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Any of you guys want to play in Scotland : Flyers the 2nd Season.


Bodee

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Another bit of trivia to show there are Flyers all over North America. This was written into our forum in response to some interesting posts from a Canadian who had heard about the Fife Flyers struggle to re establish itself in the professional league, a chap called Jim from Toronto who at the age of 65 is still playing ice hockey with his buddies.

xx.pngRe: Greetings from Canada

« Reply #16 Today at 2:34am »quote.pngHey Jim, welcome on board. Nice to have some trivia stuff on here. I think once you've posted a few times and see some of the banter on here that you may find that Kirkcaldy is a hockey town. The fans and posters on this forum follow hockey just like folks in Canada.

Personally, I am from Kirkcaldy and was a player in the British league. Like some others on here have visited Toronto and lived there for a while and now live near New York. I married a girl from Mississauga and am a frequent visitor now mainly to family in Oakville and North York.

Have also played at many of the arenas (and some outdoor rinks) in TO, inlcuding Maple Leaf Gardens, Varsity Arena and Lake Shore Lions arena. In fact I met my wife after playing in a tourney spread between varsity & MLG at what was then known as the Jack Russell pub - now Fiddlers Green. We were married at Blessed Sacrament at Yonge/Lawrence just up the road from St Mikes where you play hockey.

I now coach youth hockey in CT and when folks ask how as a Scotsman, I know and play hockey, I describe our town and rink as a little piece of Canada in the midst of Scotland - no more than 15 miles from the home of golf - St Andrews.

I also started the wikipedia page about Fife Ice Arena -http://en.wikipedia..../Fife_Ice_Arena- which gives a bit of history about the arena, the team, the town and the players that have graced the ice there. The most famous of which was the Canadian Olympic Team that won the gold medal in 1948, playing exhibition games in Europe post Olympics and losing 6-5 to the then Fife Flyers on 28 March 1948.

Anyhow to cap it off ... im a Leafs fan ... was a season tiket holder btw 91-94 and was at MSG this past monday night for the 4-2 win over the Rangers.

Keep the banter going our new friend ....

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Here is Jim's first post.

By the way it looks like the Flyer's fans have been fooled again as there has been no additional import names announced for games this weekend. Looks like another "hard road" this weekend for the Flyers............anyway to Jim's post. I think you might find it both familiar and interesting.

By the way for all those who are following this saga I would really appreciate if you would find my thread on Canucks supporting Fife Flyers and add a wee message (no help, financial or otherwise is being asked for............it's just an indication of support )

xx.pngGreetings from Canada

« Thread Started Yesterday at 12:50am »quote.png;)Hi everyone, Jim in Toronto here.

I found my way here through a on-line friend in Scotland, who knew that I am a hockey fan, and who mentioned the Flyers website. He lives somewhere near Fife.

I knew that there were a few hockey leagues over there, mostly due to the coverage on Canadian TV of Theo Fleury, when he was playing for Belfast Giants. A hard life, he has had, and now he has a written a book about his life, on and off the ice.

I spent some time reading the forum, and i was impressed with the support that your team gets, from the fans . The discussion about "imports " reminds me of the Canadian Football League, which limits American players to only 10 on a roster of 40 players. This is NOT soccer, but grid iron " American " style football.

I still play hockey, at age 65, in a senior men's league, full contact, and full 60 minute games, at that. The youngest players are mere kids, of 55.

One thing that you may find unusual is that we DON"T wear helmets, at all. No slap shots, and no fighting. By not wearing helmets, we all know that if a player is dirty, they will get it right back, in the face. Ergo no dirty play. Been that way for 15 years in this league.

Composite sticks are rare in this league, as most of us prefer wood, over the cost and breakage of the "high tech tooth picks ". I can go a full 30 game season with out breaking a stick. Hard to find now, though. I get mine from a small maker in Quebec. Have to buy a dozen, so I get two others to chip in and the maker will put in 4 of each choice. And ship them to Toronto by bus cargo shipment, for a additional $25.

