PETERBOROUGH, UK – The Peterborough Islanders will be warming up for the new season by firing pucks at one of their fans, and they have drafted in Great Britain star and former player David Clarke to help out.
The Islanders have devised a new way of dismissing the off-season blues by launching ‘An Idiot gets hurt’. This novel way of shooting rubber discs at innocent people (in this case long time hockey fan Neil Oglesbee) will take place during the forthcoming John Hunter Memorial game on August 14th at Peterborough Ice Rink.
John Hunter was tragically killed in a motorbike accident whilst part of the Islanders team and his brothers Tony and Kevin were also heavily involved in Peterborough ice hockey with Tony laying claim to scoring the first ever goal for the Peterborough Pirates back in the 1980’s.
The game this year will include a Legends side that will include the likes of Cassie Dawkins, Karl Owen, Ian Wilson, David Clarke and Jason Buckman amongst others. They will take on the current Islanders team with all proceeds going to MacMillan Cancer Support. Not only will an idiot get hurt, but there is also a shirt auction, ice dancing and a display from the Peterborough Phantoms under 10 side.
“A few months ago Karl Owen asked a few of us guys if we would go and watch the Isles play against Streatham Bruins” explained former Islanders defenseman John Cranston.
“His son Josh was mascot for the match as it was his birthday. Lee Muxlow, David Whitwell, Dan Wilson and I were sat in the bar and thought it would be a great idea to have a game of past players versus the current team”
“We set Karl Owen to the helm of the ship and Matt Whitwell and I have been helping him along the way, along with Ross Mackintosh and Richard Wheatley”
Despite their current position in English National League Division 2, the Islanders had until recently held their own in Division 1 before a disastrous season in 2009/10 saw them relegated.
Wren – Photo by Tim Bowers
They are slowly building a new foundation however a number of their former players are playing for other clubs in higher leagues. Players like goalie Euan King who recently played at Chelmsford, utility player Jason Buckman and defenseman Julian Smith at Romford, Fraser Hendry at Oxford and now Conor Pollard at Wightlink.
“It would be great to see those guys back home in an Islanders shirt” admitted Cranston.
“Wages could be an issue but if the Isles can get back into ENL 1 they would be in a better position to attract those guys back and we could have one hell of a team”
“The Islanders are the ‘second’ senior side in Peterborough and since the Pirates days it has given guys who want to play senior hockey before they make the jump to English Premier League (EPL), or guys coming to the tail end of their career the opportunity to play competitive hockey without the commitment of the EPL”
“In short the Isles are a farm team as are all the other teams in the same situation like MK Thunder and Bracknell Hornets. All these teams do really well considering their situation and still get their share of the honours”
“It’s great to see they can still mix it up with the bigger parent clubs like Invicta, Wightlink, Chelmsford and Romford and I hope there doesn’t become a gap in-between the parent clubs within the same league pinching the better players and the farm teams suffering as a result”
Mackintosh – Photo by Tim Bowers
The Islanders have already started a tough pre-season routine as they look towards a minimum top 4 finish in 2011/12. With a number of quality junior players in the East of England mixed with some experienced heads the Islanders should have enough to achieve that aim this season.
As for the poor ‘Idiot’ Ian Oglesbee, well he was last seen sweating whilst watching DVDs of Goldberg the goalie getting taped to the goal in Mighty Ducks the Movie. One hundred pucks will be fired his way during the first period break so everyone at Pro Hockey News wish him all the best and recommend he takes an ice bath afterwards to reduce the swelling and bruising.
Proposed squads for John Hunter Memorial game – August 14 2011:
Islanders Legends: Tim Peacock, Stevie Johnson, David Clarke (GB international), Steve Higgins, Ian Wilson, Adam Reynolds, Lee Muxlow, Matt Whitwell, Sonny Thompson, Ross Wooding, Karl Owen, Jason Buckman, Russell Coleman, Cassie Dawkins, Clint Herring, Bernie Bradford, Keiron De’ath, Dan Wilson, John Cranston, James Bennett, Bert Amos (N/M), Dan Jennings (N/M), James Moore (N/M)
Peterborough Islanders 2011/12: Simon Wren (N/M), Steven Wren, Dale Jowett, Jon Brammall, Stuart Dane, David Micheli, James Pentecost, Leon Groom, Ross Horsley, Ross Mackintosh, Jamie Lane (N/M) and more to be announced…
For more information visit: http://www.peterboroughislanders.co.uk/
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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