2004

AUGUST: Rob Stewart is confirmed as the new Steelers coach, and his first big signing is to be a small man, 5ft 9ins Canadian centre Dan Tessier aged 25, from Orleans, Ontario.

SEPTEMBER: Norton Lea is again willing to discuss the sale of Sheffield Steelers, it was revealed as the championship winning club geared up for the new Elite League season. The ageing tycoon appears ready to part company with the club in favour of a younger man.

Steelers have told new coach Rob Stewart not to rely on Mike Blaisdell to fill the last two spots on the roster, ordering him to find the players himself.

Norton Lee employed outgoing team boss Mike Blaisdell as head of recruitment, working from Canada, to assemble the team.

Sheffield Steelers opened their title campaign with a win over Cardiff Devils at the end of the month.

OCTOBER: Norton Lea is ready to quit the club after a scathing attack on this leadership today by club captain Dion Darling. Darling lists a catalogue of complaints against the club but 77 year old Norton Lea defends his stewardship of the Steelers who have had one of the most successful spells in the club's history in his three year reign. Darling makes claims over - Poor equipment -The absence of a doctor to treat injured players- Bad organisation off the ice-Unhappy, under performing players. Darling also claims the star centreman Mark Dutiaume quit because he was fed-up with off ice problems at the club.

Steelers owner Norton Lea is negotiating the sale of the ice hockey club with Chesterfield businessman Gary Apsley. The 41 year old father of two has been in secret talks with the millionaire owner for weeks. No details of the possible deal, worth around £300,000 were forthcoming today and Apsley a construction project boss, was uncontactable.

NOVEMBER: The £300,000 sale of Sheffield Steelers ice hockey club collapsed. Negotiations between owner Norton Lea and construction boss Gary Apsley broke down over the details of the handover. It was a massive blow not only for Gary Apsley, who had vision of promoting and commercially expanding the club,but also for captain Dion Darling and director Dave Simms,who had both publicly supported a change at the top.

Is this the player who has unwittingly held up the sale to buy Steelers. The Star revealed last week how builder Gary Apsley's dream's of buying the ice hockey club from Norton Lea had fallen through. One of the issues Apsley was concerned about was a potential court case and compensation claim involving British forward Marc Twaite. He played two games for Steelers in the 2001-02 season, then sustained a horribly dislocated shoulder, broken ribs and a bad collarbone injury in a freak training collision with the winger Scott Allison. Twaite career was finished, and he has been seeking compensation ever since.

Sheffield Steelers played their final game against London Racers before their demise when they entertained and subsequently beat them.

DECEMBER:

Steelers recaptured star centreman Mark Dutiaume, after the 27 year old quit his Italian side Bolzano.

Steeler Dan walked out in protest against Steelers owner Norton Lea. "I will not go inside the stadium again while Norton Lea owns the club” says Dan. This was because the company that owns the production rights and kit for the mascot fell out with the tycoon over sponsorship terms and he has withdrawn his labour.

 2005

JANUARY:

Britain's best known ice hockey club and The Star jointly announced a new partnership with represents the coolest deal in local sport. The newspaper is the club's new title sponsors.

FEBRUARY: Sheffield Steelers sacked coach Rob Stewart today in the hope that his instant replacement Paul Heavey will have the same inspirational affect as Mike Blaisdell once had at the club. Blazer took over British ice hockey's hot seat from mild mannered Don McKee.

APRIL:

After a tough season, Steelers were predicted to miss out on the play offs but, partly due to the self destruction attributed to Belfast, they reached the semi finals in Nottingham only to fall 3-0 to eventual winners Coventry Blaze.

They did, however, secure a victory in the third and fourth place game against Cardiff devils.

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