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STATEMENT FROM RAIDERS MANAGEMENT
(19-Mar-07) The Wightlink Raiders management team would like to put on record our thanks to everyone involved in helping the Raiders complete what has been another difficult season. In particular we'd like to thank you the fans for staying with us through the bad times. Your unwavering support is the key reason why we can now make big plans for next season. Aside from the fans there are a number of people too numerous to mention who deserve our thanks. In particular we'd like to thank Mavis without whom the team simply couldn't function. Thanks also to Scott and latterly to Ganners and Dave for coming in to coach the team in difficult times. We should also put on record our thanks to Jason and Esme Coles for all their hard work in running the team in recent years. As a management team we are now fully committed to providing you with a team that will bring the glory days back to Ryde Arena. We fully accept and understand the fans frustrations and some of the recent performances including last night's were embarrassing and totally unacceptable. Behind the scenes we are now working tirelessly to secure the funding we need to get the Raiders back in their rightful place at the top end of the table. We are in advanced talks with a number of companies keen to get involved next year and if you have any leads that may help us gain more funds please let us know. We can gear sponsorship packages to suit any need and the cost of sponsoring the team may be more affordable than you think. We have also been busy talking to prospective coaches and players for next season. The decision on who to appoint has been difficult as a number of high calibre candidates have come forward. We expect to be in a position to formally announce our new coach once the play offs are completed next month. We then hope to start announcing players shortly afterwards and our aim is to get most of the squad signed up within a couple of months. Once we have anything to announce it will appear on this website first before being released to IOW Radio, Solent TV and the County Press. Thank you again for your support this season. We hope to be able to reward you with a team worthy of your support for the 2007-2008 season. |
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ANOTHER WIN ON THE ROAD !!
(05-Mar-07) Wightlink Raiders were triumphant on the road for the second time this season with a 5-3 win over Telford on Sunday night. Jason Coles scored twice before being given a match penalty which rules him out of this Saturday's game against Slough. The other scorers were Norman Pinnington, Nicky Watt and Dave Williams. Elsewhere behind the scenes management are continuing to talk to prospective coaches and players for next season although formal announcements on signings are unlikely before the completion of the league play offs in April. |
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BIG GAME FOR SWINDON
(02-Mar-07) The Wightlink Raiders welcome old rivals Swindon to Ryde Arena this weekend with the Wildcats desperate for points to grab the 8th and final play off place. Swindon have beaten the Raiders three times already this season, the last being a 7-6 win on the Island last month. James Francis will return to the line up this weekend after missing several weeks through injury. Dan Giden and Steve Gannaway are both out with Gannaway hoping to be back for his 500th game against Milton Keynes in two weeks time. |
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NICKY BACK FROM SUSPENSION
(20-Feb-07) Wightlink Raiders will welcome Nicky Watt back from suspension for the trip to Milton Keynes, which is the Raiders only match this weekend. Nicky missed last week's defeat in Guildford after picking up a match penalty against Peterborough the previous weekend. Missing from the line up this week will be Steve Gannaway and Dan Giden both with knee injuries. Meanwhile the management team will this week start meeting up with prospective player coaches for next season after receiving several approaches from interested parties. Its hoped a deal can be tied up before the end of the current season. |
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ISLAND BUSINESS STEPS IN TO COVER SPONSORSHIP SHORTFALL
(20-Feb-07) An Island based business has stepped in to help out the Wightlink Raiders by injecting cash into the club to help it through to the end of the season. The donation by In Flight Peripherals helps to make up some of the shortfall from the two main team sponsors neither of whom have paid the full amount initially agreed. This donation will allow the management team to focus on building a new, competitive team for next year without having to worry about the finances for this season. In Flight Peripherals have provided financial support to the Raiders for a number of years. Based in Newport they manufacture equipment for in-flight entertainment systems used on commercial aircraft including the new airbus A380 AND Boeing 787. Geoff Underwood from In Flight Peripherals is also on the management team. "We're pleased to continue our association and this cash injection helps us prepare properly for next season. Its worth noting that if the sponsors had provided the funds they promised the club would have finished the season in a healthy financial position. If we can increase the amount of local sponsorship we bring in there's no reason why we can't build a team more than capable of challenging at the right end of the table next season." |
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CHRIS WHITE
