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Now is the winter of our discontent
by Craig Simpson
When the world of British ice hockey goes into meltdown, which it is apt to do from time to time, it’s generally during the off-season when to be honest there’s not a lot else happening.
This year, though, appears to be different.
The very public problems at both Coventry and Cardiff appear to have spurred the EIHL bosses into a root-and-branch review of the league and its membership by all accounts.
A source involved in the EIHL advised British Ice Hockey on Friday of the meeting of clubs – details of which were published on the BIH Twitter and Facebook.
The ‘big six’ had a get together and talked about import levels, spending levels and most controversial of all perhaps – the make up of the League.
Six team league? You’re having a laugh!
Well maybe, maybe not.
It’s sure that the coming weeks will be fraught with emotions on all sides, with everyone trying to do what is best for their clubs at this particular moment in time.
Whether it’s six, eight, ten whatever the make up of the EIHL going forward it has to be sustainable for ALL member clubs, not just those at the top.
The ‘Save the Blaze’ campaign of the last week brought back memories of last season in Viperland when Paddy O’Connor stopped funding the club. Now, as we found then, the support of the ice hockey community was brilliant – however it is very much a trick that can be used one time only.
The extra income from Saturday’s game may settle a few bills, keep the club going for another week but then you have to do it all again – it’s very draining for those involved and difficult going back to the well time and time again asking for more support from the same people.
While I was writing this news came through that Paul Thompson had stepped down as GB senior mens coach to fight the cause for the Blaze – that’s more for another blog.
The point is, Save the Blaze isn’t just this weekend, or this month – it’s from now till the season end and possibly beyond and there is no guarantee in its success.
I wish the Blaze fans well and hope they have a team for this season and beyond. And I hope that whatever comes of the latest round of ice hockey musical chairs, there are no clubs disappearing and no fans left without a team to support.
And yes, there’s just a little bit of sadness that it’s taken until one of the League’s powerhouses faces financial calamity for the League to realise they need to look at the costs of Elite League hockey. And that they didn’t heed the warnings from other owners as long as four years ago.
Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
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1-4 |
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4-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
2-4 |
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| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
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5-8 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-1 |
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4-1 |
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5-2 |
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3-7 |
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1-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
- Adam Walker
- Alex Birch
- Andy Pierce
- Chris Gent
- Christopher Beal
- Craig Simpson
- Dave Simms
- Elliott Stanley
- Gareth Chalmers
- James Broughton
- James Gordon
- Katy Madgwick
- Luke Catterson
- Mark Briggs
- Mark Duell
- Mat Young
- Patrick Smyth
- Promotion
- Russ Morrell
- Seanna Murdock
- Stephen Dowson
- Stewart Roberts
- Tom Forster
- Vicki Smart
- William Lyon
