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Ben Wood to repay the faith shown by the Manchester Phoenix fans

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Manchester Phoenix assistant captain Ben Wood is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Head Coach Tony Hand.

Wood has agreed terms on an eighth season with the EPL outfit, following a year when he briefly took the captain’s armband. That temporary promotion came after an injury to skipper Luke Boothroyd, as the club enjoyed a fine end to the 2014/15 campaign. And he wants to capitalise on the momentum generated by appearances in the finals of the British Challenge Cup and play-offs.

Wood said: “I was made assistant captain a few seasons ago, so it was a big honour when Tony asked me to fill in. I enjoyed it more because of the fact that Tony put his trust in me for those games. It didn't make a huge difference to me in terms of playing. In the changing room, Luke is a quiet character and concentrates on what happens on the ice. I tried to replicate that. The target is to win the league. If you don’t look at it like that, then you shouldn't be playing in this league. We need to improve on the previous seasons, as it was very disappointing to get into two finals and not win anything.”

Wood’s hard-working reputation means he is held in high regard by Phoenix fans, who previously voted for him as Most Improved Player.

He added: “Every player wants to improve year on year. Since I came here as a youngster, I have always been looking to prove myself. Next season, I want to keep on making sure I'm a solid player in the team. For the first few years my role kept on changing, but in the last few years I have come on a lot more. I definitely want to repay the faith shown in me by the fans and everyone at the club. What has happened over the summer won’t bother me at all, so I'm sure it will all be fine.”​