Milton Keynes Thunder | |
---|---|
City | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire |
League | NIHL |
Division | Division One South |
Founded | 2001 |
Home arena | Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes (capacity: 2,500) |
Colors | White, Black & Teal |
General manager | Lauren Cox |
Head coach | Will Fry |
Captain | Hayden Hagger |
Affiliates | Milton Keynes Lightning, Milton Keynes Storm |
Website | thundericehockey |
Championships | |
NIHL South BBO Cup | 1 (2016–17) |
The Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, they are known stylistically as Thunder. The team currently competes in the Britton Conference, of the National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South (the third tier of English National Ice Hockey). The team was founded in 2001 predominantly to provide competitive hockey and further development opportunities for players leaving the Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey system. Their home rink is the refurbished and renamed Planet Ice Arena, known locally as the Thunderdome. It has a capacity of circa 2,500.
Founded in 2001, MK Thunder originally shared their home rink with the Milton Keynes Kings. However, the MK Kings were involved in a dispute with rink operators Planet Ice, which led to their relocation to Solihull in May 2002. [1] The space left by the MK Kings was eventually taken by the Milton Keynes Lightning which was formed in 2002.
As the second most senior ice hockey club in Milton Keynes, the MK Thunder have always played in the National Ice Hockey League South Division 1 or its former incarnations (English National League South, English National League South A and English National League South 1). It has been used as a vehicle to further develop Milton Keynes based players and has been a 'feeder' club for the senior hockey club Milton Keynes Lightning. The teams iced by the club have been dominated by local players, supplemented by the occasional import (league rules restrict the use of import players to just two, compared to five in the defunct old second tier EPIHL and eleven in the first tier EIHL). The club also has links with the junior system and provides development opportunities for junior players at the Milton Keynes Storm Club.
In March 2013, Milton Keynes Council approved plans to redevelop the Leisure Plaza after failed attempts in 2006 and 2011. The development of the arena was funded by Morrisons Supermarkets and took 17 months to complete. This forced Thunder to play their home games at a temporary rink sited within the Milton Keynes City Centre in a building vacated by the Supermarket Waitrose. The rink and the MK ICE charity established to operate it was organised by the team's owner and the then general manager, David Fairhurst. The team returned to the redeveloped rink which had been renamed the "MK Arena" in October 2014.
The Milton Keynes Thunder lifted their first silverware when they secured the NIHL South BBO Cup in the 2016-17 season.
Netminders | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Nat. | Player | Catches | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | |||
31 | Craig Bradfield | England | 2021 from Free Agent | ||||||
34 | Vincent Bennett-Graziano | R | 14 August 2005 | England | 2021 from Peterborough Phantoms |
Defencemen | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | ||||
2 | Alex Whyte | L | 23 July 1996 | Peterborough, England | 2014 from Peterborough Phantoms | |||||
4 | Samson James | L | 30 August 2000 | Coventry, England | 2021 from New Jersey Renegades (USA) | |||||
5 | Oliver Knaggs | L | 4 November 2005 | Watford, England | 2021 from Milton Keynes Storm | |||||
13 | Evan Smyth | 13 August 1988 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 2021 from Free Agent | ||||||
14 | Callum Burr | R | 2003 (age 19) | England | 2021 from Free Agent | |||||
36 | Daniel Tamasauskas | L | 1 July 1999 | Lithuania | 2021 from Lee Valley Lions | |||||
59 | Charlie Ottowell | 2003 (age 19) | England | 2022 from Free Agent | ||||||
72 | Daniel Angell | 1998 (age 24) | England | 2021 from Free Agent |
Forwards | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | ||||
6 | Cole McCluskey | R | {2005 (age 17) | England | 2021 from Milton Keynes Storm | |||||
9 | Nathan Darmanin | R | 6 March 1993 | Slough, England | 2021 from Chelmsford Chieftains | |||||
10 | Cassius McCormack | R | 2005 (age 17) | England | 2021 from Milton Keynes Storm | |||||
12 | Oliver Harris | R | 5 May 1999 | Coventry, England | 2021 from Free Agent | |||||
15 | Iain Peters | L | 21 November 2000 | Charleston, South Carolina, USA | 2022 from Coventry Blaze NIHL | |||||
18 | Aidan McGurk | 14 February 2004 | England | 2022 from Oxford City Stars | ||||||
23 | Tom Carlon | R | 18 February 1987 | Telford, England | 2021 from Milton Keynes Lightning | |||||
45 | Hayden Hagger | R | Luton, England | 2021 from Free Agent | ||||||
73 | Gareth O’Flaherty | R | 18 January 1990 | Camberley, England | 2021 from Peterborough Phantoms | |||||
81 | Harrison Goode | L | 15 December 1990 | Luton, England | 2019 from Free Agent | |||||
82 | Connor Goode | R | 2 November 1993 | Luton, England | 2021 from Free Agent | |||||
96 | Alastair Barrow | R | 23 December 1991 | England | 2022 from Free Agent | |||||
Player | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | Nat. | Player | Active Seasons | Acquired | ||||||
1 | Mark Woolf | 2002–2014 & 2015-2018 | 2002 from Milton Keynes Kings |
Season-by-season record
|
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. The club was founded in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C.'s controversial relocation to Milton Keynes from south London, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours.