STATEMENT (10-Feb-07) The Wightlink Raiders can confirm that Chris White may have played his last game for the club this season. Although Chris hasn't been officially released from his contract he has been informed that because of the 4 import role he is unlikely to ice again this season. The decision was made after last weekend's match with Swindon. Andy Shier from the management team says it was a tough decision, "Chris has done a great job for us and his contribution to the team efforts has not gone unnoticed by anyone. He is a popular player in the changing room and in an ideal world we'd like to have kept him on. But with Scott Carter resuming his playing role at the club we felt that it would be unfair to make Chris sit on the sidelines. We are negotiating the terms of his release with him at the moment and want to wish him all the best for the future." |
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A NEW FACE TRAINING WITH
THE TEAM (08-Feb-07) For the rest of the season Milan Soltys has been invited to train with the Wightlink Raiders. Milan has recently arrived on the Island and has a full time job in Ventnor working for a top hotel. Having played in one of the best junior leagues in Europe we will give every opportunity to him to show us his talents. Milan played in the Extraliga playing for HK SKP POPRAD. His stats are impressive and he played against the likes of Marek Hornak (Swindon Wildcats) who recently played against the Raiders. |
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SCOTT
CARTER STEPS DOWN AS RAIDERS COACH (02-Feb-07) The Raiders can confirm that Scott Carter has stepped down as the Raiders coach after last weekends defeats, but will continue to play in the team. The Raiders would like to thank Scott for all his hard work and dedication to the team in the last few months. He has done a terrific job helping the team out in difficult circumstances and we hope that he will remain as part of the Raiders set up in the future. Dave Williams and Steve Gannaway will look after the coaching duties for the remainder of the season, in the roles of joint player coaches. |
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FANS HELP RAIDERS END SEASON
(23-Jan-07) The Wightlink Raiders go into this weekend's games with Peterborough and Bracknell with fans to thank for helping the team survive the season. A recent appeal to supporters has generated an amazing £1,500..enough to guarantee the club can stay afloat through to the end of the season. It has also given the club a solid base to start building for next season. "Once again our supporters have been incredible." said a Raiders spokesman, "The shortfall from the sponsors has caused us a few problems but sponsorship from the genuine fans who come week in week out has dug us out of a hole. We now have sufficient funds to get to the end of the season and hopefully move up the table with an even stronger squad. We're also making great progress towards next season. We're hoping to have sponsorship in place early enough to be able to announce some signings before our final match of this season. All we can promise our fans is that their loyalty will be rewarded. Making the play offs next year is our absolute goal and we are already starting work to ensure that next year's squad will be competitive at this level. We have a fan base other teams can only dream about and another season of struggle is not an option to us." The Raiders will welcome new recruit Richie Hargreaves to the squad this weekend but will be missing James Francis who'll be out until March with his knee injury. |
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RAIDERS SIGN ANOTHER TOP BRIT
(23-Jan-07) The Wightlink Raiders are delighted to confirm the return of Richard Hargreaves to a Raiders shirt. 28 year old Richie, brother of Mike, has signed in time to make his season debut at home to Peterborough this Saturday. Richie started this season at Swindon Wildcats before a brief spell at Elite League Basingstoke. He last played for the Raiders in 2003 and made over 100 appearances in a five year spell here. A Raiders spokesman confirmed his arrival this morning, "Richie was keen to come and play here so we've moved quickly to snap him up. We've agreed a deal with him that he'll play to the end of the season but have agreed to release him if an Elite League team come in for him." Coach Scott Carter is pleased with his new signing. "The fans know him well and he's a quality Brit who'll add significant depth to our squad. The guys are determined to move up the EPL table and having Richie on board is obviously going to help us achieve that ambition." |
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RAIDERS CAUGHT UP IN TITLE RACE !!! (12-Jan-07) The Wightlink Raiders may be out of play off contention but they can still have a big say in the outcome of the league title race in the next few weeks. Fans of the Premier League are enjoying the closest championship race for years with four teams still vying for the title and the Raiders have 5 matches coming up against 3 of the contenders. This weekend sees the visit of third placed Bracknell Bees including the return of old fans favourite Joe Baird. Bracknell narrowly beat the Raiders 2-0 in their last visit to Ryde in November with Toby Cooley producing one of the best netminding performances ever seen on the Island. Then on Sunday the Raiders make their final trip up the A3 this season to the home of the reigning Premier League champions Guildford Flames. New signing Phil Manny will be missing this weekend as he represents the Great Britain university team at a tournament in Italy. Also absent is Steve Gosset who is off travelling for the remainder of the season. |
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NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR RAIDERS
(12-Jan-07)
