1996

1997

AUGUST

Steelers’ fans are being kicked out of the seats they’ve been sitting in for years - to save on the cleaning bill. More than 120 season ticket holders who sit behind the goal in the Steelers ‘home end’ have been informed the area is to be netted off next season.

Sheffield Steelers and Rotherham Council teamed up to illustrate their confidence that the planned new rink and £350m YES! Project, scheduled for Rother Valley Country Park, will still go ahead, despite the credit crunch. Both sides are convinced developers Oak Holdings will still finance the 327 acre project.

On the ice, they brought in new forwards Jamie Leach, Glenn Mulvenna and Frank Kovacs. Piero greco was brought in to replace Wayne Cowley between the pipes.

SEPTEMBER

Steelers today defended their decision to drop the word ‘Sheffield’ from their name for the first time since the club was formed 18 years ago. The switch is tied in with new sponsors and the move, scheduled for two years time, to a new purpose built rink in Rother Valley. The champions are now calling themselves The Field Electrical Steelers for the next two years. That may not go down well with some fans, who are yet to embrace the move over the ‘border’ into Rotherham. Asked about the change, general manager Mike O’Connor said “It’s a great deal for the club. Field Electrical Contactors Ltd (near Mansfield) have been supporters for a few years - it has been a family activity that John Burton and his wife, Maxine, and daughter have been enjoying for years.”

Pinned down on the removal of the word, Sheffield, O’Connor replied: “Time moves on - the development is going fine at Rother Valley with the Yes Project and (developers) Oak Holdings have taken over there so we have to be conscious of where we are going in the future.

“We certainly don’t want to diminish the proud history and heritage that we have got, we will always be Steelers. Just a different venue in a different part of the geographic area.

We are known as the Steelers - that is the brand.”

He admitted he thought long and hard about stripping the word Sheffield out of the title.

“That was not something that was easy to do,” he said.

“We have a good partnership going forward with Rotherham Council and feasibly we can’t move into a project that sits on their land - and the relationship that we have got with them - and still call ourselves Sheffield.

“That’s not to say we are not proud of our heritage and what we’ve done in Sheffield - we are simply moving to a new venue. Its a re-branding issue.”

The thoughts of some people, at the time, with regard to last months actions.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-316790.html

THEN CAME THIS:

Star readers and Sheffield Steelers fans today forced a public U-turn from the ice hockey club hierarchy. So many critics put their name to Save Our Sheffield Steelers coverage and the fans own website forum (Steeltalk) that it persuaded club management to climb down this morning.

OCTOBER

The Sheffield coach prepared one of his most punishing training sessions of both pre and regular season as a gesture of his contempt at the recent form. Matsos knows the recent contract extension he signed with Steelers management won't be worth the paper it is written on unless his team starts winning matches. For the first time since he joined the club, taking them to a glorious double winning championship last year, he is talking about the fragility of his position.

NOVEMBER

They received praise from all around the league for their victorious Continental Cup endeavours in Italy where they won HYS The Hague 4-3, HDK Stavbar Maribor 5-4 and Bolzano Bozen Foxes 4-3

Christmas special video

 1998

JANUARY

Sheffield Steelers have sold their right to be Yorkshire's only Superleague ice hockey club. Caspian paid £150,000 to the ISL for the franchise covering north of South Yorkshire. They also paid £250,000 to Steelers, which the club will invest in further development.

Jamie Van Der Horst joins the Steelers from Solihull Barons. Steelers Alex Dampier has persuaded David Longstaff to join them on loan to the end of the season. Cardiff Devils defenceman Shannon Hope could face jail in connection with facial injuries suffered by Steelers player Jamie Leach. Police confirmed Hope could be charged with causing grievous bodily harm, an offence which carries a possible jail sentence.

FEBRUARY

Alex Dampier normally a laid-back coach blew his top behind closed doors at the Nynex Arena following this side's 6-2 thrashing by Manchester Storm. Kicked a table several feet across the floor. Sent hockey sticks crashing in all directions, and booted a row of cans up into orbit. According to club spokesman Dave Simms Alex made a stand. He wanted his players to know that the standard of play they had dropped to that night was unacceptable.

APRIL

After defeating the London Knights at the NIC in Nottingham in the play off final Ron Shudra signs on for two more years, joining Ken Priestlay and Tony Hand.

AND ON TO NEXT ONE