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Post by tom on Dec 7, 2010 1:52:51 GMT
With the 25th anniversary coming up, was just thinking about who the best player I've ever seen in a Tigers shirt is, and who the worst was as well! In the end I was more or less able to come up with a whole awards ceremony in my head  All-Time Hero - Claude Dumas is probably the biggest legend I've seen and my favourite all-time Tiger. I don't think I've ever seen someone with as good an eye for goal as he's got "in the black & orange." Biggest Impact - Jason Cassells. When he left mid season in 08/09 our (until then) promising season seemed to fall apart. Deadliest Partnership - The stat books say Tim Salmon and Kevin Conway, but they were before my time. The best I've seen was Hornak-Cassells. Scored on defences for fun! Best Goalie - Probably Peter Betinec (06/07 season). Biggest Letdown - Big hitting Slovak D Man Jan Cuj from the 07/08 season. Impressed in the first couple of games but got injured (a dodgy knee if I remember rightly) and was released. Most Irritating Opposition Player - Jesse "Girls Name" Hamill when he was with Solihull. Always managed to wind me up, and not just because he was a Baron. Goon! Best Away Trip - The 2007 Christmas trip to the Isle of Wight. Fish and chips by the sea before the game, a win for Tigers in the quirkiest rink I've ever been to and nearly missing the ferry home because the coach wouldn't start! Memorable Moment - So hard to pick one. But it has to be watching Nick Owen announce that the club and its fans had raised £30,000 over a bank holiday weekend to keep Tigers afloat after Eurologix pulled out of their sponsorship deal at the 11th hour, live on BBC Midlands Today. What would be your picks? |
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Post by shrek on Dec 7, 2010 9:54:29 GMT
Tom.
Totally agree with your first four.
Most Irritating Player - Nicky Chinn. A really good player but a better pantomime villain.
Best Away Trip - B+H Plate Final v Flames at the Sheffield Arena. Nottingham Panthers were playing in the Trophy match afterward and a load of their fans had "On loan to Telford Tigers" labels pinned to their shirts.
To add one of my own:-
Most Tenacious - Alexei Kuznetsov. the guy just never gave up.
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Post by nitemare on Dec 7, 2010 18:39:26 GMT
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Post by pressoffice on Dec 7, 2010 19:35:37 GMT
All-Time Hero - Claude
Biggest Impact - Wayne Crawford
Deadliest Partnership - Salmon/Conway
Best Goalie - Wolfie
Biggest Letdown - Rick Fera
Most Irritating Opposition Player - Gary Clarke/Barry Hollyhead - cos they should both play for Tigers!
Best Away Trip - MK trashing
Memorable Moment - Snatching Christmas Cup from under over-confident Guildford noses; Claude's 2000th
;D
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Post by brav607 on Dec 7, 2010 20:22:41 GMT
I.M.O .. being from an earlier generation!!
Best Partnership: Salmon / Conway
Best Individual: Jason Christie
Best Defenceman: Wayne Crawford
Best Goalie: Wolfe / Young
Best Coach: Paul Kane
Best Entertainment: Land / Vogelsgang / Hannigan (anyone remember the dancing??)
Biggest Let Down: Tod Demchuck
Most Influential: Jason Christie
probably add more when my memory catches up!
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Post by tallpaul on Dec 7, 2010 21:00:10 GMT
Oooh good questions, Tom.
How about these from a slightly different era -
All-Time Hero - Claude would certainly be in with a shout, as would Reggie, but we mustn't overlook Chuck Taylor who was instrumental in establishing Tiger's in Telford
Biggest Impact - Gerard Waslen (89/90). 116 goals + 85 assists in one season (plus 149 PIMS). I think he topped both the points and penalties charts for that season. Sheer class and an animal on the ice
Deadliest Partnership - Can't look beyond Salmon and Conway
Best Goalie - Tigers - Wolfie; Others - Charlie Colon
Biggest Letdown - Alan Gould ;D Produced decent numbers during the seasons I was watching so why can't I remember him? He definitely failed to fulfill his potential! Or maybe, Waslen only playing one season for Tigers before returning to Canada to be a club golf pro. What a waste!?
Most Irritating Opposition Player - Yep, Chinn has been irritating for many years. Luc Chabot was also irritating because he seemed to score far too many goals against us for the Barons.
Best Away Trip - Didn't do many but it was always fun going for a skate on the Wildcats pad and then watching Tigers beat them!
Memorable Moment - I have a few (for different reasons).