The Wightlink Raiders have a new management team in place to see the team through to the end of the season. The new management, Wightlink Raiders 2007-2008, will work in association with Planet Ice, to safeguard the future of the team to the end of the season, with a view to also looking after the interests of the team next season. The management team is headed up by Supporters Club president Tony Francis and treasurer Steve Price and they'll be assisted in the day to day management duties by Andy Shier and Geoff Underwood. Scott Carter will remain as Raiders coach. Steve Price, who'll be in charge of team budgeting, is urging supporters to give their backing to the new management. "We're taking this team on with the sole intention of preserving the future of ice hockey on the Island. Finances are very tight but we've given Scott assurances that we can see the season through with the current squad as things stand. But we will need to tighten our belts and we are relying on maintaining the fantastic attendances for the last 8 games of the season. All I can assure fans and sponsors is that every penny raised will go directly towards the operational running of the team and nothing else." The Raiders can also confirm the signing of Solihull Barons forward Phil Manny who signs to the end of the season. 22 year old Manny, who joined Solihull from Cardiff last season, will make his debut in Saturday's game at home to Milton Keynes Lightning. |
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RAIDERS SHORT ON NUMBERS FOR FIRST GAME OF 2007
(05-Jan-07) The Wightlink Raiders go into battle against Romford and Swindon this weekend missing several players through injury and suspension. Stuart Tait has broken his thumb and will miss both games while forward Dan Giden is still struggling with his knee injury and is definitely out. Also absent are the suspended Steve Gosset and Liam Doyle who is unavailable. The rest of the squad are back from their Christmas break and their 3 week unbeaten run !! Coach Scott Carter says his team are buoyed up for the game. "Coming off the back of the win against Telford the guys are feeling confident going into this weekend. We know what to expect from Romford. They have some high scoring forwards and a physical presence that should make for a good battle. They're also bringing their usual support along so we should be in for a fun night !!" Face off on Saturday is 6pm. On Sunday the Raiders travel to Swindon. |
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RAIDERS GEAR UP FOR LAST WEEKEND OF 2006
(15-Dec-06) The Wightlink Raiders go into their final two games of 2006 determined to get back to winning ways. The Raiders started the year at the bottom of the Premier League and will be going all out to make sure they don't end the year in the same position. Visitors to Ryde Arena on Saturday are Telford, who currently sit one place and three points above the Raiders in the league table. On Sunday Scott Carter's men travel to Slough for a rearranged league match. Leading scorer Daniel Giden will be missing this weekend after a recurrence of his troublesome knee injury. Nicky Watt will sit out the Telford match as he completes his 3 match suspension while Toby Cooley is available again after missing last weekend's double header in Sheffield. In the meantime the Raiders management and owners would like to take this opportunity to wish every supporter a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and extend huge thanks for the unwavering support you've shown us during the past year. |
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RAIDERS WELCOME BACK FANS FAVOURITE
!! (27-Nov-06) The Wightlink Raiders are pleased to confirm the signing of former Raiders forward Michael Hargreaves. Mike spent 5 years with the Raiders before leaving to join Swindon in 2003 where he's spent the last four seasons. He was released by Swindon last week and has been quickly snapped up by coach Scott Carter. "Mike is a solid all round hockey player who can play in both ends of the rink and he will compliment our team nicely. He was a hugely popular player for us last time around and I know he's looking forward to renewing his acquaintance with the fans. He'll also help improve the depth of the squad greatly." Hargreaves will be available to return to a Raiders shirt this weekend for the visit of Solihull to Ryde Arena on Saturday. |
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RAIDERS ADD CANADIAN IMPORT TO THEIR RANKS
(22-Nov-06) The Wightlink Raiders are pleased to confirm the signing of Canadian forward Dave Williams. 25 year old Williams started the season with the Amarillo Gorillas in the CHL and will make his debit for the Raiders against Bracknell this weekend. Last season Williams played for the Hull Stingrays when they were in the English Premier League. In 48 games for them last year he scored 21 goals with 18 assists and racked up 160 penalty minutes. Williams' signing brings the import quota up to 5 with Scott Carter reverting to his bench coach role from this weekend. |
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A
Definite Date For
Your Diary
(22-Nov-06) On Thursday 7th December we will be holding an Alumni Night Of Hockey. The night will consist of 2 X 20 Minutes of hockey as well as six skill competitions - Penalty Shoot Out ( 3 Pucks), Fastest team, Fastest skater, Plates Shoot Out, Relay Teams, and Cone/Puck skating. Costs Will Be £3 (Child), And £5 (Adult), and tickets will be on sale from Saturday the 2nd Dec from the supporters club table, there will be a raffle and 50/50 draw. Neil will also be having some specials in the Raiders bar - Doubles £2, Beer Pitcher £5 And A Happy Hour Between 10pm - 11pm. Alumni night players now confirmed are - Stuart MacIntosh - Richard Hargreaves - Tony Blaise- Paul Sanderson- Neil Leary - Matt Wynn - Ivor Ambridge, there are many more players to follow. This Is An Important Fundraiser For The Team, So Please Try To Support It |
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| FANTASTIC RAIDERS GET OFF THE MARK !!
