LONDON, UK – Two weeks to go till the first puck drops in the English National League and all the clubs are ramping up their preparations.
The latest must have accessory for any ENL team now appears to be a branded team car. Invicta Dynamos have had a branded car for a number of years, but it seems that they now have competition with both Bristol and Chelmsford revealing their blue Smart Car and white SEAT respectively this summer.
The pressure is clearly now on the rest of the team’s to follow suit and don’t be surprised to see the Oxford City Stars branded tractor, the Wightlink Raiders yacht and the Streatham Redskins armoured vehicle launched soon.
No one leaves till we find the key
Team branded cars are great advertising tools and often a decent perk for an import or star player, however I remember reading one amusing anecdote regarding the potential downsides of such a purchase. This story appeared in the highly amusing 482 days Oxford City Stars fanzine written by fan Colin Kirby sometime in the nineties:
‘The greatest player never to play for Oxford. Former NHL player Garry Unger turned up at a press conference in the Oxford rink bar and posed on the ice with a figure skater for the press. Alas that was as long as his association lasted as he was lured away by a coaching job in America.
Iron man Unger played for Peterborough Pirates and brought on their highly successful kid line. Unger is possibly the only player to get as far as the bar but not actually hit the ice.
It was supposed to be a well kept secret that Unger was coming to Oxford but that was not helped by the fact that he drove around Oxford in a sponsored car with his name plastered on the side for a few weeks before the big signing. Radio Oxford didn’t help either, announcing his capture on the morning of his press conference’
Does Andy Smith have a Dynamos car? He probably deserves one and given that he is a mechanic by trade the maintenance costs will be low. The shining light in the English National League over the past few seasons, Smith joined up again with the Kent club today, in a move that suddenly transforms the Mo’s outlook.
Moving away from motor vehicles for a few minutes, there is plenty of other news circulating the league. Nick Rothwell, the team owner of the side formerly known as Haringey Greyhounds appeared in a local paper last week, confirming that his newly branded North London Hounds will appear again in 2011/12.
A very sensible move by Mr Rothwell and it will be good if this fresh chapter of league hockey at Alexandra Palace proves a success. Nick and his team have time and space to get some sound infrastructure and finance in place, and there will never be a better opportunity to revitalise hockey in the North of the capital.
Great news for Milton Keynes fans arrived in the form of veteran defenseman Simon Howard coming out of retirement to ice for the Thunder. Howie is a class player and a great replacement for Michael Knights on the Buckinghamshire side’s blue line.
It was rather amusing to see the reaction towards Phil Manny’s interview on Prohockeynews.com last week. My personal thought is that the playing of the Welsh anthem is part of the experience of playing in Cardiff and most English players don’t really care. However I do remember many a junior tournament in Kirkcaldy, as I peered through my face cage standing on the blue line, I could see some of the angry Scottish fans and parents refusing to stand for God Save the Queen, before furiously booming out the Flower of Scotland a few seconds later. How did I feel as a teenager seeing my anthem disrespected? It just stirred me to play better and win the game. Unfortunately Fife teams were always quality sides so that didn’t happen too often!
Chelmo%27s new motor from Grants SEAT
I would personally scrap the national anthem before games unless it is a cup final or showpiece event. I am however in favour of each home team nominating a locally themed tune of their choice and then performing a Hakka challenge to the visitors just like the All Blacks Rugby team of New Zealand. I can just imagine some of the Redskins giving the outstretched arms and stomping manoeuvres to some N-Dubz track whilst the South London massive cheer us on. Ok, maybe not.
Speaking of the Redskins, we played a challenge game against the London Bulldogs on Saturday and ended up winning 5-3. Goals from Jack Tarczycki, Fred Carnegy, Michael Ranby, Russ Stevens and Chris Rasmussen sealed the victory, and it was a clean game against the Slovakian ex-pat outfit. Adam Hames dusted off his stripes to take charge of this non-checking affair and put in a good display with the whistle.
It seems that a number of sides will be icing in new jersey’s this season with Streatham, Bracknell, Invicta and Oxford’s designs all looking very smart. The best dressed league in British Hockey? I think we may be this season.
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
