LONDON, UK – The anticipated return of league ice hockey in North London was put on hold this week, as Pro Hockey News can exclusively reveal.
The newly formed Alexandra Palace Racers were expected to apply for a position in the National Ice Hockey League South Division 2 for the upcoming season; however this has been delayed until 2013/14 season.
Alexandra Palace Ice Rink
League ice hockey last graced the iconic building in 2009/10, with the resident Haringey Greyhounds finishing a controversial season a game short of the regular fixtures, after a disagreement with rink management.
A rumoured return of hockey in the 2010/11 season with the team renamed as the North London Hounds, failed to materialise under the guidance of Media mogul and former Isle of Wight star Nick Rothwell.
Despite this previous false dawn, hopes were high that the Alexandra Palace Racers would finally kick start hockey in a rink that has recently been refurbished and is crying out for a senior hockey team to add to the rapidly improving junior club still icing to Under 18 level.
Ill fated Greyhounds
A group of former supporters and volunteers were working hard to bring the new team to fruition and had secured the green light with the rink management to run the team out of the Palace.
The junior club also had an input within the initial committee but after consultation with various parties and in particular a lack of sponsorship, the wise decision was made to build a solid base over a longer period of time and unveil the new look Racers a year later than initially planned.
It is hoped the new team will link up strongly with the existing junior set up in the Palace and bring sustainable league hockey to a venue that has struggled to attract large crowds on a consistent basis and more importantly filter through quality local players and sponsorship in the last decade.
Haringey Juniors
The building itself has housed an ice rink since the early nineties and will be taken over by the Dutch during the Olympics as they turn the Palace into ‘Holland House’ over the next month or so, in an exciting venture sponsored by Heineken a brand well known to many UK hockey fans thanks to its sponsorship of the British Premier League in the late eighties and early nineties.
The whole Palace will become a showcase for the Netherlands, and will certainly be worth a visit despite the closure of the ice rink, which will have maintenance work done on it during that time.
The group hoping to form the Alexandra Palace Racers had been chaired by long time hockey fan Bob Cornhill, who sadly passed away suddenly last week and everyone within the hockey community’s thoughts are with his family and friends at what must be a difficult time.
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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