(06-Nov-06) The Wightlink Raiders are finally among the points in the EPL after a stunning 5-4 on the road victory at Chelmsford on Sunday night. The win, that had threatened for some time, finally arrived with Greg Blais picking up man of the match after saving 39 of the 43 shots he faced. Jason Coles scored twice with Nicky Watt, Chris White and Scott Carter completing the scoring. Coach Carter was understandably delighted. "It feels great and I have to say the way we've been playing we really deserve it. We battled hard all night and that second period when we were killing penalties for virtually the whole 20 minutes was unbelievable. Every player worked their socks off and we're all feeling it a bit this morning !!" The Raiders win has boosted confidence in the camp and the team are now relishing this weekend's matches says Scott, "Yeah confidence is high but we mustn't rest on our laurels. The play offs are still a pipe dream really but if we can get a run together you never know. We also know we still need to strengthen the squad so will be working hard to do so in the next week or so." Next game for the Raiders is away at play off champions Milton Keynes on Saturday. They then entertain the Slough Jets at home on Sunday. Face off is at 5.30pm. |
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| DEFENCEMAN LEAVES
CLUB The Wightlink Raiders can confirm that Mark McCoy has left the club. McCoy who joined the team in the summer has left the club by mutual consent. Raiders coach Scott Carter says mark goes with the clubs best wishes. "Mark is a quality player and we are sorry to see him go, but his departure is purely down to financial reasons, and nothing to do with his performance as a player. We wish him all the best for the future and are now actively seeking his replacement." Tomorrow the Wightlink Raiders face champions Guildford Flames and will be without defenceman Steve Gannaway who has a foot injury, which will mean that Scott Carter is likely to deputise for him. |
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| COACH OPTIMISTIC AHEAD OF WEEKEND Wightlink Raiders coach Scott Carter is optimistic his team can pick up their first points of the season this weekend. The Raiders entertain Peterborough at Ryde Arena on Saturday before travelling to Essex to face Romford on Sunday. The team's defensive worries have eased with Steve Gannaway expected to be fit while Dominic Hopkins is also expected to play after recovering from a groin strain. The only major doubt is over Carl Graham who has a rib injury. Will Francis also plays as his match suspension in last week's Under 19's game is not carried over into the EPL. Talking on Isle of Wight Radio Scott feels confidence is definitely growing in his team. "Last weekend we weren't that far away and we managed 35 shots away from home which is very encouraging. If we can get off to a good start and hit the ground running we should be ok. Peterborough are a well coached, organised and hard working team and we'll have to be at our best. But we'll definitely throw everything at them to get the points." Scott also says the club are still working hard behind the scenes to improve the squad. "I've talked to a few guys this week but we'll have to wait till after the weekend to see if anything comes of it. If we can improve the squad and its within the budgets then obviously we will." |
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| RAIDERS SIGN TOP BRIT The Raiders have started their rebuilding programme by signing top British forward Nicky Watt from the Slough Jets. Nicky, who's 20, is a former Great Britain junior international and will make his debut for his new team in Saturday's match at Swindon. Nicky Watt started his career at Basingstoke before moving to Slough two seasons ago. Last year in 60 appearances for the Jets he scored 22 goals with 19 assists and picked up 151 penalty minutes. Head coach Scott Carter is delighted with the latest signing. "Nicky is a brilliant signing for us and I'm chuffed to bits. He'll bring a physical presence which suits our rink and his stats speak for themselves. We actually approached Nicky in the summer but we're glad to finally get him on board." Watt replaces J J McGrath on the roster after the former Chelmsford man was released earlier this week. Scott says the rebuilding doesn't end there. "We're in talks with another young British forward and we're hopeful we can tie things up on that deal in the next week." |
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| SCOTT STILL IN CHARGE The Wightlink Raiders are pleased to confirm that Scott Carter has agreed to remain as head coach after missing last weekend's games against Sheffield. Scott's absence at the weekend was down to a 'breakdown in communications' but after long discussions with the owners and the management team he has agreed to return for training and for this Saturday's match away at Swindon. A club spokesman was delighted that Scott had agreed to stay on, "Scott is a passionate guy who lives and breathes hockey on the Island and it was this passion that led to him missing last weekend. There was a difference of opinion over the future direction of the team but this has now been resolved and Scott remains in full charge of team affairs." The club can also confirm that J J McGrath has been released and that talks are in progress with two other British forwards currently playing in this league. Its hoped that a deal for at least one of these players should be tied up before the end of the week. |
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RAIDERS FINALLY GET THEIR MAN !! The Wightlink Raiders are delighted to be able to confirm the signing of Canadian netminder Greg Blais. The 26 year old, who joined up with his team mates two weeks ago, had been waiting for an official release from his former club but has now been cleared to play for his new team. Greg will make his debut in this weekend's home double header against the Sheffield Scimitars. Speaking on Isle of Wight Radio Blais says he feels his presence can make a real difference to the team. "Hopefully i can bring a lot to the Raiders. The guys need more confidence generally and i can help that and bring a positive attitude to the team, on and off the ice." The Raiders have lost all 10 of their opening games but are going into this weekend's games with more hope than in previous weeks. "I'm expecting to have a good debut weekend" says Greg " I seriously hope i can get a win under my belt in my first game. I'll certainly be giving it my all and won't let anyone down. I've wanted to play in the UK for a while now and this is a great chance for me to show what i can do." |
