Guildford Flames

Guildford Flames
2015–16 Guildford Flames season
City Guildford, Surrey
League English Premier Ice Hockey League
Founded 1992
Home arena Guildford Spectrum
Colors Maroon blue
Owner(s) Sportfact Ltd.
Head coach Paul Dixon
Captain Jez Lundin
Championships
Regular season titles 6 (97/98, 00/01, 05/06, 07/08, 11/12 & 12/13)
Challenge Cups 5 (06/07, 09/10, 11/12, 12/13 & 15/16)
Playoff championships 5 (97/98, 00/01, 03/04, 10/11 & 15/16)

The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and their home ice is the Guildford Spectrum.

Founded in October 1992, from the following season, the Flames have remained in the second tier league of British hockey – this was the British National League until its dissolution in 2004, and subsequently the English Premier Ice Hockey League; clinching their first season there by defeating reigning champions Milton Keynes Lightning away. The team's Head Coach is Paul Dixon who took over after Stan Marple retired at end of the 06/07 Season. Canadian stars David Oliver and Jamie McLennan transferred to Guildford during the 04/05 Canadian NHL lockout.

Formation

Barry Dow, an American who sponsored and owned the basketball team Guildford Kings and Bill Hurley established and owned the team as management – the two were new to the sport of ice hockey, and brought in Mike Urquhart as coach and Darrin Zinger as captain.

Key players signed for the first season included Canadians Sean Murphy and Dave McGahan due to their high scoring at Solent Vikings. In addition a number of British players including goaltender, Mike Kellond; forward, Danny O'Hanlon and defender, Gary Shearer.

The Flames' inaugural season began in October 1992; they began, unseeded, in the English League Division One. With the Guildford Spectrum not yet completed, the team had to train at Slough with kind permission of Gary Stefan. The Flames played their "home" games at Alexandra Palace until their new home ice was ready and played their for the first time on 23 January 1993.

When 23 January 1993 finally arrived and the Guildford Spectrum opened, the event was a big one. The area's paid-for newspaper The Surrey Advertiser described the local council's £28 million arena as "awesome". Guildford's first game at their new home showed a convincing win with Andy Sparks scoring the first goal at the Spectrum. The team went to the top of the Conference due to that game, a position they held onto for the whole season.

Many of the defence men and Kellond suffered injury problems, just before the start of the play-offs; however, despite this, Guildford managed to gain a promotion for their second season.

The team was very popular with crowds, with the average attendance being over 2000 (capacity was 2200) so attracted local insurance company Cornhill as a sponsor along with Pepsi Cola as the shirt sponsor; the latter prompting a temporary name change to the Pepsi Guildford Flames between February and November 1993.

Club honours

Team Logo and Jersey

The team logo is very similar to that of the Calgary Flames of the NHL. The team jerseys mirror those used by a former NHL team, Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2006 (with logos replaced and advertisements added).

Management

Coaching staff

Players

Goaltenders

Defencemen

Forwards

Retired numbers

The retired numbers at the Guildford Flames are:

Team Captains

References

    External links

    Preceded by
    Bracknell Bees    		 EPIHL Champions
    2007–08     		Succeeded by
    Peterborough Phantoms
    Preceded by
    Peterborough Phantoms    		 EPIHL Premier Cup Champions
    2009–10     		Succeeded by
    Incumbent
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