1. Todd Demchuk (LW) on debut. Ref dropped the puck to start the game, Demchuk slashed the opposition RW (can't remember who it was) across the back of the heel and shot off down the wing after the puck. The look on the RW's face was just priceless - it was like "What the ..?"
2. Just the general atmosphere on a typical late 80's Tigers home game. Wooden rinkside tiered benches stacked with supporters stamping their feet to 'We Will Rock You, and air horns blaring. Fantastic! (All the 'prawn sandwich brigade' sat in the posh seats upstairs but they weren't real supporters! Ha Ha) ;D
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Post by tallpaul on Dec 7, 2010 21:04:14 GMT
I.M.O .. being from an earlier generation!! Best Entertainment: Land / Vogelsgang / Hannigan (anyone remember the dancing??) Hannigan - was he the guy that used to skate on with a black cape? The wizard or something? Had an absolute screamer of a shot on him |
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Post by brav607 on Dec 7, 2010 22:02:39 GMT
I.M.O .. being from an earlier generation!! Best Entertainment: Land / Vogelsgang / Hannigan (anyone remember the dancing??) Hannigan - was he the guy that used to skate on with a black cape? The wizard or something? Had an absolute screamer of a shot on him We had sparklers lit and stuck into his top hat on one occasion .. imagine that now.. health and safety etc .... ! ;D |
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Post by brav607 on Dec 7, 2010 22:05:17 GMT
I.M.O .. being from an earlier generation!! Best Partnership: Salmon / Conway Best Individual: Jason Christie Best Defenceman: Wayne Crawford Best Goalie: Wolfe / Young Best Coach: Paul Kane Best Entertainment: Land / Vogelsgang / Hannigan (anyone remember the dancing??) Biggest Let Down: Tod Demchuck Most Influential: Jason Christie Most accurate shot: Mark Budz Fastest Shot: Chuck Taylor Most Illeagal stick: Tim Salmon Best Checker: John Burnicle probably add more when my memory catches up! |
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Post by brav607 on Dec 7, 2010 22:12:25 GMT
Oooh good questions, Tom. How about these from a slightly different era - All-Time Hero - Claude would certainly be in with a shout, as would Reggie, but we mustn't overlook Chuck Taylor who was instrumental in establishing Tiger's in Telford Biggest Impact - Gerard Waslen (89/90). 116 goals + 85 assists in one season (plus 149 PIMS). I think he topped both the points and penalties charts for that season. Sheer class and an animal on the ice Deadliest Partnership - Can't look beyond Salmon and Conway Best Goalie - Tigers - Wolfie; Others - Charlie Colon Biggest Letdown - Alan Gould ;D Produced decent numbers during the seasons I was watching so why can't I remember him? He definitely failed to fulfill his potential! Or maybe, Waslen only playing one season for Tigers before returning to Canada to be a club golf pro. What a waste!? Most Irritating Opposition Player - Yep, Chinn has been irritating for many years. Luc Chabot was also irritating because he seemed to score far too many goals against us for the Barons. Best Away Trip - Didn't do many but it was always fun going for a skate on the Wildcats pad and then watching Tigers beat them! Memorable Moment - I have a few (for different reasons). 1. Todd Demchuk (LW) on debut. Ref dropped the puck to start the game, Demchuk slashed the opposition RW (can't remember who it was) across the back of the heel and shot off down the wing after the puck. The look on the RW's face was just priceless - it was like "What the ..?" 2. Just the general atmosphere on a typical late 80's Tigers home game. Wooden rinkside tiered benches stacked with supporters stamping their feet to 'We Will Rock You, and air horns blaring. Fantastic! (All the 'prawn sandwich brigade' sat in the posh seats upstairs but they weren't real supporters! Ha Ha) ;D I heard that that Alan Gould was never one for publicity and often snuck out of the fire door ajacent to the dressing room straight after the game. Not a lot of people knew him without his playing kit on ;D ;D |
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Post by ikeysol on Dec 8, 2010 10:03:33 GMT
All-Time Hero - Reggie.
Biggest Impact - On the good side Id say Claude for everything he's done for the club. On the negative Id say Chuck Taylor
Deadliest Partnership - As everyone else has said Salmon and Conway.
Best Goalie - Wolfie, both for goalkeeping and entertainment value, he was a tough tough guy. Still remember chatting to him in the bar after he'd been thrown out of a game in Billingham for butt ending. In his own words, I couldnt have butt ended him, Id dropped my stick so I could punch him more easily
Biggest Letdown - Missing the match that was abandoned in Kingston due to a mass brawl.