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SCOTT STILL HOPEFUL ON PLAY-OFF'S Wightlink Raiders new head coach Scott Carter believes his team can still make the play offs despite the losing start to the new season. Scott was appointed this week and takes charge for the first time this weekend for the cup match with Guildford and the trip to Chelmsford in the league on Sunday. "We need to take it one game at a time but i still have belief that if we compete every shift and play with passion and determination anything is possible." The Raiders first match under the new coach couldn't be tougher but Scott says this may not be a bad thing. "We need to start changing things right away so we might as well start by going up against the best. We'll be playing some different systems up front and changing the defensive partnerships as well. I also want to make sure every guy goes out on their shift knowing exactly what their job on the ice is. One of the disadvantages of having a coach playing is you don't always notice the mistakes you're making. From the bench I'll be able to see where we're going wrong, and of course praise the guys when its due as well." Import forward Chris White will play his 5th game for his new team on Saturday and Carter says fans should start to see the best of Chris now. "Obviously there's a learning curve coming to the Island with the size of the rink but Chris is looking sharper every day and I'm sure he'll start to rack up the points soon." Netminder Adam Dobson is out for five to six weeks after damaging his knee in last week's defeat at Romford and Toby Cooley is likely to play this weekend. Scott is keen not to blame the netminders for the start to the season. "Both guys have suffered with confidence because of the start we've made but to be fair we've been struggling defensively and the guys in goal can't take all the blame. Toby is a great netminder on his day and has saved this team so many times in the past. I'd have no worries at all if we had to rely on him on the big occasion again." |
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NEW HEAD COACH
APPOINTED The Wightlink Raiders have today appointed Scott Carter as their new head coach with immediate effect. Scott who has been with the team for many seasons replaces Jason Coles who is stepping down to concentrate on playing. Scott will coach from the bench, and will only play as and when needed to cover any injuries or suspensions. “On his day Jason is one of the top three or four forwards in the league, and this move will help us get the most out of him as a player. I am looking forward to the challenge, and already have plans on how to take the team forward”. Jason, who has endorsed the appointment of Carter, says that this is the right move for the team. “Scott is a guy who all the players respect and I know that they will play hard for him, and this is a positive step for the Raiders team”. Scott’s first game as coach can hardly be any tougher than against the current champions Guildford Flames, who will be at Ryde Arena this Saturday for a Cup match. |
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COACH PROMISING CHANGES The Wightlink Raiders woeful start to the new campaign continued at the weekend with two more heavy defeats to make it six losses out of six so far this season. Saturday saw the team lose 7-3 at home to Romford. Despite a spirited fightback by the home team in the second period, Romford surged ahead again with captain Danny Marshall inspiring the Essex side to victory. On Sunday the Raiders visited reigning champions Guildford Flames and were on the wrong side of a 10-2 scoreline. Netminder Adam Dobson received the man of the match award after conceding just 2 goals from 28 shots after being brought on midway through the game. Player coach Jason Coles promised 'no more Mr Nice Guy' if results didn't improve and is now prepared to do whatever it takes to get the season back on track. "Its fair to say we will be doing everything possible to get out of our current run of results. Even though we've only played 3 league games the performances have clearly not been acceptable. We will be spending the next few weeks searching for new players to bring into the club. But like with anything in the business of ice hockey additional sponsorship is needed to do this. The best way people can do this is to join the Raiders 200 club. For only £70 individuals and companies can get behind the club." Assistant coach Scott Carter says the players know every one of them is playing for their place. "Not one player on the team is guaranteed a spot on the roster right now. We all have to take equal responsibility for the way we're playing. We know the financial restrictions mean we can't put out a squad packed with star players but there is a difference between that and lack of effort. Jason knows he has to get tough now and we're all vulnerable, myself included." Meanwhile management have confirmed that Kyle Amyotte won't be joining the Raiders. Andy Shier says it appears Amyotte will be playing elsewhere after being released by Romford last week. "We offered Kyle an excellent deal probably one of the best we've ever offered any player. But we gave him till Sunday to respond and we haven't heard back from him so we'll move on instead and look at other options." Details of sponsorship packages available plus news on the 200 Club are available via the home page. |
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BIG CHANCE TO PROVE THE CRITICS WRONG The Wightlink Raiders go into this weekend's games determined to turn things around after defeat in the season's first four matches. Player coach Jason Coles is promising changes if a dramatic improvement isn't made in the next couple of weekends. "Some may say it's still a bit early to be talking about changes but we can't allow things to continue as they are. Chris White comes in to the squad for the first time Saturday and we're hoping he'll make a significant difference. We'll be trying one or two new things out and I'm confident the boys can show the fans we're not the pushovers some are suggesting we may be." Assistant coach Scott Carter is a major doubt after his rib injury and is likely to sit the games out this weekend. Meanwhile the team's management committee have reacted quickly to defend Jason Coles in the wake of some criticism of him on this week's forums. Andy Shier says feedback from the fans is welcomed but some of the flack aimed at Jason is unfair. "Jason has worked incredibly hard to keep ice hockey alive on the Island in the last year and doesn't deserve the stick he's been getting. It's never easy to attract players to the Island because of our geography yet he's managed to build a competitive squad even with a budget far smaller than most other EPL teams. There are 9 new faces and it was always going to take a while for them to bed in and gel with the rest of the guys." Speculation this week has also linked the Raiders with former player Kyle Amyotte, released by Romford on Monday. "If a quality player like Ammo becomes available it'd be crazy for us not to show an interest.
