BASINGSTOKE, UK – Doug Sheppard is the new player/coach replacing Steve Moria whose three year reign at the helm of the Herd was ended when his contract was not renewed for the coming season.
Sheppard, a native of Georgetown, Ontario is no stranger to the Herd having spent three years in Basingstoke between 2004 and 2007.
As well as being club captain, he was player/coach in his final year when previously with the Bison and guided them to their best ever finish in the Elite League, when they came seventh out of 10 with a record of 23-25-6.
In three seasons in Basingstoke he played 138 league games scoring 72 times in a points tally of 148 putting him in the top 20 all time scorers at the club.
He left the club first time around after an ownership change with the Herd which saw Ryan Aldridge installed as coach.
Sheppard remained in the Elite League playing for the Sheffield Steelers where he was also assistant/coach.
During his three years in Yorkshire he won the play-off crown twice and one league title once.
He then returned south to join the Slough Jets in his first season was part of their EPL Cup winning team as they beat Basingstoke in the final with Sheppard scoring the final goal of the contest.
Last season, Sheppard took over the player/coach role at the Jets and guided them to fourth place in the EPL and then the play-off crown as the won their quarter-final tie in overtime over Milton Keynes, before beating Guildford and Manchester in the finals at Coventry.
Before coming to Britain, the forward played four years in the NCAA with Providence College.
He then has spells at Roanoke Express (ECHL), New Haven Knights (UHL), Fassa in Italy and the Okalhoma City Blazers (CHL).
Now he will be hoping to bring some trophies to Basingstoke and end a silverware drought of over 10 years.
“I did not want to leave when I was last at Basingstoke, but new owners took over the Bison and they wanted to change things so I had to move on,” said new Bison player/coach Sheppard.
“I enjoyed the fans and I am looking forward to the challenge of winning a trophy for them.”
Ironically three years ago Moria, who Sheppard takes over from also won the play-off crown with Slough, before returning to the Bison.
At the time the club had just joined the EPL after nearly going bust in their final year in the Elite League.
Moria built a team from scratch and got the feel good factor back in the sport in the town as they finished fifth and then fourth in his first two years at the helm.
Last season was a very difficult year as the Bison’s season never really got going and they slipped back to sixth.
The club will hold an testimonial game for Moria who is one of the legends of the British game having first come to Britain in 1987 at the start of the coming season.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com
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