Getting to know...Alan Claringbold!

To keep the site ticking over this summer, we have decided to run a little feature where you will discover a little bit more behind each of the three of us: Alan (apologies for the old picture, but considering it's with the League Trophy I'm sure you'll excuse us), Tom and myself - Mark. What you are about to experience is a bit more background to us all which is not covered in the staff profiles.

First in the hot seat is Alan himself. So sit back and enjoy.

5 Things We Learnt - Fife Flyers

Thank you to Tony for his contribution to FSB, All Credit for this piece goes to him so any queries you can contact Tony on Twitter @DISGU15ED

I'm not sure I can think of five things about the 14/15 Fife Flyers season, but I'll give it a go:

1> Successful season - So 8th in the league, and one point above 9th, must have met the owners targets as he's kept Todd Dutiaume as coach for season number 10. Danny Stewart's back too so everything must have been rosey.

2> Keep you nickers on - When Matt's team are hurting, which happened a lot last year, his play gets uber physical and all thinking power is lost. Remember the charge from the blue line in December to get involved with Eddy who was watching a brawl develop near the pipes? Hitting Cullen whilst he was unaware, and again when he was down, earned the bearded bellend a four game misconduct.

3> Steady as she goes - For a team with a higher average attendance than Cardiff, Coventry, Dundee, Edinburgh and Hull, and owning their own rink, shouldn't the Kirkcaldy faithful demand more? Try not to gift the Clan another conference title next year - start with tightening it up cross-conference, as 12 points from 20 outside conference games like last year doesn't cut it. 

4> Can we play you every week - 23 goals past Regan in four league games, and 7 points from a possible 8 makes Fife one of my favourite Ice Sheffield games. The queues at the bar are horrendous though! #thirstytravellers

5> Nope nothing else.

One more thing - do you remember that Dowd goal with 30 seconds left in the away leg of the playoff quarter finals - just as well we banked that insurance marker wasn't it!

Favourite player : Like the Belfast Giants, I'd take the bearded one, and hope that DOPS turn a blind eye. Would have to rely on others for the points production though!

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@TomWalkeden

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@RatedRDG

Check out the Frozen Steel Podcast

Check out the Frozen Steel Match Night Talk Show

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

5 Things We Learnt - Edinburgh Capitals

Thank you to Tony for his contribution to FSB, All Credit for this piece goes to him so any queries you can contact Tony on Twitter @DISGU15ED

This week's five things discusses the mighty Capitals who showed both signs of life and signs that nothing much changes during 14/15.

1> Signs of improvement? - Ninth out of ten doesn't sound great, but 46 points was 17 points better than last year, and only one point short of making the playoffs. For now the sleeping Murrayfield giant keeps on sleeping, but maybe one eye is twitching.

2> Packed barn again - Murrayfield is one of those classic old barns that's colder on the inside than the outside, and with an average attendance of 845 last year, you can't rely on body heat to warm you up.

3>  Going Streaking - Hot form in November and December had the whole league watching, with 17 points out of 22 and taking full points from Braehead, Coventry and Nottingham amongst others. As they do chunks of their recruitment after the season begins, maybe it took them this long to start spotting their team mates!

4> That run-in win - All hail the 2:1 result at the old barn which proved to be the final nail in Braehead's title challenge. Whilst the Steelers were losing at the BBT, Naslund was saving our bacon. Mon the Caps!

5> That incident - The biggest EIHL viral moment of 14/15 unfortunately featured Joe Grimaldi's last game. An 18 game ban for (large breath); checking to the head, spearing Max Parent, violently throwing his helmet, and then punching an unsuspecting opposition who was unable to protect himself. Gormless Grimaldi Goonery. Bawbag.

One more thing - we can hardly discuss the Caps and not mention @capsbanterarmy can we. Bawbag of the week every Monday, and not a single duck will be given. Top gadgey.

Favourite player - Dennis Rix - 45 points from 58 games from the young centre man straight from Michigan State, always seemed to get more than his share against the Steelers.

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@TomWalkeden

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@RatedRDG

Check out the Frozen Steel Podcast

Check out the Frozen Steel Match Night Talk Show

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

5 Things We Learnt - Dundee Stars

Thank you to Tony for his contribution to FSB, All Credit for this piece goes to him so any queries you can contact Tony on Twitter @DISGU15ED

This week's five things is a tougher one - how to summarise the 14/15 Dundee Stars without resulting to tears or tantrums?

1> Glass half-full - On the plus side the 15/16 version of the Stars are statistically very likely to be a massive improvement! Taking a third placed team from 13/14, to one that was lucky to finish above Telford was one of the worst turnaround stories of 14/15.

2> Net minders - Dan Bakala conceded 148 goals - Marc Cheverie conceded 203. That's a goal a game, and unless you've got @Ovi8 up-front you're going to struggle to turn that around.

3> What could have been - John Mitchell bagged 11 goals in his first 25 starts and looked like a real threat in the EIHL. We forget that the Stars were putting the biscuit in the basket early doors. All we remember was they were forgetting to close the back door, and after Mitchell returned to the States they forgot how to score too.

4> High spots - Home game wins against the Panthers reminded the Stars faithful that the team could win - but rather than a turnaround, it turned out it was just a dead-cat-bounce.

5> Holding out for Babcock, getting Lefebvre - Given Marc's record as a head coach the fact that the Stars management see him as an upgrade is somewhat surprising, but given the season just gone any type of change is worth trying. Maybe a bench coach will reap rewards, and maybe Jeff didn't want to do that? Happy hunting Jeff.

One more thing, when Mark Thomas scores twice against you, (his last as a Steeler, and first in three years by the way) and Andy Jaszczyk gets a nine shot part game shutout, you know it's time to rip it up, start again and hope for better things in the new year.

Favourite player - if he's good enough for the Blackhawks’ pre-season rookie camp then Paul Swindlehurst's good enough for me too. Bet he uses those photos on his Elite Prospects page for ever, unless he becomes a Steeler obviously.

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@TomWalkeden

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@RatedRDG

Check out the Frozen Steel Podcast

Check out the Frozen Steel Match Night Talk Show

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com