Swindon Wildcats

Swindon Wildcats
City	Swindon, Wiltshire
League	NIHL
Division	National League
Founded	1986
Home arena	Link Centre
Colors	Red, White & Black
General manager	Aaron Nell
Head coach	Aaron Nell
Captain	Sam Bullas
Media	Cats TV
Affiliates	Swindon Wildcats 2, NIHL 2 Swindon TopCats, WNIHL 1
Franchise history
1986–1996	Swindon Wildcats
1996–1997	Swindon Ice Lords
1997–2000	Swindon Chill
2000–2001	Swindon Phoenix
2001–2004	Swindon Lynx
2004 – present	Swindon Wildcats
Championships
Regular season titles	3 (1996/97), (2000/01), (2018/19)
Autumn Cups	3 (1991), (2017), (2021)
Premier Cups	1 (2017/18)

The Swindon Wildcats are a professional ice hockey team based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. They play in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL). Since their inception, the Wildcats have played their home games at the 1600-capacity Link Centre in West Swindon. The club was founded in 1986 as the Swindon Wildcats, shortly after the opening of the Link Centre.

The Wildcats were members of the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) from 1997 to 2017. Due to the instability of the EPIHL following the culmination of the 2016–17 season, the Swindon Wildcats announced their intention to join the National League. ^[1]

In their first season competing in the National League, the Wildcats won both the Autumn Cup and National Cup competitions, securing the club's first silverware since the 2000–01 season. ^[2] The following year the Wildcats won the regular season, becoming the 2018/2019 champions.

Logos and uniforms

Logo

The Wildcats' logo is an animated wildcat in the team colours of red and white.

Jerseys

The jerseys currently worn by the Swindon Wildcats are in red and white, ^[3] the colours sported by the team since the 2008–2009 relaunch. They have worn the same jerseys (with a few small variations) since the 2008–2009 season. For the 2019/20 campaign, the Wildcats will have an alternate jersey that is predominantly black with red motifs. ^[4]

The first Wildcats colours were black, yellow, orange and white. Blue and white were worn in 2006 and 2007.

Mascot

The official mascot for the Swindon Wildcats is an anthropomorphized wildcat by the name of Scratch. Scratch took over from his cousin Willie Wildcats during the 2021/22 Season. Willie Wildcat had been the mascot for the 'Cats since their return to the Wildcats name in 2004, after three seasons as the Lynx. However, he retired after a successful career at the Better Link Centre. ^[5]

Season-by-season record ^[6]

Season	League	GP	W	L	OT W	OTL	Pts.	Rank	Post Season
2007–2008	EPIHL	40	16	20	1	3	37	7th	Qualification
2008–2009	EPIHL	54	21	29	2	2	48	8th	Quarter-Final Loss
2009–2010	EPIHL	54	12	31	4	7	39	8th	Semi-Final Loss
2010–2011	EPIHL	54	16	31	3	4	42	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2011–2012	EPIHL	54	25	23	0	6	56	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2012–2013	EPIHL	54	20	22	1	11	53	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2013–2014	EPIHL	54	23	23	6	2	60	5th	Semi-Final Loss
2014–2015	EPIHL	48	24	20	4	0	56	5th	Quarter-Final Loss
2015–2016	EPIHL	54	30	19	–	5	65	6th	Quarter-Final Loss
2016–2017	EPIHL	48	22	22	–	4	48	6th	Qualification
2017–2018	NIHL S1	32	18	6	4	4	48	3rd	Conf QF Loss
2018–2019	NIHL S1	42	31	7	1	3	67	Champions	Conf SF Loss
2024–2025
2025–2026

Club roster 2022–23 ^[7]

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

Netminders
No.	Nat.	Player	Catches	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
30		Renny Marr	L	(1997-10-08) 8 October 1997 (age 27)	Lochgelly, Scotland	2017 from Coventry Blaze	22/23
45		Dean Skinns	L	(1984-10-03) 3 October 1984 (age 40)	Basingstoke, England	2021 from MK Lightning	22/23

Defencemen
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
4		Oliver Stone	L	(1998-07-26) 26 July 1998 (age 26)	Swindon, England	2022 from Basingstoke Bison	22/23
24		Tyler Plews 'A'	R	(1997-09-13) 13 September 1997 (age 27)	Kirkcaldy, Scotland	2018 from Edinburgh Capitals	23/24
28		Stevie Whitfield	R	(1990-10-12) 12 October 1990 (age 34)	Swindon, England	2007 from Swindon Cougars	22/23
61		Sam Godfrey	R	(1994-02-02) 2 February 1994 (age 31)	Swindon, England	2018 from Guildford Flames	22/23
77		Ben Nethersell	R	(1998-01-05) 5 January 1998 (age 27)	Worthing, England	2013 from Okanagan Hockey Academy UK	22/23