Most Irritating Opposition Player - I hated Brad Rubachuk for repeatedly trying to fight kids and then running off to the bench as soon as someone his own size came near him. Cowardly. I spent a whole year living in Manchester going along to boo him (to clarify I wasnt just there to boo him, not quite that much of a stalker). Paul Hannant....new age traveller
Best Away Trip - As someone else has said, the trashing of MK was great fun
Best entertainment - There will be a theme of violence here but Hazelhurst in the days of his nickname we can no longer mention was pretty good entertainment. Also Kel Land, not only for thuggery beyond the call of duty but he also shared my name AND was married to my school maths teacher. Mark Pallister both for the fights and the weekly challenge for him to manage to stand up whilst skating.
Oh and David Smith was pretty entertaining player to watch too until he ran off to....Paisley?.. and slagged the Tigers off. But he is also the only person I have literally drunk under the table at the new years party when we were having a competition drinking wine out of mugs and he drunkenly fell off his chair.
Memorable moment - Again feel like Im copying but the atmosphere in the 80s/early 90s with a full house and sat down in the cheap seats was superb.
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Post by chewie on Dec 8, 2010 11:30:28 GMT
This is a difficult one having watched all 25years of hockey at Telford. I apologise, my memory is a bit sketchy on names so perhaps people can help me out on one or two.
Hero's Wayne Crawford and Mark Budz. Biggest impact on me personally Tigers 1st season, got me tottally hooked on ice hockey. I know Chuck taylor is a love hate figure, but i would have to say the early teams he put together were pretty amazing and he deserves alot of credit for the birth of hockey and the popularity in Telford.
Partnerships ok Salmon and Conway, closely followed by Waslen and the other one who played with him who i think surname began with a W. Budz and Volgesang no slouches either.
Bigest let down - Losing promotion game over two legs to the pirates, another more obscure one but has stuck in my memory is a home game against Solihull, all tied up nearing the end of the game, Tigers Jim pennycook coughed up the puck on our blue line and let a Baron into score and win the game, i was totally gutted, dont know the year some time ago.
Golaie - would agree Wolfie, enjoyed the Wolfie Smity combo season as well.
Most irritating oposition players - Stefan brothers closely followed by the Lambert brothers
Road trip - My first road trip ever, away to the Medway bears, handful of us sang our hearts out to a Tigers win, no mean achievement as Medway were a good team at the time.
Best entertainment - any time mark Budz got into a scrap or the times he scored which was often. The Trafford tournement as a whole, wish could get that back up and running, and winning it with Jason Christie playing for the Tigers
Memorable moment - really hard but i would have to say the atmospere during that Promotion home play off game against the Pirates, rink was packed to the rafters i was in the bleachers downstairs, just awesome atmosphere. a close second would be the great Tigers comeback in that cup final game against Blackburn, what a night that was, Tigers absolutely hammered them after loosing the first game.
Can i add teams i missing playing - Lee valley Lions, great fans had some great games against them in the early days, loved road trip to there rink. The Barons really miss the old rivalry.
best opposition import - canadian who played for Streatham Redskins surname sounded like Micron, ripped Tigers apart on a couple of games i saw, very fast skater super skillfull and boy could he put the puck away, left an indelable imprint on me.
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Post by brav607 on Dec 8, 2010 12:54:47 GMT
Chewie ... Gerard Waslen and Dave Wesley
Alan Goulds first game for the Barons was against Telford, 7-7 with a minute left when he was tripped up by Mr Pennycook and awarded a penalty shot ... subsequently converted for a Barons 8-7 win ... I think the booing could be heard back at Solihull and he lost a lot of friends that night ;D
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Post by chewie on Dec 8, 2010 15:05:33 GMT
Blimey brav607 good memory. That Barons game seems to fit with my memory, forgot it was Gouldy who scored the goal though, he's just gone way down in my estimations  i was so depressed, still not over that game today, scarred me for life, and it was all down to mr Gould, got a lot to answer for. |
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Post by ikeysol on Dec 8, 2010 16:26:21 GMT
Memorable moment - really hard but i would have to say the atmospere during that Promotion home play off game against the Pirates, rink was packed to the rafters i was in the bleachers downstairs, just awesome atmosphere. a close second would be the great Tigers comeback in that cup final game against Blackburn, what a night that was, Tigers absolutely hammered them after loosing the first game. Both great ones. I was stood down by the glass for the Pirates game as no seats were available Blackburn was all the sweeter after the behavior of some of their fans in the first leg. |
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