Wightlink Raiders
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| Wightlink Raiders | ||
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| League: | EPIHL | |
| Founded: | 1991 | |
| Home Ice: | Ryde Arena | |
| Capacity: | 1000 | |
| Ice Size: | 165ft x 80ft | |
| City: | ||
| Colours: |
White, Red, Black |
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| Captain: |
Jason Coles |
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| Head Coach: |
Gareth Endicott |
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| Ownership: |
Wightlink Raiders 2007/2008 |
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| Website: | ||
The Wightlink Raiders are an ice hockey team based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, England. They are sponsored by Wightlink and play in the second-tier English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL). The team are known for their small ice rink, which has in the past barred them from competing at a higher level.
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[edit] History
Originally called the Solent Vikings, the team changed to their current name a year later. Although they were known as the Isle of Wight Raiders between 1999 and 2003 when Wightlink withdrew sponsorship, before the company re-joined the club in 2004. They are still the only club to be formally known with their sponsor in their name. Due to the clubs location on the Isle of Wight the team would struggle to survive without Wightlink's support.
In the 1990s, they dominated the English National League (now called the English Premier League), winning the league a record five straight years, including winning the league's cup competition during that time as well.
[edit] 2005/2006
However, the 2005/2006 season was the club's worst ever performance wise. The team lost its main sponsor - Steve Porter Transport - and with it a majority of its budget. This meant the roster suffered with players leaving and only junior players from the Isle of Wight Wildcats replacing them apart from one new import signing (Brian McLaughlin). With the English Premier League welcoming in four new teams - including Guildford who have a budget many times that of the Raiders - results soon suffered. The team lost its joint coach Andy Pickles mid-way through the campaign, and would eventually finish the season bottom of the table - the club's worst ever position.
[edit] 2006/2007 Season
Wightlink had an awful season again despite signing 10 new players, finishing rock bottom with an even worse record than the previous year.
Wightlink Raiders Player Coach Jason Coles stepped down as coach early in the 2006/2007 season, taking his place as the teams new bench coach was Scott Carter. However in February 2007 Scott Carter also stepped down from coaching duties. Both Coles and Carter continued to play for the team. Dave Williams & Steve Gannaway both stepped up to Coaching Duties, but only enjoyed one win which was away from home in Telford. The season cuminated in an embarrassing 16-3 home loss against Milton Keynes - the worst home league result in the club's history.
[edit] 2007/2008
With the last two seasons put behind them, and a new management team running the club the Raiders finally got a boost that made the rest of the league sit up and notice. The team announced on 18th April 2007 that former Superleague and Great Britain star Les Millie would be the new player coach for the 2007/2008 season. The 34 year old left the Sheffield Scimitars where he was Assistant Coach for five seasons, guiding them to second in the league table and losing play-off finalists.
With a new and promising roster in place for the new season, Les Millie is confident that the team will once again rise and challenge in the EPIHL.
[edit] Team Roster
Management
- Manager
Steve Price - Manager Tony Francis
- Manager Geoff Underwood
- Manager Andy Shier
- Secretary June Francis
Coaching Staff
- Head Coach Gareth Endicott
- Assistant Coach Steve Gannaway
Goaltenders
- #01 Toby Cooley
- #25
Slavomir Sojak Non EIHA Trained
Defencemen
- #21 Will Francis
- #20 Richard Wojciak
- #44 Andrew Shurmer
- #08 Chad Reekie
- #07 Damon Larter
- #76 Milan Kabat - Released Oct 07 Non EIHA Trained
Forwards
- #12 Steve Gosset
- #23 Andrew Robinson
- #27 Norman Pinnington - Released to Romford Raiders Oct O7
- #33
Jason Coles - C Non EIHA Trained - #49 Nicky Watt - A
- #41 Gareth Endicott
- #17 James Francis - Moved to Guildford Junior Team
- #15 Robert Franc Non EIHA Trained
- #58 Juraj Rusic Non EIHA Trained
- #24 Micheal Hargreaves - A
- #?? Danny Hughes
- #?? Ashley Skinns
[edit] Notes and references
[edit] External links
- Unofficial Raiders - Unofficial Fan Site for the Wightlink Raiders
- Vectis Tigers - The Isle of Wight's ENIHL Team, the Vectis Tigers