Forwards
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
3		Bálint Pákozdi	L	(1999-05-03) 3 May 1999 (age 26)	Budapest, Hungary	2021 from New Hampshire Junior Monarchs	22/23
11		Chris Jones 'A'	R	(1991-01-04) 4 January 1991 (age 34)	Cardiff, Wales	2017 from Cardiff Devils	22/23
12		Floyd Taylor	L	(1995-03-28) 28 March 1995 (age 30)	Swindon, England	2011 from Swindon Leopards	22/23
13		Sam Bullas 'C'	R	(1990-09-20) 20 September 1990 (age 34)	Nottingham, England	2010 from Nottingham Panthers	22/23
16		Reed Sayers	R	(2001-05-09) 9 May 2001 (age 24)	Swindon, England	2018 from Cardiff Fire	22/23
18		Loris Taylor	L	(1993-08-01) 1 August 1993 (age 31)	Swindon, England	2022 from Bristol Pitbulls	22/23
19		Aaron Nell	L	(1989-10-22) 22 October 1989 (age 35)	Swindon, England	2013 from Sheffield Steelers	22/23
37		Jack Goodchild	R	(2002-10-14) 14 October 2002 (age 22)	Winchester, England	2021 from Okanagan Hockey Academy UK	22/23
71		Edgars Bebris	L	(1991-08-07) 7 August 1991 (age 33)	Aizkraukle, Latvia	2021 from MK Lightning	22/23
89		Tomasz Malasinski*	L	(1986-08-23) 23 August 1986 (age 38)	Nowy Targ, Poland	2019 from KH GKS Katowice	23/24
91		Colby Tower*	R	(1997-02-12) 12 February 1997 (age 28)	Troy, NS, Canada	2022 from Nipissing University	22/23
		Russell Cowley	L	(1983-08-12) 12 August 1983 (age 41)	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	2022 from MK Lightning	22/23

Team Staff
No.	Nat.	Name	Acquired	Position	Place of birth	Joined From
19		Aaron Nell	2015	General Manager & Player-Coach	Swindon, England	Okanagan Hockey Academy U18
N/A		Lee Richardson	2019	Assistant coach	Swindon, England	Oxford City Stars, NIHL 2
N/A		Pete Bradford	2010	Equipment Manager	England
N/A		Steve Bradford	2014	Equipment Manager	England
N/A		Mark Thorne	2014	Assistant Equipment Manager	England

2022/23 Outgoing

Outgoing
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Leaving For
27		Joshua Shaw	R	(2005-10-21) 21 October 2005 (age 19)	Frimley, England	Bristol Pitbulls
38		Emil Svec	L	(1994-07-12) 12 July 1994 (age 30)	Milevsko, Czechia	Hull Seahawks
41		Oliver Endicott	L	(2004-06-10) 10 June 2004 (age 21)	Swindon, England	Iisalmen Peli-Karhut U20
44		Neil Liddiard	R	(1978-05-07) 7 May 1978 (age 47)	Swindon, England	Chelmsford Chieftains
73		Sam Smith	R	(2001-09-02) 2 September 2001 (age 23)	Cardiff, Wales	Bristol Pitbulls
94		Declan Balmer	L	(1995-06-09) 9 June 1995 (age 30)	Hull, England	Hull Seahawks

Retired numbers

6 Lee Brathwaite, D, 1992–1997, 1998–2009

7 Bryan Larkin, D, 1991–2001

9 Gary Dickie, F, 1993–1997

10 Steve Nell, F, 1986–1988, 1990–1996, 1997–1998, General Manager 2004–2021 (Now Managing Director)

14 Daryl Lipsey, F, 1986–1995

15 Scott Koberinski, F, 1989–1993

17 Ian Richards, F, 1987–1999

See also

• Swindon Wildcats NIHL – amateur affiliated team playing in National Ice Hockey League South Division 2

References

1. "Club Statement". Swindon Wildcats. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
2. "NATIONAL CUP FINAL: Swindon Wildcats 4 (6) Sheffield Steeldogs 2 (4)". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
3. Houlihan, Owen (24 May 2017). "New change to Wildcats' next league campaign". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
4. "Wildcats reveal 19/20 jersey design". Swindon Wildcats. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
5. "Willie Wildcat Announces Retirement – Swindon Wildcats".
6. Eliteprospects.com (http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=1372&year0=2012)
7. "Swindon Wildcats – Elite Prospects". eliteprospects.com.

External links

• Official website
• Swindon Wildcats Academy