Chelmsford Chieftains

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Chelmsford Chieftains
Chelmsford Chieftains Logo.png
City Chelmsford, Essex, England
League NIHL
DivisionDivision One South
Founded1987
Home arenaRiverside Ice and Leisure Centre
ColorsWhite, Amber & Black
   
Head coachMark Saunders Flag of England.svg
Affiliates Peterborough Phantoms, NIHL National
Chelmsford Warriors, NIHL 2
Franchise history
1987 – PresentChelmsford Chieftains

The Chelmsford Chieftains are an Ice Hockey team based in Chelmsford, Essex that is currently playing in the NIHL South Division 1. Since the team was founded in 1987, the Chieftains have played their home games at the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre.

Contents

Chelmsford's first ever game at the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre was a challenge match against Peterborough Titans on Saturday 5 September 1987. The Chieftains won the game 11–4 in front of 300 spectators. Stuart Steeves (Chelmsford) scored the first ever goal at the venue at 2.07 in the first period.

After competing in the English Premier Ice Hockey League for eight seasons between 1998 and 2008 (having been absent from the league from 2000 until 2002), the Chelmsford Chieftains withdrew from the league at the end of the 2007/2008 season, and instead entered the English National Ice Hockey League. The hockey governing body in the UK, the EIHA, informed the club that they would be playing in Division 1 for the 2008/2009 season. However, at the league A.G.M., many of the clubs supported a motion to overturn the league's decision and the Chieftains were placed in Division 2. The Chieftains had already assembled a squad capable of playing in Division 1 and at such a late stage, the squad could not be rebuilt.[ citation needed ] The outcome was that the Chieftains started the season in a very strong position.[ citation needed ]

In the entire 2008/2009 season, the Chieftains allowed a single point, to the Invicta Mustangs at the start of the season. From then until the end of the season, the Chieftains won every game, with an average score of 8–2.

In 2009/10, they finished fourth in the league.

In the 2010/11 season, the Chieftains contended for top spot. Only in the final few weeks did the Wightlink Raiders cement their place at the top of the table. The Raiders had been the only side the Chieftains had failed to beat during the regular season.

The Chieftains after their ENL1 South play-off win over Wightlink Raiders. Chelmsford Chieftains.jpg
The Chieftains after their ENL1 South play-off win over Wightlink Raiders.

At the conclusion of the 2010/11 season, Dean Birrell announced he would be moving to the role of Director of Coaching in Chelmsford, which would oversee the coaching of the Chieftains and Warriors. Taking his place would be MK Lightning forward Gary Clarke, who takes over in a player-coach role for the 2011-12 campaign.

Trophies

1989 Essex Cup
1990/91 Autumn Trophy
1992/93 British League Entry Playoffs
1996/97 Essex/Kent Cup
1996/97 Essex Cup
1999/00 English League Premier Division Playoffs
1999/00 Data Vision Millenium Cup
1999/00 English League Premier Division
2008/09 English National League South Division 2
2010/11 English National League South Division 1 Playoffs
2011/12 English National League South Division 1 Playoffs
2011/12 Essex Cup
2012/13 National Ice Hockey League South Division 1
2012/13 National Ice Hockey League South Division 1 Playoffs
2013/14 National Ice Hockey League South Division 1
2014/15 National Ice Hockey League South Division 1
2018/19 National Ice Hockey League South Division 2

Runners up in major competitions excluding league

1996/97 Playoff finalists
1997/98 Playoff finalists
1995/96 Autumn Trophy Finalists
2010/11 English National League South Division 1
2011/12 English National League South Division 1
2012/13 National Ice Hockey League South Cup
2012/13 South East Cup

2017/18 National Ice Hockey League South Division 2

League history

SeasonName of LeagueFinal Position# of teamsPlayedWonLostDrawnOT WinOT LossGoals ForGoals AgainstGoal DifferencePoints
1987/88British League Div 22nd14261961002011079439
1988/89English First Div5th8281015300148153-523
1989/90English First Div3rd7241563002221408233
1990/91English First Div3rd8281792002692135636
1991/92English First Div8th9321514300277276133
1992/93English League Conference B2nd63222730035716818947
1993/94British League Div 1 South8th8441032200260374-11422
1994/95British League Div 110th12441030400274404-13024
1995/96British League Div 110th14521631500267377-11037
1996/97English League Div 1 South2nd12221831001755112437
1997/98English League Div 1 South2nd11201631001876911833
1998/99English League Prem Div4th93214144001951811432
1999/00English League Prem Div1st524194100138855339
2000/01English National Prem League2nd9322372002031069748
2001/02English National League South5th1018105300100722823
2002/03English National Prem League5th124224126002451707554
2003/04English Premier Ice Hockey League4th93218113002111496239
2004/05English Premier Ice Hockey League7th9321014800128130-228
2005/06English Premier Ice Hockey League11th13481033500149284-13525
2006/07English Premier Ice Hockey League8th124420213001941841043
2007/08English Premier Ice Hockey League9th11401224013151189-3829
2008/09English National League Two South1st9323101002826721563
2009/10English National League One South4th10362367002138912452
2010/11English National League One South2nd114028480025310115264
2011/12English National League One South2nd10363060 ? ?2518916260
2012/13English National League One South1st9322552 ? ?1897311652
2013/14English National League One South1st9322633 ? ?1856012555
2014/15English National League One South1st10362655 ? ?163798457
2017/18National Ice Hockey League South Division 24th14262060001867411240
2018/19National Ice Hockey League South Division 24th15282150112067712946

