Sutton Sting has made the first signing for the 2011/12 ice hockey season by re-signing team captain from last season, Simon Offord. But it is not just as a player, rather, Simon has been appointed Player Coach and will be working alongside Ian Johnson as the pair try to get the Sting in to Division 1 of the English National League.

Offord enjoyed a fabulous season last term and led the Sting on and off the ice where he was inspirational. Speaking of his appointment he said “It’s great that Ian, Gary and Rob have shown their faith in me as a player and now as a coach. I’ve been working with the boys alongside Simon Butterworth and it worked quite well once we had found our style of play and the systems that suited us. I know that next season we can become a real force in our league.”

After being out of the game for many months through injury Simon Offord took a brave move of leaving the premier league’s Sheffield Steeldogs to join Sutton Sting last October, stepping down two tiers leaving some people thinking he had gone mad. Simon had signed on for the Steeldogs at the start of last season but was suffering from an injury and he was unable to take part in the pre-season preparations. During his rehabilitation he heard that fellow Sheffield teammate Simon Butterworth had joined the Sting and he decided he was going to follow too. Simon recalled, “I wasn’t too sure what lay ahead when I joined the Sting but I soon found that I was at a Club that appreciated my contribution and that meant a lot. I soon became attached to Sutton and began to really enjoy my hockey again, just like I did when I was a young junior player. I was fired up and loved to play again. It was great.”

Offord is a product of the Sheffield Academy junior "hockey factory", renowned for producing players of the highest caliber and players with the skills and determination to do well in the sport. Sting Head Coach Rob Saunders took to the ice a couple of weeks ago when Offord and Butterworth started the Sting’s new Elite Player Conditioning and Development programme with Offord taking the role of lead Coach, Saunders said, "Simon is a big guy who skates well and is very comfortable on the puck. He's quick and agile gives a big presence to our roster. Last season I watch as he brought-on our young players and they all improved immensely under Simon’s guidance. He is just the sort of Coach to take our youngsters to national recognition."

Simon is the first signing confirmed for the Sting for next season and he will be taking an active role in the recruitment process working closely with Ian Johnson who will be adopting the role of Bench Coach for the senior Sting next season. He said, “It’s great news for the Club that we can keep hold of players like “Big O” (Offord). Simon was a true leader for the team last season and he inspires not just the players but also me, Bob (Saunders) and Gary (Apsley). I know that Simon will be a major influence on this Club going forward and it excites me to know that we have fantastic winners and role models getting involved in the management of our young Club.”

Sutton Sting will be holding trials for the ENL Team at Ice Sheffield on Wednesday 15th June 2011, on ice at 7:15pm. Anyone interested in attending should contact Ian Johnson on 07971 616 093.