LONDON, UK – Four names have been inducted into the UK Hockey Hall of Fame, chosen by Ice Hockey Journalists UK. They include Ron Shudra, Tim Cranston, Bill Sneddon and William Wylie Pollock
Going since 1948, the UK Hockey Hall of Fame chronicles those of both British and Foreign descent that have left their mark on the UK game since it first started.
Shudra, Cranston and co join a wealth of names from days gone by including the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal winning team, where Great Britain beat Canada to take home the most prized medal in the sport.
Names more familar to modern UK hockey fans include all time Nottingham Panthers leading points scorer Paul Adey, currently Head Coach of Ritten Renon in Italy’s Serie A, Fife Flyers legend Gordon Latto, Edinburgh Captials General Manager Scott Neil, Multi-Club character Hilton Ruggles and Cardiff Devils Director of Hockey, Shannon Hope.
Shudra, a long time lock for induction upon his retirement, now lives in Sheffield and is settled in the UK after 19 professional seasons in UK Hockey. Shudra retired at the age of 41 in 2009 after his final season as Player-Coach of Sheffield Scimitars.
A sell out crowd of 9000 turned out in April when the Sheffield Steelers raised his number 26 shirt to the roof against arch rivals Nottingham Panthers. A rare player to earn the respect of fans of every club, Panthers and Steelers fans alike came to see a legend earn his rightful spot in the rafters of the Sheffield Arena.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Shudra was taken in the 1986 draft by the Edmonton Oilers in Round 3 going on to make 10 appearences for the dynasty 1980s Oilers team, whilst spending the remainder of his time on their AHL affiliate, Nova Scotia Oilers.
First making the trip to the UK to join the Solihull Barons in the British Hockey League, with Hobs Moat Road a world away from the Nortgate Collesium he’d shared with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.
In years where imports were limited but of exceedingly high quality the defenceman went on to score 148 points (78+70) in just 32 games with the Solihull club.
With Solihull facing financial troubles after two seasons, Shudra moved to the newly founded Sheffield Steelers who had to enter the league in Division 1, the lowest level that Shudra had ever played at.
Wearing the Captains’ C on his shirt, Shudra scored 78 points in 26 games as he led them to promotion to the Premier League, and continued to score an an outstanding rate and earned the name “Rocket” Ron amongst Steelers fans.
Ever present until 1998 where Shudra was hit by injury after winning the Superleague championship, Shudra was cut from the Steelers in 1999 after 8 glorious years with the club.
Joining the Hull Thunder in the BNL, Shudra once again showed his dominance and earned another leigon of fans on the East Yorkshire coast, scoring just a shade under 100 points in two BNL seasons with the Hull Arena club.
After another brief stint at the Steelers, Shudra spent another season in the BNL with the Coventry Blaze winning another trophy in the process.
With the formation of the Elite League, Shudra re-joined the Sheffield Steelers for a final three seasons, recognised as one of the best readers of the game, Shudra was slowing down but was still a force in the league.
Finally, in 2006 Shudra decided to step down a league and joined Sheffield neighbours the Sheffield Scimitars in the EPL. Once again showing his attacking abilities scoring 55 points in 48 games in his first season, Shudra spent two more seasons including one as Player-Coach to bring a curtain down on his glorious career.
With over 750 appearences for the Steelers and Scimitars Shudra will always be Mr. Sheffield Steelers.
Appropriately, a long time team-mate of Shudra’s who also shares his view from the rafters, is number 4 Tim Cranston.
Novia Scotia born Cranston, who later became eligible and played for Great Britain, is best remembered for his time with Sheffield Steelers where he became known as one of the best scorers in the British game.
More generally, Cranston is best remembered for scoring the game winning goal for Great Britain as they won promotion to Group A of the World Championships in 1994 by beating the Netherlands to appear alongside the likes of hockey power houses USA, Canada and Russia for the first time in 33 years.
A part of the team of sports professionals responsible for the Bosman ruling, Cranston is not a wholly uncontroversial appointment to the Hall of Fame, but there is no doubt that his contribution to hockey on the ice with Durham, Sheffield and Edinburgh deserves his shirt retirement and induction into the Hall of Fame.
Cranston is now a Sports Lawyer and Hockey Agent and amongst others has represented Ice Hockey’s current phoenom, Sidney Crosby whilst he also went on to own The Players Cafe in Sheffield with legendary rock band Def Leppard.
Less well known to modern hockey fans, Bill Sneddon joins Cranston and Shudra in the Hall of Fame.
A Scottish post-war defenceman who started his career in the 1950s with Falkirk, Sneddon went on to notable fame for his part in Great Britain teams and for Durham and Fife.
Finally entering the Hall of Fame this year is William Pollock Wylie who is widely known as the founding father of Scottish ice hockey, but outside of Scotland is hardly known.
Initially setting up bandy games between ‘Scotland’ and London in the late Victorian era. Not only was he an influential bandy and latterly ice hockey figure, he also was a prominent cyclist, athlete and skater. Wylie helped set up many a bandy game and helped develop bandy into a form of ice hockey which lay the foundations for the modern game.
Wylie passed away in 1935 aged 66 after spending a long healthy life covering various sports and helping get sports recognised. He was also a keen skating judge and this took him on annual trips to Switzerland to indulge in his passion for ice and winter sports.
Contact the Author: phil.andrews@prohockeynews.com
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