Guildford Flames

The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and they play their home games in the Guildford Spectrum. They compete in the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom, the Elite Ice Hockey League.

Guildford Flames
2020–21 Guildford Flames season
CityGuildford, Surrey
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
Founded1992
Home arenaGuildford Spectrum
ColorsMaroon blue
Owner(s)Sportfact Ltd
Head coachPaul Dixon
CaptainJesse Craige
AffiliatesGuildford Phoenix
Championships
Regular season titles6 (97/98, 00/01, 05/06, 07/08, 11/12 & 12/13)
Challenge Cups5 (06/07, 09/10, 11/12, 12/13 & 15/16)

Founded in October 1992, the Flames originally played in the second tier leagues of British hockey, first the British National League until 2004, and subsequently the English Premier Ice Hockey League until 2017. On February 24, 2017, it was announced that the Flames would become the 12th Elite Ice Hockey League team, joining for the 2017–18 season.

The team's head coach is Paul Dixon, who took over after Stan Marple retired in 2007.

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's facility. The Flames played their home games at Alexandra Palace until their new home ice was ready and played there 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.

Club honours
  • Season 2018/19
    • Patton Conference Champions
  • Season 2015/16
    • English Premier Cup
    • English Premier League Playoff Winners
  • Season 2012/13
    • English Premier League Champions
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2011/12
    • English Premier League Champions
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2010/11
    • English Premier League Playoff Winners
  • Season 2009/10
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2007/08
    • English Premier League Champions
  • Season 2006/07
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2005/06
    • English Premier League Champions
  • Season 2003/04
  • Season 2000/01
  • Season 1998/99
    • Benson & Hedges Plate Winners
  • Season 1997/98
  • Season 1996/97
    • Benson & Hedges Plate Winners

Team logo and jersey
The current team jerseys, for both away and home.

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).

Current squad

2020-21 Elite League season squad [1]

Netminders
No. Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
47 Kevin Lindskoug L 2020 Trelleborg, Sweden Ritten-Renon, AlpsHL [2]
Defencemen
No. Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
45 Stephen Lee R 2019 Hull, England Nottingham Panthers, EIHL [3]
Forwards
No. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
27 Ian Watters LW 2017 Pickering, Ontario, Canada Reading Royals, ECHL [4]
62 Joshua Waller F 2018 Reading, England HC Dukla Jihlava U20, Czech U20 [5]
90 John Dunbar F 2017 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Norfolk Admirals, ECHL [6]
On Loan
No. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Playing For Press Release
Team Staff
No. Name Position Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
N/A Paul Dixon Head coach/GM Sunderland, England Appointed in 2007
20/21 Outgoing
No. Player Position Acquired Leaving For Press Release
82 Jeremy Lundin D 2009 Retired [7]

Retired numbers

The retired numbers at the Guildford Flames are:

Team captains
  • 1992–94 – Darren Zinger
  • 1994–99 – Paul Thompson
  • 1999-00 – Karry Biette
  • 2000–01 – Wayne Crawford
  • 2001–07 – Paul Dixon
  • 2007–09 – Ricky Plant
  • 2009–10 – Rob Lamey
  • 2010–15 – David Longstaff
  • 2015–17 – Jez Lundin
  • 2017 – Jesse Craige

References
  1. "Guildford Flames at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. "Swedish Netminder Lindskoug Signs On". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. "Lee Back for 2nd Year of Contract". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. "Watters Back". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  5. "Waller Returns for 3rd Season". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. "Dunbar Extends 2 Seasons". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  7. "Lundin Retires after 11 Seasons". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
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