Oxford Blades
The Oxford Blades were an English ice hockey team based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. They competed in the English Premier Ice Hockey League during the 1998–1999 season and folded halfway through the 1999–2000 season.
The Blades were formed after a year without senior men's hockey in the town. Following the dissolution of the Oxford City Stars, Mike Kellond created the Oxford Chill. Due to the failure of the ice plant at Oxford, Kellond moved the team to Swindon where they became known as the Swindon Chill.
Following a move back to the university-town, the club's concessions from the council for the ice costs were lost along with the majority of its players.
A group of ice hockey-loving businessmen created the Oxford Blades, bringing in former Stars' coach Sid Cabby as managing director in January 1999. Due to a sponsorship deal, the club was known during their debut season as The City Motors FOX Blades. The club's only full season saw them have four head coaches: Geoff Copping got things underway and Erskine Douglas provided a solid structure and programme for a few weeks before leaving for Chelmsford Chieftains. He was replaced by Daryl Morvan and then by late signing Mark Budz. The club lost every game during 1998–1999 and finished at the bottom of the league. However, the club won the sportsmanship trophy for finishing at the top of the fair play league with a total of 386 penalty minutes during the course of the league season.
The 1999–2000 season would prove to be their last, as the club ran out of money and played their last game on 23 January 2000, which saw them lose 16–3 at home to the Isle of Wight Raiders. All league statistics from the season were expunged.
Results
1998–1999 season
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Blackburn Hawks | Away | Lost 13–2 | English Cup |
| N/A | Blackburn Hawks | Home | Lost 6–2 | English Cup |
| N/A | Solihull Blaze | Home | Lost 20–2 | English Cup |
| N/A | Solihull Blaze | Away | Lost 15–1 | English Cup |
| N/A | Swindon Chill | Home | Lost 9–1 | English Cup |
| N/A | Swindon Chill | Away | Lost 14–4 | English Cup |
| N/A | Wightlink Raiders | Home | Lost 14–4 | English Cup |
| N/A | Wightlink Raiders | Away | Lost 11–2 | English Cup |
| Saturday 10 October 1998 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Away | Lost 14–2 | English League |
| Saturday 17 October 1998 | Swindon Chill | Away | Lost 9–2 | English League |
| Sunday 18 October 1998 | Swindon Chill | Home | Lost 9–2 | English League |
| Saturday 24 October 1998 | Wightlink Raiders | Away | Lost 17–4 | English League |
| Sunday 25 October 1998 | Solihull Blaze | Away | Lost 18–2 | English League |
| Saturday 31 October 1998 | Romford Raiders | Away | Lost 13–2 | English League |
| Sunday 1 November 1998 | Wightlink Raiders | Home | Lost 13–3 | English League |
| Thursday 5 November 1998 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Away | Lost 12–2 | English League |
| Saturday 7 November 1998 | Milton Keynes Kings | Away | Lost 20–1 | English League |
| Sunday 22 November 1998 | Invicta Dynamos | Home | Lost 8–0 | English League |
| Sunday 29 November 1998 | Swindon Chill | Away | Lost 8–2 | English League |
| Saturday 5 December 1998 | Wightlink Raiders | Away | Lost 15–5 | English League |
| Sunday 6 December 1998 | Blackburn Hawks | Home | Lost 11–3 | English League |
| Sunday 13 December 1998 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Home | Lost 7–2 | English League |
| Sunday 20 December 1998 | Blackburn Hawks | Away | Lost 19–2 | English League |
| Sunday 3 January 1999 | Romford Raiders | Home | Lost 15–2 | English League |
| Saturday 9 January 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Away | Lost 9–6 | English League |
| Sunday 10 January 1999 | Milton Keynes Kings | Home | Lost 8–4 | English League |
| Saturday 16 January 1999 | Solihull Blaze | Home | Lost 20–7 | English League |
| Sunday 17 January 1999 | Blackburn Hawks | Home | Lost 9–5 | English League |
| Thursday 21 January 1999 | Milton Keynes Kings | Away | Lost 21–1 | English League |
| Sunday 24 January 1999 | Solihull Blaze | Home | Lost 15–1 | English League |
| Sunday 31 January 1999 | Wightlink Raiders | Home | Lost 14–7 | English League |
| Saturday 6 February 1999 | Romford Raiders | Away | Lost 11–3 | English League |
| Sunday 7 February 1999 | Romford Raiders | Home | Lost 7–6 | English League |
| Sunday 14 February 1999 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Home | Lost 14–5 | English League |
| Saturday 20 February 1999 | Blackburn Hawks | Away | Lost 19–2 | English League |
| Sunday 21 February 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Away | Lost 14–2 | English League |
| Sunday 28 February 1999 | Milton Keynes Kings | Home | Lost 11–3 | English League |
| Saturday 6 March 1999 | Solihull Blaze | Away | Lost 14–5 | English League |
| Sunday 7 March 1999 | Swindon Chill | Home | Lost 7–4 | English League |
| Sunday 21 March 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Home | Lost 12–1 | English League |
1999–2000 season
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 4 September 1999 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Away | Lost 6–2 | English League |
| Sunday 5 September 1999 | Swindon Chill | Away | Won 7–6 | English League |
| Saturday 11 September 1999 | Cardiff Rage | Away | Tied 7–7 | English League |
| Sunday 12 September 1999 | Romford Raiders | Home | Lost 8–3 | English League |
| Saturday 18 September 1999 | Swindon Chill | Away | Lost 8–2 | English League |
| Sunday 19 September 1999 | Isle of Wight Raiders | Home | Lost 9–3 | English League |
| Saturday 25 September 1999 | Romford Raiders | Home | Won 5–3 | English League |
| Sunday 26 September 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Away | Lost 7–4 | English League |
| Sunday 10 October 1999 | Cardiff Rage | Home | Won 9–3 | English League |
| Saturday 16 October 1999 | Romford Raiders | Away | Lost 9–6 | English League |
| Sunday 17 October 1999 | Isle of Wight Raiders | Home | Lost 4–3 | English League |
| Sunday 24 October 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Home | Won 6–5 | English League |
| Saturday 30 October 1999 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Away | Lost 13–3 | English League |
| Sunday 14 November 1999 | Invicta Dynamos | Home | Tied 5–5 | English League |
| Sunday 28 November 1999 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Away | Lost 12–3 | English League |
| Saturday 4 December 1999 | Isle of Wight Raiders | Away | Lost 21–4 | English League |
| Saturday 11 December 1999 | Swindon Chill | Away | Lost 11–2 | English League |
| Sunday 2 January 2000 | Romford Raiders | Away | Lost 8–4 | English League |
| Saturday 8 January 2000 | Isle of Wight Raiders | Away | Lost 14–6 | English League |
| Sunday 9 January 2000 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Home | Lost 7–1 | English League |
| Sunday 23 January 2000 | Isle of Wight Raiders | Home | Lost 16–3 | English League |
References
- (1999) The Ice Hockey Annual 1999-2000. East Sussex: Caldra House Ltd. ISBN 0-9536410-0-7.
- (2000) The Ice Hockey Annual 2000-2001. East Sussex: Caldra House Ltd. ISBN 0-9536410-1-5.
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