Good evening and welcome to tonight’s home game against the Sheffield Steeldogs. It’s a tough season up in Sheffield this season but Andre hasn’t given up yet on aiming for a play-off spot and a chance to bring a trophy to Sheffield so I’m sure tonight will be a tough challenge.
Last weekend, after we’d written the programme, Terry Miles announced his retirement from the game. At the age of 29 that’s a tough decision to make but as Terry said he has suffered terribly with injuries in his career and that coupled with the job offer he got made the decision a little easier to make. It was great to catch up with him and get an interview recorded after the game last Sunday for Jets TV and, like everybody, I wish him the very best for the future. I think he proved in his career that he is a bionic man and at least he got to achieve his career ambition of lifting the play-off trophy as a Slough Jet, ending as a winner last Sunday and a champion.
Last weekend for the second time we saw a tough, hard fought and physical game here at the Hangar. Two weekends ago Scott Spearing wound everyone up and ending up getting his just desert from Michael Wales and last weekend Grant McPherson suffered the same at the hands of Adam Greener. Hockey is a fast paced, high intensity game and tempers can flare. Adam stuck up for his coach last weekend who was taken out from behind by McPherson and it’s also worth considering his frustrations from earlier in the game. A couple of the penalties he was adjudged were fair enough but having the chance to watch the camera footage it’s also plain to see that a few were tough calls. In the heat of the moment, playing a high octane sport, frustrated at being penalised earlier and seeing your coach taken out from behind it’s understandable that you are going to react. It’s a part of the sport, dealt with on the ice by the combatants and punished again on the ice by the referee. For some it’s part of the appeal of the sport but it’s certainly a part without which the sport would be far less entertaining all round.
On Wednesday night it’s the first leg of the cup semi-final against the Basingstoke Bison. This is going to be a massive game for us, we don’t get the choice of home leg this time around so we have got by default the first leg with Shep taking the second leg for his home game. Again we wouldn’t have the choice if we make the final so it’s going to be a little tougher than it was in 2011 when we won the competition but I know a full house would go a great way to lifting the atmosphere for the team this Wednesday. I have no doubt the Bison fans will travel well to support their team so and thinking back to 2011 I know our crowds were good for both the semi-final and final so let’s hope for a great turn out Wednesday night and a good start in that competition.
Enjoy tonight’s game and get busy spreading the word for Wedneday.
My team, your team, OUR TEAM
Mark