We have offered Kyle a contract, and the decision is now entirely down to
him. |
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LATEST
GAMES / RESULTS |
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RAIDERS READY FOR THE OFF !!! The final preparations have been put into place for the Wightlink Raiders new season which starts with a cup double header against the Bracknell Bees this weekend. Player coach Jason Coles has selected a squad of players he's convinced can improve on last year's league position as well as entertaining the fans with fast exciting and physical hockey. The Raiders will be without new American import Chris White for the first weekend after a hold up in issuing his passport by US authorities. Jason says White's absence is a blow. "It would have been good to have Chris here for the start but these things happen. Hopefully all the necessary paperwork will be received and we can get him over in time for the Chelmsford match next weekend. Its frustrating for all of us especially Chris who can't wait to get with his new team." Assistant coach Scott Carter is excited about the new season and is particularly impressed with the attitude of the players in training. "Last year we were going into games with very little confidence at times but expectations among the guys are much higher this year. We've looked sharp in training and we really feel we'll be able to beat anyone on our day this year." Scott says the 7 new faces have also impressed during training and he's sure they'll prove to be popular with the fans. "All the new guys have fitted in well with the rest of the boys and the youngsters in particular look very promising indeed. It's fair to say we can't wait for the ref's whistle on Saturday." All eyes will be on the officiating this weekend as the new EPL zero tolerance policy comes into play for the first time on the Island. This may mean more stoppages than before so supporters are being asked to be patient with the officials. Meanwhile Bracknell are set to fill Ryde Arena on Saturday by bringing a large contingent of fans down from Berkshire. Raiders fans are being urged to get to the game early to get a seat. |
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WWW.ICEHOCKEYLEAGUE.TV Ice Media Productions is proud to announce the launch of its new video streaming subscription service. The service currently costs £75.00 per year or £8.50 per month. The site will stream to subscribers over the season approx. 30 games UK Elite games, ENPL action, 40 AHL games, 40 CHL games, and 40 ECHL games. All the teams in the Elite and most from the ENPL have pledge there support to the site. Ice Media Productions last year produced 24 games of Ice Hockey for NASN as well as the Elite and ENPL Playoff weekends and have grown hugely in that time. Heath Rhodes from IMP said ‘Ice Hockey has to be more accessible in order to grow its audience and understanding of the game. Having produced the sport for TV we realised that into the future the internet would offer the most accessible route. The UK audience want to watch Ice Hockey on TV but unfortunately TV just don’t see the sport as viable to its overall viewers – they are in some cases happy to display the odd game but are simply not interested in investing money to make better quality viewing of the sport like the Canadians and some Europeans do. We feel this subscription package offers excellent content for the price and we have worked in conjunction with a tier 1 delivery company to ensure the streams are of the optimum quality.’ www.icehockeyleague.tv launched the service August 15th and have reported subscribers already keen to take advantage of the special price. Currently the service has all the programmes from last season’s NASN broadcasts plus the playoffs from the Elite and ENPL as well coverage of the NHL Stars for Hope from Nottingham earlier in the year. ‘We have published our Elite Schedule of filming for the first month and are awaiting the other leagues schedules. Obviously the AHL, CHL, and ECHL will start later in October but subscribers will get Elite 2006/07 season action from September 10th this will progress to 4-5 games of Ice Hockey per week by the start of November.’ From Friday September 8th www.icehockeyleague.tv will also be producing a FREE short magazine style programme called powerplay +. The show is sponsored by Powerplay and will be fronted by no other than Dave Simms and is estimated to be around 10 minutes in duration. The programme will show clips from the subscription channel as well as news and views on what’s happening in UK Ice Hockey. Fans can see the show by simply logging onto the www.icehockeyleague.tv every Friday. |
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RAIDERS UNVEIL FOUR DEFENSIVE SIGNINGS The Wightlink Raiders are delighted to confirm the signings of four defencemen to help bolster the squad with the new season just weeks away. Captain Steve Gannaway has agreed terms for his 9th season wearing the number 3 shirt for the Raiders. Player coach Jason Coles says Steve is a big signing for the team. "Ganners has been one of the stalwarts of the team for so long now. He's a legend at the club and his commitment to the cause is second to none. His signing is one of our most important of the summer." The fourth import slot this season will be filled by Canadian utility player Mark McCoy who will play in defence. 32 year old McCoy brings with him a wealth of experience in British hockey having played in the Elite League, the BNL and in the EPL for a number of teams most recently Chelmsford and Swindon. Coles says he's delighted to tie up the deal and says McCoy will bring much needed experience. "We've been working hard to get Mark on board and I'm delighted. He's a quality player with a proven track record and will help bring on some of the younger guys." The other two signings are both products of the Slough junior development programme. 25 year old Stewart Tait joins after three seasons playing in the EPL with Slough Jets. He's a left sided defenceman with a strong work ethic and a temperament that will be well suited to Ryde Arena. He'll be remembered by Raiders fans after having two fights in one game last season during the Jets last visit to the Island. "At 5'7 Stewart isn't the biggest guy in the league but he more than makes up for it in the way he plays the game. He's a feisty guy and is bound be a favourite with the fans." Terms have also been agreed with another former Slough Jet 22 year old Carl Graham. Carl, who's 5'10 and weighs 194llbs, played last season with the Bracknell Hornets in ED1 and has signed after impressing during training with the Raiders in the last month. He is a former England Under 18 and Under 20 international. Coles says Carl is another bright prospect. "We're building a nice balance of experience and young talent and Carl fits in to the latter category. Scott and I were impressed with his game and his attitude and he'll be an important member of the team this year." |
