Lee Valley Lions - The New Lions (2005-2008)

The New Lions (2005-2008)

In 2005 the team was reformed by Junior Head Coach Eddie Joseph to compete in the English National Ice Hockey League, bringing back former player Nicky Braithwaite, ex-junior Paul O'Neill and ex-Haringey Greyhound Kwabina Oppong-Addai to go with juniors from the current system like James Scott Joseph and Grant Hutcheon.

In their return season the team struggled and failed to register any points, including close games with local rivals Haringey Greyhounds and the Cardiff ENL Devils. But inexperience showed against accomplished clubs like the Invicta Dynamos and Basingstoke Buffalo with only heavy defeats to show for their efforts. The Lions finished bottom of the league with a record of 0-20-0.

The 2006/07 season rang a lot of changes with coach Sergei Smolenko coming in and former Chelmsford Chieftains captain James Hatfull joining to bolster the team's experience. There was a big improvement as the Lions became a stiffer opponent although lacklustre performances on the road again lead to heavy defeats. Six times the Lions had double figures put past them (including a 19-2 defeat in Basingstoke). In the end the team finished third bottom with 12 points from 22 games (Cardiff withdrew from the league with all their results expunged) and a record of 5-15-2 including notable wins over Oxford (twice) and Milton Keynes.

In 2007/08, Less players were brought in as the core of younger players stayed on. Joining them were former Haringey Greyhounds Nick Alley (younger brother of netminder George) and Alistair Band, American defenceman (and new captain) Scott Pollak and more notably former London Racer JJ McGrath from Wightlink Raiders (although his stint was short lived). With registration and other paperwork issues holding some players back, a weakened Lions bench began the season in Bracknell with an 8-1 defeat to a much fancied Hornets side. Road form (or lack of) was the main criticism of the team throughout the season, of the seven games won throughout the campaign. Only two were won on the road, one of these was a surprise 4-3 win in Basingstoke (having lost 16-6 at home to the Buffalo just a month before), the other was an abandoned (due to player injury) 5-3 win at basement boys Solent & Gosport. Other disappointments included a 5-4 home loss to Haringey despite dominating their London rivals and, when a final day surprise was on the cards at home to eventual champions Invicta. The Dynamos were able to reply from 2-0 down to win 5-3, The Lions ended the year with a record of 7-11-0 in a much shortened season (due to the Southern league being split in two).