[1]

Club roster 2022-23

(*) Denotes a Non-British Trained player (Import)

Netminders
No.Nat.PlayerCatchesDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
35 Flag of England.svg Luca TessadriL10 February 2005 (age 18) Basildon, England2021 from Raiders U18 U18 Junior
39 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Čech R20 May 1982 (age 41) Plzeň, Czech Republic2022 from Guildford Phoenix 22/23
44 Flag of England.svg Sonny PhillipsL27 April 1997 (age 26) Hornchurch, England2014 from Chelmsford Warriors 22/23
Defencemen
No.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
12 Flag of England.svg Jaden Boolkah1 October 2003 (age 20) England 2019 from Chelmsford U1822/23
36 Flag of England.svg Callum BurnettR19 January 2001 (age 22) England 2022 from Raiders IHC 22/23
4 Flag of England.svg Neil LiddiardR7 May 1978 (age 45) Swindon, England2022 from Swindon Wildcats 22/23
47 Flag of England.svg Daniel Fay4 March 2000 (age 23) England 2022 from Raiders IHC 22/23
93 Flag of England.svg Daniel HitchingsR18 February 2002 (age 21) England 2022 from Raiders 2 22/23
91 Flag of England.svg Casey Wilson2002 (age 20) England 2022 from Raiders 2 22/23
40 Flag of England.svg Archie SalisburyL8 August 2006 (age 17) England 2022 from Peterborough Phantoms Two-Way
Forwards
No.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
3 Flag of England.svg T.J. FilleryR18 May 1996 (age 27) Harold Wood, England2017 from Chelmsford Warriors 22/23
8 Flag of England.svg Cameron BartlettR22 November 1993 (age 30) Romford, England2018 from Invicta Dynamos 22/23
9 Flag of England.svg Grant BartlettR22 November 1993 (age 30) Romford, England2018 from Invicta Dynamos 22/23
10 Flag of Scotland.svg Kieran RaynorR23 March 1998 (age 25) Glasgow, Scotland2021 from Peterborough Phantoms 2 22/23
11 Flag of Ukraine.svg 'Sasha' Maltsev*R26 November 2004 (age 19) Pyriatyn, Ukraine2022 from MHK Sokil U20 22/23
14 Flag of England.svg Bailey ChittockR20 June 1997 (age 26) Chelmsford, England2021 from Raiders 2 22/23
15 Flag of England.svg Justin Dennison2006 (age 16) England 2022 from Peterborough Phantoms 2 Two-Way
16 Flag of England.svg Leo Markey2004 (age 18) England 2022 from Peterborough Phantoms 2 Two-Way
17 Flag of England.svg Harry Harcup17 January 2000 (age 23) England 2022 from Slough Jets 22/23
20 Flag of England.svg Ross ClarkR16 April 2002 (age 21) Peterborough, England2022 from Raiders IHC 22/23
24 Flag of England.svg Ollie BaldockR15 January 1998 (age 25) Chelmsford, England2022 from Raiders IHC 22/23
Flag of England.svg Mason WebsterR6 August 1994 (age 29) Basildon, England2022 from Invicta Dynamos 22/23
Flag of England.svg Brandon Webster26 May 2000 (age 23) Basildon, England2022 from Invicta Dynamos 22/23
74 Flag of England.svg Chris BeckettR17 March 2005 (age 18) Basildon, England2021 from Chelmsford U18U18 Junior
89 Flag of England.svg James PentecostR9 October 1989 (age 34) Peterborough, England2021 from Haringey Huskies 22/23
Team Staff
No.Nat.NameAcquiredRolePlace of birthJoined From
Flag of England.svg Mark Saunders2022/23Head Coach Kingston upon Thames, England Raiders 2, NIHL 1
Flag of England.svg Neil Liddiard2022/23Player-Assistant Coach Swindon, England Swindon Wildcats, NIHL National

2021/22 Outgoing

Outgoing
No.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthLeaving For
11 Flag of England.svg Darren BrownR2 August 1988 (age 35) Chelmsford, EnglandRetired
17 Flag of Slovakia.svg Stanislav LascekL17 January 1986 (age 37) Martin, Slovakia Invicta Dynamos, NIHL 1
21 Flag of England.svg Andrew MunroeR2 August 1982 (age 41) Ashington, EnglandRetired
26 Flag of England.svg Julian SmithR6 February 1987 (age 36) Peterborough, EnglandRetired
43 Flag of Scotland.svg Ethan ReidR3 June 2002 (age 21) Scotland Raiders IHC, NIHL National
88 Flag of England.svg Matt TurnerR18 November 1988 (age 35) Romford, EnglandRetired
91 Flag of England.svg James AylingL15 May 1992 (age 31) Chelmsford, EnglandRetired

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References

  1. "NIHL S1 Cup Group B – English Ice Hockey Association".