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THREE NEW SIGNINGS FOR RAIDERS The Wightlink Raiders are pleased to announce the latest signings to their roster with just six weeks to go before the start of the new season. First new face is 24 year old American import forward Chris White who joins from the Southern New Hampshire University in the USA who compete in the NCAA league ECAC Northeast Division 3. This is the same league which produced former Raider and Elite League forward Brad Kenny. Chris is 6'1 and weighs in at 190lbs. He played for his last team for 4 seasons scoring 102 points(45 goals, 57 assists) in 106 games and notching up 61 penalty minutes. He has also captained the team for the last two years and has won numerous sportsmanship awards. Player coach Jason Coles is excited to have him on board. "From what we've heard Chris has all it takes to be a major impact player in this league. His career stats are very impressive and his style of play is just what we need. I expect him to really make his mark and his recruitment is a big boost for the team. The fact he's also captained the side proves he has leadership qualities which is also a big plus" Also new to the squad this year are the Francis brothers who are being tipped as future stars of British hockey. 16 year old James Francis, a forward, is an exciting prospect who was being courted by one of the EPL's big guns prior to signing for the Raiders. He's been signed after impressing during trials with the team over the last few weeks. Also signing is his older brother 18 year old Will Francis who plays in defence and is described by assistant coach Scott Carter as 'having a sound hockey mind and great positional play'. Jason Coles says investing in young talent is vital for the future development of hockey here. "Both guys are big prospects for the future but they'll both also play a big part this season. Its a major coup for us to get them as other EPL teams have been watching them for a while." Management can also reveal that more signings are imminent including at least four defencemen one of whom will be the Raiders fourth import signing. Details will be revealed in the next week. |
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More
Streamed Ice Hockey than you can Shake your Stick at for £30 So the season is finished and you still need your Ice Hockey fix. Well stay cool man because it's here. A subscription to 22 games from the Elite and more for £30 - come on if you love Ice Hockey then it's a no-brainer. By going to www.icehockeyleague.co.uk clicking the orange button marked 'stream' from the download menu on the right you can stream any of the choices at an individual price per item or £30 to subscribe to everything. The individual items range from £2.95 to £9.95. The Ice Hockey League UK series show all the programme's made for NASN last season. There are some great moments and over 40 mins of Ice Hockey action per show. Everything that you subscribe to will be made available to August 15th when our official subscription for season 2006/07 starts. If you require any extra information E-mail us . Most of these items can be purchased on DVD by clicking the orange BUY button.
Thank
You - Heath
Rhodes - Head of Media
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RAIDERS COMPLETE NETMINDER LINE UP The Wightlink Raiders have today completed their netminder line up for the new season with fans favourite Toby Cooley returning for another year. Toby ,who's 26 in July, will be dressing for his 9th season as a full time Raider and will share netminding duties with Adam Dobson who signed a fortnight ago. Player coach Jason Coles is delighted that Toby has committed for another season. "Toby would be the first to admit that his confidence took a battering last year but his attitude can't be faulted and we're convinced he can step up and do a great job for us this year." Coles also says he expects more of a battle for the number one spot than in previous years. "Both guys have the ability to be among the best in the league and it'll be up to them who gets the most games. Neither will start as number one but if one of them is playing well he'll stay in and it'll be up to the other one to reclaim his place." Meanwhile other signings are imminent and a deal with a main team sponsor should be completed in the next couple of weeks. The club are looking to fill their final two import slots and hope to play with a minimum of 5 defencemen this year. |
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RAIDERS SIGN NEW BRITISH FORWARD The Wightlink Raiders are delighted to confirm the signing of former Elite League forward JJ McGrath. McGrath, who's 22 and 6ft has a reputation as a physical hard hitting forward and has played for the London Racers and the Basingstoke Bison in the Elite league. He joins the Raiders after a three month spell with the Chelmsford Chieftains last year. Player coach Jason Coles says the new signing will bring a lot to the team. "He's a big strong forward who plays a physical up and down game. When we played against him last season we really noticed how strong he is on the puck. We're extremely lucky to have him on board for the new season." McGrath joined Chelmsford in December last year after the London Racers disbanded and scored 4 goals with 4 assists, racking up 76 penalty minutes. Assistant coach Scott Carter says the squad is now starting to take shape nicely. "Its important that good British players form the backbone of the team and with Norm and JJ now signed up we've immediately strengthened things up on the forward line. There are more British signings to come and we expect to be able to confirm the other two imports soon as well." |
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RAIDERS MAKE TWO MORE KEY SIGNINGS The Raiders have today confirmed the signing of two more key players for the new Premier League season which starts on September 9th. Goaltender Adam Dobson has re-signed for another year. 'Dobbo' joined the team in December last year during the team's losing streak and helped to lead the team's resurgence in early 2006. Adam started last season as back up netminder with Elite League London Racers. The other signing is Dominic Hopkins who is back for his third spell at the club. Dominic, who's 25, played 8 times for Great Britain in 1999 and 2000 and also has Elite League experience with London and Basingstoke. He will be playing a key role in defence again this season and at 6ft 5 will be an imposing presence at the back. Dominic missed several games through work commitments last year but will be available for every game this year. Player coach Jason Coles is delighted with the latest signings. "Adam Dobson is a good quality netminder who got better and better as last year went on. Dom Hopkins is a key signing for us. The improvement in our performances when he came on board last year was there for all to see and he has the ability to be one of the best defencemen in the league." Meanwhile Andy Shier from the management team says there are more announcements imminent. "Jason and Scott are in conversation with a number of players some old, some new and we will be able to announce one of the new names next week and he's another guy with Elite League experience. We're also closing in on filling the two import slots available and should be able to confirm these very soon. Our intentions are clear - we want to give the Island a competitive team capable of beating any team in our league." |
