THEY’RE COMING – A War of World’s!

The latest team to be established at Sutton Sting will face the biggest challenge of them all when the Sheffield Steelers visit Lammas on 19th October 2009.

With the dust just settling on the most memorable day at Lammas so far when the Sting hosted the New York Titans in an international ice hockey challenge, the Club has announced today that they have secured a challenge fixture with the reigning Elite League and Play-off Champions, the Sheffield Steelers which will take place on Monday 19th October 2009 from 7:00pm at Lammas Ice Rink, Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Speaking today Sutton Sting Chairman and Steelers supporter, Ian Johnson said, “I am lost for words.  The biggest ice hockey Club in the UK is coming to play at Sutton against our new ENL team, I don’t think we will ever be able to do anything bigger or better than this!”

The game is being arranged by the Sting’s “Mr Fix-it”, Gary Apsley who said, “I’m promoting this event as a sort of “War of World’s”, you have the Steelers who play in another ‘galaxy’ as far as ice hockey is concerned and then you have the Sting who are evolving as a Club and are about to embark on their first Senior league campaign.  The two teams are worlds apart in terms of credentials, experience and ability but sport has a way of evening things up and anything can happen on the day.”  He added, “I think the people of Sutton will probably not believe this game will happen, and that’s the way things are.  But you know what?  The Steelers will come to Sutton on 19th October and that will be the day that Sutton stands still!”

The Sheffield Steelers are the biggest name in UK ice hockey.  The Club has an unrivalled pedigree from the last 20 years or so.  They have won all of the major honours with a number of Grand Slam titles to their name.  Last season they won the Elite League and the Elite League Play-off’s ending the season with the two biggest trophies in UK ice hockey.  This season the Steelers roster will be brimming with international talent and their star players will be icing at Lammas to showcase their skills on the small ice surface.  Steelers General Manager, Mike O’Connor said “When the guys from Sutton called me and told me about the chance to bring my team to Sutton and do some work for a kids Club I had no hesitation in agreeing.  It will be good for our players to play some hockey on a small ice surface, it will sharpen their puck control and will give them a great work out.”  He added, “for the Sting players it will be a great opportunity for them to test themselves against some of the best players from the top UK league and that is an opportunity that any aspiring hockey player would be thrilled to be given.  I think it will be a great day for hockey, and a greater day for Sutton.  I’m delighted that we’ll be part of it!”

It will be Sutton Sting’s newest team, the Sting ENL team that will be facing the Steelers come October.  Mr Apsley announced the formation of the senior team last year and trials were held in June and twenty five players signed-on to be part of the Club’s most ambitious project to date.  One young chap from Sutton will be hoping for the time off work to be able to play in that game.  18 year old Ben Wayte from Sutton who is currently serving with the British Army in Germany is desperate to play and his place on the Sting roster is really important to Sting Head Coach Rob Saunders who said, “We started this Club of ours for kids just like Ben.  He was one of the original kids who showed real interest in ice hockey back in December 2005 when the Sting idea was just an idea.  Now we have the chance to see Ben take to the ice in a game that he’s probably dreamt about many times and I will be very proud indeed to see him live out his dream.”

The event at Lammas will be a special “Golden Ticket” event that is being promoted by Fat Dads Promotions who recently handed over £32,000 to charity.   Due to the licensing restrictions at Lammas there will only be 285 tickets available for spectators and details of the tickets can be found at www.suttonsting.com