STORM BLITZ ISSUE #53 Wednesday 20 August 1997 If you have any comments on Storm Blitz, please feel free to e-mail into.the.storm@poboxes.com any time. --------------------------------------------------- In this issue : * Work permit troubles for Jeff Tomlinson now solved * Dave Smith re-signs * New sponsor for Stormforce * Panthers sold at last * Buyer pulls out of Panthers deal (old news) * ISL farm teams * Minor fixtures amendment * Forthcoming Storm games * Download back issues of Storm Blitz * How to unsubscribe to Storm Blitz --------------------------------------------------- > WORK PERMIT TROUBLES FOR JEFF TOMLINSON NOW SOLVED Jeff Tomlinson had not initially been given a work permit for the new season and it is reported that he went to Germany to confirm his Euro-Canadian passport. There was no problem after all as he joined the rest of the team, albeit a few days late. > DAVE SMITH RE-SIGNS Storm have announced the possible re-signing of one of Storm's longer serving players Dave Smith, who it was originally had not been offered a new contract. He will be on trial for a new contract during the pre-season. > NEW SPONSOR FOR STORMFORCE The Stormforce sponsorship deal with Planet Internet of Leeds fell through at the last minute and so Fujitsu instead are the main sponsors of Stormforce. In return for advertising, Fujitsu gave Stormforce a computer and printer. > PANTHERS SOLD AT LAST Nottingham Panthers have been sold at last to London-based Alladin Management (a sports management company) and the the deal cannot be finalised until the Superleague have agreed to the franchise change. > BUYER PULLS OUT OF PANTHERS DEAL (old news) Last week the Nottingham Evening Post reported that the Nottingham Panthers' hopes of avoiding liquidation have been severely hit following the last-minute withdrawal of the potential buyer at the time. The deal, for both the club and the Ice Stadium, fell through just hours before the documents were due to be signed. Director Charles Walker said, "It's obviously a big blow, particularly because time is now of the essence." Panthers, with current debts of £250,000, are scheduled to play their first game two weeks on Saturday against a Czech team, and players will have to re-negotiate contracts with any new owner coming in. But Panthers still haven't given up hope of attracting a buyer, with two more parties in the wings. Financial advisor Robert Matusiewicz, of BDO Stoy Hayward, said "There is strong interest from two parties who came forward following the national newspaper advertisement. "We are currently holding extensive meetings but there is a complex issue concerning the use of the ice, both in the current stadium and the proposed new arena that has to be resolved by the City Council." It looks like everything turned out OK in the end anyway! > ISL FARM TEAMS The press release that was sent out with Storm Blitz #52 included an error! This is what it said: "...To effect this the clubs have agreed to hire two thirds of their players from the European Economic Area by the start of the 1997/98 season and..." It should have said 1998/99 not 1997/98! The correct article in full now follows: The Superleague has announced a formula for increasing the number of British and European players participating in Superleague. This new plan will have far reaching implications in the development of young talented British players and will ensure continuity in the standard of play that followers of the sport have come to expect since the inception of the Superleague. The ISL's Board of Directors have for some time been developing ways to introduce a farm system of teams throughout the country where youngsters can be nurtured for positions within the professional clubs, when their strength, stamina and fitness is suitable for them to achieve regular full time employment in Superleague. Generally these teams will be owned and managed by the Superleague Clubs themselves, but in some cases players may be seconded to other National League teams through a commercial arrangement with their affiliate Superleague Club. The Superleague's committment to change goes even further than that, with an undertaking from all eight member clubs and from Leeds Lasers, who join Superleague in the 1998/99 season, to commit themselves to a first choice from players within the EU. To effect this the Clubs have agreed to hire two thirds of their players from the European Economic Area by the start of the 1998/99 season and by the beginning of the 2000/2001 season at least one third of the players in each team must be eligible for GB duty. The Superleague will manage this process through its own secretariat, working with the DfEE to establish clear procedures from the outset. (This report was taken from the BIHA Web site). > STORM SITES REVAMPED A number of the Manchester Storm-related sites on the Web have been revamped for the start of the season. Thunderflash now has a new frames layout making the site easier to navigate. The Storm Shelter has gone for a similar arrangement - another revamp of the site is due soon as well! Fire On Ice has also had a nice new look given to it and Storm Pics now has a multi-frame layout. There are some new Storm Web sites available as well! Key 103's recently launched site has a Manchester Storm page - see http://www.key103fm.com/html/manchester_storm.html and meanwhile Colin's Storm page is only recently discovered by me, but seems to have been there for a few months - http://www.polyhex.demon.co.uk/storm1.htm > INTO THE STORM NEWS Into The Storm has recently launched a number of new pages - not all completed yet! The ICE HOCKEY LINKS page is a comprehensive set of UK ice hockey links covering all teams with Web pages that I am aware of. If you know of any Web pages that I have not included, please let me know. HOCKEY HUMOUR is just that! If you have any jokes, funny photos or anything like that related to ice hockey. There's only one been sent in so far! STORM PLAYERS is a gallery of players that have ever played for Storm including description and photo. Obviously due to the enormity of this task, this is still under construction, but it is getting there slowly! FAN INTERVIEWS is just that! If you want to be part of the Fan Interviews then submit your question answers and a photo if you want and I'll add you to the page. MISCONDUCT! has been updated. You can get the latest from the minds of the Prestwich Stormtroopers on this page. STORM ACTION PHOTOS will shortly have a large number of extra photos included - mostly from games with Cardiff Devils. > MINOR FIXTURE AMENDMENT There is a minor amendment to the fixture list sent out in Storm Blitz #51. The game at Sheffield on Saturday 15 Movember will face off at 7.00pm and not 6.00pm as was stated. DATE OPPONENTS F/O VENUE COMPETITION Sat 4 Oct Cardiff Devils 7.00 Home Superleague > FORTHCOMING STORM GAMES DATE OPPONENTS F/O VENUE COMPETITION Sat 23 Aug Tilburg Trappers 7.00 Home Int. Tournament SF Sun 24 Aug Esbjerg OR Amiens TBA Home Int. Tournament Sun 31 Aug Sheffield Steelers 6.00 Home B&H Cup Group A Wed 3 Sep Interlaken 7.30 Home Friendly Sat 6 Sep Paisley Pirates 7.00 Away B&H Cup Group A > DOWNLOAD BACK ISSUES OF STORM BLITZ All previous issues of Storm Blitz are still available. You can download all of the back issues from the Storm Blitz page on Into The Storm. If you do not have Web access, then if you e-mail me, I'll forward the issues that you require on to you. > HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO STORM BLITZ Easy! Send an e-mail to into.the.storm@poboxes.com telling me that you don't want Storm Blitz any more. Also use this address if you wish to change e-mail addresses or if you have any comments. *** END OF STORM BLITZ ISSUE #53 *** INTO THE STORM can be accessed at: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3859/storm.html OR http://www.poboxes.com/into.the.storm