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NORMAN SET TO
STORM BACK - By Clare Wall (IW County Press)
STORMIN' Norman Pinnington, banned for 18 games last year for confronting match officials after the Wightlink Raiders' controversial 3-2 defeat to Peterborough, has signed up for this year's campaign. Pinnington, 35, who is notoriously physical but also highly skilled, has played at many clubs around the country over the years, including Hull, Bracknell, Basingstoke and Slough, and is sure to bring more spark to the side, which finished bottom of the English National Premier League last season. The team also hopes to announce two further signings shortly. Player-coach Jason Coles said Pinnington's signing was an excellent boost for the team. He said: "Unfortunately, the fans did not get to see the best of Norman last season, as he came to us late and was then banned for a long time. "But in the games he did play for us, he showed great skill, professionalism and experience to the side. He can show our younger guys how it is done, what it takes to be a good hockey player. "I am delighted he has joined us." Coles said Pinnington could be perfect for playing on Ryde Arena's smaller ice, should proposed league changes come into effect. He said: "It is looking like the rules will be adjusted to speed up the game and Norman will be perfect for that." |
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FOUR MORE SIGN ON FOR NEW SEASON The Raiders have today added four more names to the roster for next season after the signings of Jason Coles and Scott Carter as player coach and assistant coach. 22 year old Daniel Giden is a product of Ryde Arena's junior development and was the team's third highest points scorer last season. This will be his 5th season as a full Raider. 25 year old Andy Robinson is back for another season, his fourth in a Raiders shirt after signing from Basingstoke in 2003. He was the team's second highest penalty taker last year. Also returning is Steve Gossett, who won most improved player in last year's end of season awards. And also back is Richard Facey who is another player who'll play up from the Under 19's this year. Richard is expected to make a big impact this year and was recently described by ex Raider Chris Crombie as 'one of the brightest prospects in British ice hockey'. He'll be available for every Raiders game this year in what will be his first season as a full time Raider. Management are currently in advanced talks with more players and will be making further signing announcements within the next week or so. |
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ASSISTANT
PLAYER COACH APPOINTED The Wightlink Raiders are delighted to confirm that Canadian utility man Scott Carter has agreed terms to become Assistant Player Coach. 34 year old Scott has been with the Raiders since 1998 and last year played a vital role in the team switching to defence on many occasions because of injury and suspension. Scott captained the Raiders for 3 years before handing the armband to Steve Gannaway in 2004. He will help Jason Coles with the coaching of the team including the development of the younger players. |
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RAIDERS MAKE FIRST SIGNING OF THE NEW SEASON The Wightlink Raiders are pleased to announce their first major signing of the new season. Jason Coles will be back as Player Coach for the 2006-2007 Premier League season, his fourth in charge of the Raiders. Andy Shier, from the management team says the club are delighted that Jason will be returning again. 'It will come as no great surprise that Jason is back but we consider this to be a major coup for the team. Jason is one of the league's best players and still finished as one of the league's top scorers despite our poor league position last season. He is respected by players everywhere and this will make it much easier to attract big name players to the Island.' Jason was the team's top points scorer again last year and is looking forward to the challenge, 'Last season is probably best forgotten and pretty much everything went against us from start to finish. Injuries, suspensions and players walking out. It couldn't have been worse. But this year will be different, we have an idea of the type of team we want to build and we're now working hard behind the scenes to sign the players we need for a successful season.' In addition management are currently in discussion with a senior member of last year's squad with a view to appointing an assistant to Jason. We expect to be able to announce this over the weekend. The Raiders are currently talking to a number of last season's squad and to several new players some of whom played in the Premier League for other teams last season. More player signings will be announced over the next few weeks. In addition the Wightlink Raiders can confirm that talks are ongoing with a number of potential sponsors for next season. We can also confirm that the Raiders Bar will host a questions and answer forum with Jason and the management team in June. This will also act as the launch for this year's season tickets. The date will follow in due course. |
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FUND RAISING ON BEHALF OF THE RAIDERS The Raiders management team would like to remind all those involved with fund raising and advertising for the club that everything must be run by the committee first. We have a strategy for promoting and marketing ice hockey on the Island and its important that we are made aware of any events you may be organising on behalf of the team, particularly if Planet Ice need to be involved in any way. If you need to contact Jason or Andy or anyone on the management team feel free to call Ryde Arena on 615155 and leave a message for one of us. In the meantime there will be news on the first signings of the summer on this website from Thursday evening. |
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PLANNING CONTINUES FOR NEXT SEASON The management team would like to reassure supporters that we are still working very hard to build a competitive squad for next season and we hope to reveal the first of the player signings on this site over the next few weeks. Jason Coles is currently enjoying a two week break and will be speaking to the players he wants for next season on his return. In the meantime we are talking to several potential sponsors and we are hopeful that we will have news on at least one of these in the very near future. We are also delighted to confirm that Wightlink have agreed a deal to continue with their sponsorship of the team for the 2006-2007 season. |
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