My skates are about 30 years old, CCM Tackaberry Supers, that cost me about $90, in 1979. Looking at some UK hockey stores, the prices are sky high, even for the cheaper brands.

I see that the Flyers are in last place in the league. Could some one suggest why ? And the turn out runs about 1500 fans, per game ? Is that about normal for the league ?

I'd be happy to discuss the sport, and what its like in my country.

Living in "the centre of the Hockey world " here in Toronto, we are really spoiled with The Maple Leafs, The Marlies and 30 team Ontario Hockey League, which provides about 50 percent of the NHL's players, each year in the age 18 and over team draft selections. Imagine living in a city that has over 50,000 youth( under age 16 ) hockey players, of both sexes, in it ? And over 200 hockey arenas ? Or a arena with 8 rinks in it?

OK I know that sounds like a boast, but it really isn't. We just have had a long time to build that kind of infrastructure.

Cheers. Jim in Toronto.

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Laurie Boschman ended his career with Fife Flyers. He wasn't with us long and by the look of it there might not have been enough action for him with the Flyers who have always been more of a finesse team ;-)

This guy looks to have a touch of the Rick Rypiens about him going by this clip.He was drafted 7th o/a and may have landed at Flyers due to his friendship with Doug Smail

http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

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A new addition at last. Another Canadian, Dan Ceman, Centre from Windsor Ontario.

Not one anybody expected because he was till a week ago the coach of near rivals Dundee Stars. Last year he scored nearly 80pts and was Dundee's highest points scorer this season before he left.

I'm not sure about the grey hair (he's 38) but the scoreboard doesn't lie and frankly we are desperate. We also found out to-day another Canadian defence man HAS been signed and is awaiting a permit to come over.

There is a game to-night (Tuesday) against Coventry Blaze in Kirkcaldy so I will let you know how it goes.

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Last night Flyers, unable to ice their only 2 defensive imports..........

went 5-1 up against the 2nd team in the league after 2 periods, and lost the game in overtime. It was heartbreaking, they seemed to go into their shell and lost all belief but in fairness they probably ran out of steam. I am gutted for the import players who should have been heading home for Christmas with their best performance of the season under their belt and instead will only have thoughts of what might have been.

The tying goal took a freak deflection totally wrong footed the defence and the rest is history. Canadian goal tender, Garrett Zemlak, was seen to shatter his stick on his way down the tunnel at the end................and who could blame him.

I can't describe the resentment felt against the owners of this historic Club, for not bolstering the team's defence when it was obvious to all that an injury or two to the teams defensive imports would destroy any success the forwards and net minder might provide. Well standout USA defender Matt Cohen was out for the third game with concussion and Canadian forward Danny Stewart, who was moved into defence to help out and was playing brilliantly was also out through injury. Danny lost 2 teeth but miraculously played on a few nights ago, having one of his best games.

Once again this team has proved it has the inherent ability to do something in this league and once again the short sighted approach by the owners have held them back.

It has been mooted that some of the imports will fly home now for Christmas with their families. (I heard that Garrett's were coming over here.) If ever a bunch of lads deserved a good Christmas break it is these boys who have proved to the Fife fans that when the going gets tough (and it has been all season) they know how to dig in and push back.

Last word to the Scots lads (locals) who were pitched into this enterprise, to a standard of hockey and fitness way above that of which they were used to. They were (and some still are) part timers playing in a full time professional league. Some fixture patterns ludicrously throwing up 4 games in 5 days (I don't think even the NHL do that) They have come on from almost bystanders, as the speed of the game passed them by to fully fledged Elite standard hockey players in 4 months.

Ironically they are the players (even more than the imports) who had been used to winning in almost every game they played, "sometimes looking back" Imagine then the shock to the system this experience has been. They too have had to show a hell of a lot of grit and character to get to a stage where instead of being passengers every night they have gradually started to match the opposition in skill and fitness.

