“To Be The Man, You Gotta Beat The Man”

The following match preview article was unfortunately omitted from Saturday nights Top Shelf magazine. Written by Davy McGimpsey, we believed it was such a well written piece it deserved publication somewhere. So we are delighted to being it to you, despite the outcome of the weekends games. Enjoy

When it comes to British Ice Hockey, that is the mantra required when speaking about Coventry Blaze head coach Paul Thompson.

Since “Thommo” brought the Blaze into the new Elite league following the collapse of the Superleague in 2003-04, he has set the benchmark were success is judged. Placed third in the inaugural season, Coventry have gone on to win three out of the five championships available, finishing second twice. Simply put, “To win the Elite League, you need to finish above Paul Thompson”.

Back in 1994 the story was the same, “Paul Thompson, League Winning Head Coach”. This title didn’t bring with it the kudos enjoyed for lifting the top pieces of silverware available now, but for the Solihull Under 14’s kids and their coach it meant just as much.

Injury had robbed Thompson at an early age of his dream of playing out a long professional career in the sport he loved, but he had bitten by the hockey bug. After cutting his teeth in coaching with the kids he moved on to the Solihull ‘B’ team, “The Knights”. His first decision, a very unpopular one at the time, was to ban smoking on the team bus, an attempt to do things his way, to be more professional, this was no longer a jolly boys outing, this was about winning, and winning the Paul Thompson way.

The Solihull ownership liked what they saw from the 27 year old and in November of 1995 they asked him to take on the Solihull ‘A’ team, the Barons. Rock bottom of the British Ice Hockey League Division One, leaderless, unprofessional and carrying a bad attitude.

It took a month to get his first victory against Billingham but this still wasn’t his team, he hadn’t put it together, he needed the chance to recruit his own roster, to do things his way, with his own people.

That chance came the following summer during the dawn of a hockey revolution that was to become the Superleague. With finances and franchises pouring into the game Solihull decided to chase the dream. The plan was to spend a year building a good team, then move to the NEC and the Superleague for the 1997 season. Thompson was given a good budget and signed a team based on it, but despite keeping his end of the bargain and challenging for honors the money never came and sadly the inevitable happened, the club went bust.

But out of despair comes hope, and following the setup of a new company, the Blaze rose again like a phoenix from the ashes, they would live to fight another day. Consolidation was the key and they re-entered hockey in the English League, Division One. However after playing in front of big crowds in the past, some players found it difficult to readjust in the lower leagues and Thompson found himself looking for new blood. Undeterred, he did just that, and with five of the six trophies available over the next two seasons in the Blaze trophy cabinet it was time to take the step back up to the next level.

A Playoff semi final defeat to Fife the following spring was the highlight of a season for the emerging midlands club, but the off season was when the real watershed began. Solihull council sold the rink for development at the same time as the Skydome was being built in Coventry. The management rights of the Arena were sold to Planet Ice, owners of the Basingstoke Bison and they were looking for a team to ice in the “Dome”.

It was a new millennium, it was the year 2000, and the Coventry Blaze were born.

Now in their tenth season, their history has been littered with success. Three Elite League titles, two Challenge Cups, one Knock-Out Cup and one Playoff success. Currently riding high at the top end of the table, Thommo is still the man to beat.

Twenty six year old Russ Cowley has seen it all. Currently one of the blue chip British forwards in the league knows the coach better than most. On those cold winter nights back in 1994 Cowley was on that Solihull Under 14 Championship side. Thompson signed him to the Blaze in 2001 and he has iced over 250 times for the club. A season exiled in Cardiff provided the wake up call needed and since his return to Coventry his stock has risen considerably.

At the other end of the ice is 32 year old Jonathan Weaver is the rock the Blaze is built upon. His stellar start to the season has seen him rewarded with a contract extension that will see him continue with the Blaze until at least the 2011/12 season.

The hard shooting defenseman has 34 points from 27 games this season and looks a shoe-in for a fifth consecutive Alan Weeks Trophy, awarded annually to the Best British D Man. Only the great Steve Cooper, a British Ice Hockey Hall of Famer has more, with a total of nine.

Tonight’s game is the first in a home and home pre-Christmas spectacular series, Whoever comes out on top will almost certainly enjoy their turkey dinner from the comfort of the top of the table.

It’s the 46th meeting between the two clubs, Coventry currently hold the upper hand with 18 wins in regulation to the LBM Belfast Giants 14. Can we put one over the enemy?

Let’s hope Santa is a Giant…..

David McGimpsey

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