As one door closes another opens

CHELMSFORD,U.K-The end of the 2007-08 season saw the Chelmsford Chieftains deep in financial trouble. So much so that without the financial backing the management had sought to keep the club in the English Premier League there was no option left but to drop to the lower English National League and merge with Chelmsford Warriors. Naturally a drop of that magnitude would mean a number of players leaving the semi-professional club to find their fortune elsewhere. Without much thought, it was clear which of the Chieftains players would be targets for other clubs in the EPL. The first to sign elsewhere was defenseman Euan Forsyth. Shortly after his announcement that he was moving to Wiltshire to ice for

the Swindon Wildcats, the Romford Raiders announced that they had picked up both Scott McKenzie and exciting Canadian Mark Stewart. Stewart breathed new life into the Chieftains when he arrived midway through the season and scored a bundle of points in a short space of time. Since the announcement regarding Stewart and McKenzie, Romford coach Rob Stewart has made another raid on the Chieftains roster and has snapped up popular utility player Danny Wright. Not all players though are staying local to the Essex club as Luke Reynolds will be following in his former captain’s footsteps to the south coast and has signed up with the Wightlink Raiders.
For Scott McKenzie it was a fairly easy decision to leave as the opportunity to remain in the EPL and not the lowest level of senior mens ice hockey in Britan was a no-brainer for the hard-working and ambitious British star. “The decision for me to leave was pretty much made for me, I cannot drop down two leagues and the opportunity to play for Rob Stewart was one that I couldn’t resist,” Mckenzie said. “You have got to admire what he did for Romford last season and I believe he will make me a better player and lead us to glory.”   It is not the first time McKenzie has played at Romford and the last time he was there many of the Raiders fans were not overly endeared to him and some questioned his return and his commitment to the club. McKenzie had this message to the Raiders fans. “I have a lot to prove to myself as well as to you, I want to be the best British player in the league and to do that it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, a point WILL be proved this season,” Mckenzie said. “I give it my all every game and you will see that next season, I love ice hockey and give everything I have to the game no matter who I play for.” Losing a team captain is hard at any time of the season, but even more so when you have started to build a young team and given the responsibility of leading them to 24 year old Tom Long. It was a bit of a surprise to Long when coach Simon Howard asked him to wear the C.“When it was announced that I was Captain I was made up, I mean I used to go and watch this team as a kid and now I’m leading them out! It doesn’t matter what level your playing at, to wear the C feels amazing,” Long said. “I’m not going to the Island with any expectations of wearing a A or C but that won’t change the way I play, I’ll still give it all I’ve got and hopefully the fans will like me there too, as they did in Chelmsford.”   Long, like any player in sport was mightily disappointed to have missed out on the playoffs with the Chieftains. With the Raiders (Wighlink) struggling at the wrong end of the league for a few seasons now I asked Long if he thought that feeling might return come the end of this season. “I was really disappointed about not qualifying for the playoffs last year, we had a really up and down year with lots of changes to the team which I don’t think helped our consistency throughout the year and I was completely gutted to get injured in the run in to the playoffs it was the first time in my career that I hadn’t made it and I’m not looking to feel like that again,” Long said. “I think that the Raiders are putting a strong team together and we’re all hoping to really push for a top eight finish.” Being as popular as he was at the Riverside in Chelmsford losing a player like Long is not only a big blow on the ice, but off it too.   “At the end of the year I had no reason to want to leave, I liked the set up in Chelmsford, the fans and playing there,” Long said. “It’s unfortunate that what’s happened has happened and I hope to see the Chiefs back in the EPL soon.”   There is no time to rest on memories though as Long is looking to the future already. “As for the future, I’ve already had a bit of contact with a few people at the Raiders and they seem happy to have me there and very welcoming which is so nice, after up-rooting yourself and moving to play in a new place it’s all made a lot easier when everyone is so supportive, and really I can’t wait to get going as I love to play hockey and I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy playing on the Island,” Long said.
Euan Forsyth was the first of the Chelmsford stars to sign up elsewhere. The Swindon Wildcats were one of the first to make an approach for the Scotsman and it was a fairly easy choice for Euan to make.   “I decided to join Swindon after speaking to the coach Peter Russell, he explained the role he wants me to play next season and with the team he has put together so far I think we can challenge for some silverware,” Forsyth said. “I’ve known Peter since I was under 16s and think he can improve me as a player and to be honest it wasn’t a hard decision to leave Chelmsford especially after they pulled out of the EPL.” “I have ambitions to play at the highest level and represent GB again and playing ED2 would be a step back at this stage of my career.”   Forsyth echoed his former captain’s comments. “Last season was very disappointing, on our day we could beat anyone, and not making the playoffs was one of the worst moments I’ve had in hockey to date,” Forsyth said.
The players were united though in their praise of the loyal Chieftains fans who have stuck by the club through the hardships they have faced to date, Tom Long made this remark when asked about playing for the Chieftains again and what he would like to say to the fans. “As for staying and playing in ED2 that would have been a tough choice although the league has really improved while I can I’d like to play in the higher league, well up until the batterings take their toll, but I do wish everyone well at the Chiefs and hope they do well,” Long said. “After speaking with most of the fans at Chelmsford I think they know that it was a hard choice for me to leave there but I think they all understand and I hope to see them at a few games next year and wish the Chiefs all the luck to get them back up to where they belong.”
These sentiments were echoed by Forsyth. “For the Chelmsford fans I want to say thank you for all the support last season, I enjoyed my time as a Chieftain even though we never had the best of seasons and I hope they are back playing in the EPL in the near future, they deserve it,” Forsyth said.
McKenzie was of a similar mind.  “I don’t know if  I’ll regret anything about not playing for the Chieftains, but I know I’ll miss the fans, the one thing that annoys me is that I’ll never know what could’ve been in Chelmsford,” Mckenzie said. “I have had a good season and then the team folds, Its such a shame and a waste it seems, but I am sure they will be back.”
Other Chieftains are also on their way to pastures new. Controversial and long serving net minder Andy Moffat is set to move back to Scotland. Perhaps one of the biggest blows to the team is the loss of promising young defenseman man Danny Cox who is likely to return to his former team the Haringey Greyhounds. The loyal, hard working and ever-learning youngster learnt a huge amount during his season with the EPL side and made such an impression on the teams former coach Simon Howard that Howard awarded him “Coach’s Player of the Year” at the end of season awards night.   Contact the author at Pete.lewis@prohockeynews.com