For them this has not been done in pre season camp, or gym, or even practice. It has been through fighting through humiliation and fatigue night after night in full match conditions. They also can feel proud.

This season is a bust now for the Flyers as regards to playoffs or cup runs BUT providing the imports all come back after Christmas and the team gets the 1/2 D's they have been promised I can see further improvements and would expect us to start making our mark on this League next season.

The next fixture is against Cardiff on Boxing Day 26th December. I hope to have some good news for you then. A very Merry Christmas to all you readers and your families who are following this Journal.

Bodee.

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This is the defender Fife Flyers have apparently been trying to get for 2 months. I must say I'm not sure from his stats as to what makes him special. Nevertheless Fife have a record of signing imports who prove to be extremely productive for this team. Let us hope it is enough.

Tim Maxwell

Defense

Born Nov 12 1984 -- Sherwood Park, ALTA

Height 5.11 -- Weight 168

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Despite still being ravaged by injury we beat the team above us Dundee Stars 2-1 in Kirkcaldy.

We are now only 2 points behind Dundee.

More on this momentous win later. I am a bit too inebriated to say much more.

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News to-day following the win over Dundee is that USA defender Matt Cohen (The boy who has almost single handedly lead our threadbare defence putting in massive minutes, regularly over 30mins per game) will be out for a further 4-6 weeks with concussion.

If it wasn't that concussion was a serious injury I would say he deserves the rest after his herculean feats up to now. Ironic that when we finally get him an excellent partner in Tim Maxwell (who was outstanding last night in his 2nd game in 2 days) he is not around to benefit.

Garret Zemlak was once again our man of the match (MOM) and fell to his knees and looked up to the heavens on the blowing of the final whistle.

We also have at present, injuries to Canadian forward turned emergency defender Danny Stewart and our own local lad Ian Bowie.

We are trying to compete in this professional league with a team composed of import pros and mostly boys (9 out of 21) who have actually been born in and produced by the hockey system of this small town. (50,000) I think that would be remarkable in any country.

We now have 2 games away on auld year's night and at home on the 2nd of January against our deadliest rivals Edinburgh Capitals. I wish we had all been fit for these games because I feel the outcome will make or break our season. It is amazing that I can say that after the baptism we have had in this league.

A guid New Year tae yin an a!..............A Happy New Year to you all!

I leave you with a toast from Rabbie Burns.

Here's tae usWha's like us

Damn few,

And they're a' deid

Mair's the pity!

May those who live truly be always believed,

And those who deceive us be always deceived.

Here's to the men of all classes,

Who through lasses and glasses

Will make themselves asses!

I drink to the health of another,

And the other I drink to is he

In the hope that he drinks to another,

And the other he drinks to is me.

Then let us toast John Barleycorn,

Each man a glass in hand

And may his great prosperity

Ne'er fail in old Scotland!

Robert Burns.

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not a big fan of danny stewart is a cheep shot artist- i was a vipers fan, but was watching nottingham v coventry i think a few years back in nottigham and when the play was at the other end of the ice- pc druin was on his was back to the bench after a heavy hit and stewart went and baseball bat swung his stick at him for no reason and layed him flat out!

and hes always up to dirty tricks in everygame ive seen him in

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Following injuries and and the departure of Matt Siddall Fife flyers let a a 4-2 lead slip but

WIN 5-4 AGAINST DEADLY RIVALS EDINBURGH CAPITALS IN AN AULD YEAR'S DAY SHOOTOUT!

The derby game was delayed to allow a bumper crowd swollen by a huge travelling support from Kirkcaldy.

Club captain, Danny Stewart showing even more grit than he usually does yet again played injured and filled in up front magnificently for the departed crowd hero Matt Siddall.

They play again now in what is sure to be in front of a Kirkcaldy sellout crowd on January 2nd. Exciting times in the old barn again.

A guid New Year tae ye's a' and Lang may yer lum reek!

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