David Clarke and Hep Tindale have been inducted into the UK Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Each year, the Hall of Fame selection committee recognises individuals – usually players but also coaches, match officials and administrators – who have rendered outstanding service to British ice hockey.
Clarke began his career with his home-town club Peterborough and also iced for Newcastle (ISL), Milton Keynes (BNL), London (ISL) and Guildford (BNL), before joining Nottingham Panthers in 2003.
He scored 366 goals and 722 points in the Elite League and won 92 Great Britain caps, which is currently fourth on the all-time list.
George Hepple Holt Tindale, always known as Hep, was a County Durham native. He enjoyed a long and productive career with his local Wasps from the 1960s to the 1980s, playing defence and centre, and in later seasons was their player‑coach.
Tindale learned to skate in the Durham rink at the age of 10, working his way up through the junior system from the Mosquitoes to the Hornets and joining the senior Wasps at 15.
Clarke said: “I am so honoured to receive this very special recognition.
“To be recognised for playing the sport you love is so humbling and I would like to thank everyone involved in the nomination process.”
Stewart Roberts, who is a member of the selection committee, said: “David Clarke was one of the easiest choices the committee has ever had to make.
“He’s a legend in Nottingham ice hockey and one of the all-time best players in the long history of our national team.
“We rate him so highly that we have awarded him the rare honour of being one of the few players to be inducted as soon as the Hall’s time limit of one year from retirement expired.
“The name Hep Tindale probably won’t mean much to the modern hockey fan but, on reviewing his career, we felt his scoring and leadership achievements with the famous Durham Wasps club and for his country, richly deserved some overdue recognition.”
