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In 1990, Heineken sponsored two UK leagues, the Heineken Premier League and Heineken Division One. MK Kings began their adventures at the third level, the English League First Division. The league rules allowed only 3 players who were not British trained, and one of these had to be a player reclassified as British by BIHA rules. Coach Mike Sirant brought in Paddy Scott and Troy Kennedy from Canada as the two imports, Tim Peacock was the reclassified player and there was a solid core of British players willing to take on the challenge of a new team in a new town. Teething troubles were dealt with and Kings came out second in the league, only goal difference putting Oxford top. Promotion to Heineken Division One was achieved in the playoffs, a great start for the new boys. There were some names on the roster that were here to stay, Paddy Scott, Simon Howard and Chris Anderson played for 6 seasons, until Bladerunner closed, Paddy returned in 98/99 and Simon Howard has also come back. Other players have come and gone and returned, Rick Strachan, the coach for 01/02 came into the team for the first playoffs. Simon Ferry played for the first three seasons and returned in 99/00. Paddy was the league's top points scorer that season, followed by Rick Smith (Chelmsford), Mark Mackie (Chelmsford), Troy Kennedy and Dan Prachar (Oxford). |
| 1990/91 Roster | |
So how was it so many of us started spending our Saturday nights in an ice rink - and many of our Sundays on the road? Well, it can be traced back to that summer of 1990 when First Leisure got together with Mike Sirant and decided to form an ice hockey team. Many of us turned up for those first matches and became hooked. Many of us are still here, having been through the ups and downs of the years. Some have joined along the way and become just as ice hockey crazy as the rest of us.
Mike Sirant was an astute coach who put together a very classy team for that first year. He signed key imports Paddy Scott and Troy Kennedy who in tandem were to dominate the scoring charts in that first year. He saw potential in two young British defencemen Simons Howard and Ferry and three brothers Peter, Paul and Graeme Collins. Netminder Ian Cade, Tim Peacock (always the original "Wild Thing" to Kings fans!), Captain Mike Andrews and Steve Oliver came from Peterborough to be reunited with Team Manager Tony Oliver, who had been recruited from the Pirates management. The Kings were born.
Their first match saw them take the honours over Richmond Flyers as they won 7-5, and they were to beat Richmond on all of the five occasions the teams met this season. Much of Kings season continued in this vein as they had several convincing victories over more experienced opposition. One memorable exception to this was a match against Blackburn Blackhawks. It makes me shiver even thinking about it. Paddy, assisted by Chris Anderson, put Kings ahead after just 1.11 had elapsed. Paddy again, Howie and Peter Collins all netted in the first period for 4-0. In the second honours were shared at 4-4 but Kings led 8-4 at the second break. However, ex NHL player Fred Perlini was to turn that around in the final period as he netted 9 goals for a final score of 11-14, Dan Holden netting the other one for Hawks.
Hard though it is to believe now Kings main opponents in that year were Oxford and eventually Kings finished runners-up to the Stars in the League. In the play-offs they were allowed to add one import player, as the teams in the higher Division played with 3 imports. Mike Sirant brought in some guy from Haringey called Rick Strachan. Now whatever happened to him!!
In the play-offs it was Kings who came out on top and a large travelling band of fans saw Kings clinch promotion to the Heineken Division One at Medway.
In that season Paddy netted an incredible 101 league goals, with 87 assists. Troy Kennedy scored 73+94 points.