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Parrish returns ready for the challenge

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Phoenix head coach Tony Hand has moved to bring experience to his defence for 2008-09 by signing American blueliner Dwight Parrish for his second term with the club.

"I was delighted to get a call from Tony," commented the 36-year old native of Detroit. "I was on my back to Manchester from Bracknell with my family when he called and asked me if I'd like to play in Manchester again. I jumped at the chance. I've always liked the city, my wife Nicola is from Manchester and it's a great challenge for me to play again at the top."

Since the first season of the Phoenix, Parrish has played for and coached the Bracknell Bees in the English Premier League and during that time helped the club lift four trophies. This past season though the Berkshire club stumbled from one crisis to another, but Parrish remained as steady off the ice as he is on it, guiding the team to cup success over the Slough Jets and narrowly missing out in the playoff final, ironically also against the Jets.

Tony Hand commented, "Dwight is a solid, dependable and experienced campaigner and when we talked, he's still hungry to succeed. He's already settled back in Manchester with his family and I think he'll be a good fit for our team this year."

Parrish added, "I enjoyed some success in Bracknell and that's a good habit to get into. With the Phoenix in the first year, we were close and that's a bitter pill I still struggling to swallow. Hopefully, my experience will help the team as nothing would please me more than to win a trophy with Manchester, it's my second home and I'm really happy to get this chance to play for the club again."

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