News Report

Hi Chieftains Fans,

 

It’s tough knowing where to start with this piece following the events that have taken place within our small but very close knit sporting community over the past few days but I will give it my best shot.

 

Although largely irrelevant once we heard the tragic news from Nottingham on Saturday night / Sunday morning, the game at The Riverside was an excellent performance from every single one of the boys, we weren’t perfect, but there were parts of the game where we were as close to perfect as we have been so far as a group and we were rewarded with 2 huge points against the team that is justifiably regarded as the top team in the league due to their huge successes over the last 3 or 4 seasons.  This Sunday due to very strange scheduling, we encounter the same opponents on the same ice, we are not naive enough to think beating them once means it will happen again by default, it will take the same effort once again if not more, and the boys will need to be fully focussed again for the full 60 minutes.

 

I can’t write this without taking a moment to talk about Adam Johnson of the Nottingham Panthers, a guy I never met and most likely never would have met, but the accident that resulted in his untimely passing will have an effect on us all in one way or another. As hockey players we all know the risks when we step onto the ice, I think I’ve spent days, if not weeks of my life sitting in A&E waiting rooms all over the country either for my own treatment or that of teammates, colleagues, brothers.  Usually you walk away with some stitches or a plaster cast and you go home to your family and play again in a few weeks / months / next season. Of all the risks we accept as part of the game we love, one of them is never not going home at all, and that’s the part that is hardest to process for me. Whilst I’m sure Adam, like most hockey players would be wondering what all the fuss is about and wanting us all (across the country and world) to get back to work, it’s important that we all pay our respects to him. You may play or coach or manage hockey, or someone you love does, or maybe you just love watching it at the weekend, and all of those people have a right to feel however they feel about the incident, and it’s important that we all come together now regardless of our jersey colour or favourite team and support each other through what is undoubtedly the biggest tragedy in this country that’s happened in my 30+ years of loving this sport. RIP Adam Johnson, fly high man, you’ll be remembered for bringing joy to many thousands of people forever ❤️

 

Thanks for taking the time to read, please look out for each other and yourselves, it’s never been needed more than it is now.

 

All the best,

Cliff.