1993

MAY

Steelers sign Chris Kelland from Nottingham Panthers and Clyde Tuyl joins as assistant coach

JULY

Steelers sign Selmar Odelein from Nottingham Panthers, and Netminder Martin McKay.

The signing of the defenseman further fuelled the intensity of the rivalry with local rivals Nottingham.

AUGUST

Steelers reinstate Ron Shudra as captain.

SEPTEMBER

Steelers were held to a draw 8-8 in their first match in the British League Premier before 7,100 fans packed into Sheffield Arena. Paul Thompson has quit the club and signed for Solihull Barons.

Steelers first play with orange on their shirts.

OCTOBER

Sheffield Steelers have signed a former Czech defector Ivan Matulik to beef up their attack, and terminated Claude Dumas contract.

NOVEMBER

Yorkshire Electricity have paid out more than £10,000 in damages after pulling out of a £25,000 sponsorship at the last moment  Managers of Homepower, YE's retail arm, pulled the plug on the deal.

1994 

JANUARY

Sheffield Steelers lost an astonishing £174,000 in its second year. Managing Director David Gardner Brown is criticised for irregular use of company funds following an audit. The report says the club failed to keep books properly for the second year running. Mr Dodds said "After the financial mess the company had got into, I demanded full control and warned I'd pull out if I didn't get it. Steelers would have collapsed if I'd walked out. David had the good grace to sign over the documents there and then."

Thus George Dodds took over control of Sheffield Steelers.

FEBRUARY

Hayley Roach official of the supporters club, confirmed that a full allocation of 1,000 tickets had already been taken up for the Premier playoff in April at Wembley and they want more, and they have still to qualify.

APRIL

Sheffield Steelers skate out on Wembley ice this weekend knowing they have become the team everybody outside South Yorkshire loves to hate. They hammered Nottingham 8-0 in the semi but, deprived of Odelein through a back injury, the top Premier league club Cardiff Devils were too strong for them in the final.

There amazing rise to the top in three short years has made enemies at many of the clubs they have left on the wayside. Super Steelers success just keeps rolling demonstrated by the 2,300 season ticket already ordered for next season.

AND ON TO NEXT ONE