Phoenix launch 2010-2011 shirts

Monday, 2nd August 2010

The Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham was packed to bursting on Thursday night with Phoenix fans, all eagerly anticipating the launch of the new 2010/11 season playing kit. Club MD Neil Morris and player-coach Tony Hand MBE kicked off proceedings, during which the new Manchester Phoenix Community Sports Foundation was introduced. The Foundation aims to provide kids from across the North West a first-hand experience of ice hockey, and also provide them with the means to take up the sport themselves. All details can be found on the website, http://www.mpcsfoundation.org.

He also introduced the new sales and marketing team at Phoenix, Sam Templeman and Sean Barber, who would be helping to get sponsors and companies on board, both for Phoenix and the Foundation. Coach Hand explained his thinking behind the remaining import slots, though was giving nothing away despite plenty of questions. He stated that his final two imports would both be forwards, one an all-out offensive player and the other a physical, defensive presence.

It wasn’t too long before the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived, and the new shirts were introduced one by one. British players Adam Summerfield, Max Drakeley, Jake Nurse and John Murray modelled the home, away, Cup and warm-up shirts respectively. Mr. Morris then produced a fifth, a black version of the Cup shirt, and asked those in attendance if they would also like that one put into production. The vote was a resounding ‘yes’, and so it would become part of the merchandise lineup. This year’s designs were courtesy of long-time designer Helen Ford of Comtec Presentations and, for the first time this year, fan and Phoenix office helper Matt Reynolds. The shirts would once again be provided courtesy of sponsor Karl Dillon of RSD Sports. If the queue at the ordering desk was anything to go by, this year’s crop look set to be by far the most popular yet.

Check out the Phoenix Podcast and Phoenix TV for all the audio and video snippets from the event.