18th.

On that weekend, reigning champions Beeston will face Surbiton, while last year's winners of the women's league Reading are set to travel to EuroCanterbury.

Elsewhere in the men's top flight, newly-promoted Southgate and University of Exeter have been handed tough starts with fixtures against East Grinstead and Reading respectively.

Bowdon and Loughborough Students – who finished only three points apart last season – face an early showdown in the autumn, while the final match sees Hampstead and Westminster host Cannock.

In other hockey news, England's female under-21 stars last week faced Japan twice, drawing one tie but losing 8-0 in the other.