Manchester Phoenix (ENL)

Manchester Phoenix ENL is an ice hockey team playing in the English National Ice Hockey League North.

The team was founded in the summer of 2007, and will be based in the Altrincham Ice Dome, alongside the Manchester Phoenix EIHL side, and the Manchester Phoenix junior teams.

The creation of this team is seen as being the final step for an integrated development system, taking players from u10 level right through to professional. This team is to be coached by Paul Bayliss, currently head coach of the Manchester Phoenix Junior teams. No players have yet been confirmed as having joined the ENL side, but it is believed that many former Altrincham Aces players are to be in the squad.

History

When the construction of the Altrincham Ice Dome was first announced, a small, but vocal number of fans expressed a desire to see the Altrincham Aces team be restarted at the rink. Manchester Phoenix were initially unable (or unwilling) to do so, as they wished to focus their energies on starting the senior EIHL side, and the hastily announced juniors. They did, however express the idea that if a third party wished to come forward and run an English National Ice Hockey League side from the rink, then they would be only too happy to assist in any way they could (citation to follow).

There is a belief that the team was formed after the English Ice Hockey Association made moves to the junior age boundaries at the top level from under 19 to under 18. These moves would leave a number of promising players without a team to play for, being too old for the forthcoming season. However, the only evidence of this being behind the formation is circumstantial.

Team Roster

Goaltenders
*player|#01|UK|Mark Law
*player|#31|UK|Benn Schofield

Defencemen
*player|#04|UK|Robyn Crebbin
*player|#05|UK|Andy Ritchie
*player|#08|UK|Russ Richardson
*player|#22|UK|Dave Costello

Forwards
*player|#02|UK|Peter Norgate
*player|#06|UK|Ainsley Keeler
*player|#07|UK|Jamie Rogerson
*player|#09|UK|Brian Worrall
*player|#10|UK|Nick Crawley
*player|#11|UK|Mike Stockley
*player|#12|UK|Alex Burgess
*player|#14|UK|Arran Richardson
*player|#18|UK|Alan Hough
*player|#19|UK|Matt Watts
*player|#20|UK|Danny Binns

References