BASINGSTOKE: It is all change at the Herd for this coming season, after treble winning head coach Doug Sheppard left for neat neighbours and arch rivals the Bracknell Bees.
Joining him at the Hive are a good core of the Bison from last season, meaning the Bees will now be buzzing for glory. While no one expected the Herd to win all three trophies again, it has became a whole lot harder with a brand new looking team and new head coach.
The man taking over at the helm at the Bison is top British player Ashley Tait, and the former Elite League star will be their new player/coach.
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A legend of the modern game in Britain, with 633 Elite League appearance to his name, the Toronto-born forward who grew up in Nottingham, having started playing at the age of five
He enjoyed glory with the Panthers, followed by success with the Coventry Blaze and Sheffield Steelers.
In fact, his last game in Basingstoke was in a Steelers’ uniform and he played alongside Doug Sheppard on the same Sheffield team.
Sheppard scoring once on that evening, while Tait returned 2+1 and picked up the man of the match award in a 5-3 victory.
He now has the big job of rebuilding the Bison, but had been able to get some building blocks from last year’s team with the re-signings of back-up goalie Dan Weller-Evans, Elliott Dewey, Hallam Wilson, Paul Petts, Cam Buckle and Oscar Evans.
He first signing was outside the club was highly rated netminder Alex Mettam from the Bracknell Bees, which is a straight swap as the Herd’s starter Dean Skinns has joined the Bees.
Even if he has never played for the Herd, Mettam in fact lives in the town and is looking forward to back stopping the team this coming campaign.
The latest addition this week is another Basingstoke junior player in Alex Sampford, who arrives after last term playing for Streatham.
This still leaves Tait with a number of Brits to sign and two new imports to the club, as both of last year’s are Bracknell bound to link up with Sheppard.
“I was really pleased to be able to sign some of last season’s treble winning team and I am looking forward to the season ahead.
“At the moment it looks like we will have a young team, but what I have seen, everyone wants to do well. We will have a good team work ethic and turn up to play every night. I am looking forward to coaching the players I have,” said Tait.
It is certainly going to make for a very interesting season, especially when the Bison and Bees meet for the first time.
Then a strange twist of fate could well see them face each other in the end of season play-offs.
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