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to internationally as the British Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom.
The Milton Keynes Lightning are an ice hockey team founded in 2002 and then again in 2019 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The Lightning currently play in Britain's second-tier professional league, the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), since the 2019–20 season. The Lightning previously turned up in the top tier Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) from 2017–2019, and the tier-3/tier-2 English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) from 2002–2017. Their home rink is 2,200-seat Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes, known locally as the MK Arena or the Thunderdome.
The Slough Jets are an ice hockey team from Slough, Berkshire, England playing in the NIHL South Division 1. The team was founded in 1986 after the construction of the Slough Ice Arena in Montem Lane in Slough and joined the first division of the British League. With the help of Gary Stefan who had previously been with Streatham Redskins, the Slough Jets were formed.
The Peterborough Phantoms are a British ice hockey team that play at the Planet Ice Peterborough Arena, in Bretton, Peterborough. The Peterborough Phantoms ice hockey club was founded in 2002. It replaced the former city based team, the Peterborough Pirates, and plays in the same arena. The team currently competes in the semi-professional National Ice Hockey League, the second tier in British ice hockey below the fully professional Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). They previously played in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL).
Milton Keynes Kings were an Ice Hockey team based in Milton Keynes.
The Solihull Barons are an English ice hockey team from the town of Solihull who play at Solihull Ice Rink on Hobs Moat Road. The current team, which is the third incarnation of the Barons, was formed in 2005; they are named after the original team of the same name who were formed in 1965, and played at the same ice rink between 1972 until 2000, after which they moved to Coventry and became the Coventry Blaze.
The Telford Tigers are a National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) ice hockey team that formed in 1985. After initially closing in 1999, a new team, under the name 'Telford Wild Foxes', was formed in 2001; and re-adopted the original name in 2005.
The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) is a set of semi-professional ice hockey leagues administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. It is currently the second tier of British ice hockey, below the Elite Ice Hockey League. Formerly called the English National Ice Hockey League (ENIHL), it was renamed in 2012 to recognise the inclusion of several teams from Scotland and Wales.
The Streatham Ice Hockey Club is a British ice hockey club based in Streatham, London, England. Amongst the oldest British ice hockey teams still in existence, they were founded in 1932 as Streatham, and added the name Redskins in 1974. During the 1980s, the club were one of the leading teams in the British Hockey League, their biggest rivals being the Nottingham Panthers. By the end of the 1980s, however, the club's fortunes were in decline and they were relegated from the Premier Division in 1989.
Planet Ice is the largest chain of ice rinks in the United Kingdom, renowned for providing a wide range of ice-related activities, including public skating, ice hockey, figure skating, Birthday Parties and other sporting and live events. With a strong emphasis on community engagement and accessibility, Planet Ice has developed comprehensive programs catering to beginners and advanced skaters alike, including specialised initiatives for inclusive skating. The facilities also serve as key venues for professional and amateur ice hockey teams, operating under the governance of major bodies such as the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA), British Ice Skating (BIS), and Ice Hockey UK (IHUK). In addition to sports, Planet Ice hosts diverse events, from boxing competitions to music concerts, further establishing its role as a versatile community hub.
The Oxford City Stars are an ice hockey team based in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.The team was founded in 1984. They currently play in the NIHL South Division 1 at Oxford Ice Rink, Oxford
The Lee Valley Lions are an ice hockey team based in Leyton's Lee Valley Ice Centre, in East London
Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes is a 2,800-capacity multi-purpose ice rink/hockey rink located in Milton Keynes, England, as part of the Leisure Plaza complex.
Timothy Todd Wallace is an American professional ice hockey center and ice hockey coach. He is currently signed to National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) side Milton Keynes Lightning as Player/Coach and Director of Hockey Development.
The Bristol Pitbulls are an ice hockey team representing Bristol, England, currently playing in the NIHL National League. Following the closure of the Bristol ice rink in 2012, their home ice moved to Oxford Ice Rink. In October 2021, the team returned to Bristol, winning their first fixture on their new home ice at the Planet Ice rink at Cribbs Causeway.
Laurie Dean Walker is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League club Solihull Moors .
Leigh Jamieson is an English professional ice hockey player currently playing for Milton Keynes Lightning in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL).
Relocation of professional sports teams in the United Kingdom is a practice that involves a sports team moving from one metropolitan area to another, although occasionally moves between municipalities in the same conurbation are also included. For relocations in other part of the world see Relocation of professional sports teams.