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Catch-up With Neil - (taken from his programme article - Sunday 6th November)

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Hello everybody and welcome back to seaside hockey, Phoenix style.  What a fantastic performance last Sunday at home against Hull Pirates.

With all that needs doing on game day, I don’t normally see much of the game but something drew me to the plexi to watch last week. Probably the atmosphere generated by you guys.

I am so glad I did hang around to watch. We may be at the wrong end of the table and struggling to get results, but watching the effort by the lads to take on one of the best teams in the league filled me with pride.

This team is so much better than results indicate and I am positive it will not be long before we are climbing the table. Everyone on the team gave it their all in the game for the full 65 minutes and it was heart breaking not to take both points. But I won’t take any credit away from Hull. They too, never gave up and the teams provided the most entertaining game we have seen here in Blackpool.

Here’s a wee question for you.  Tony Hand has played most games for the Phoenix organisation with 437 games. One player will pass that record this season. Any ideas?

Well, he is the quietest, most unassuming young man it has ever been my pleasure to meet. Born 29 years ago over on the dark side in Yorkshire, he has stood out like a rock in our defence for 9 seasons, patrolling the blue line like a second home. It is of course Luke Boothroyd, our skipper, our franchise player of players. 

On the 8th of January next year, ironically in Hull where it all started for him as a professional he will equal Tony Hand’s club appearance record of 437 games.  All being well and he stays injury free he will break the record the following Saturday in Guildford.  We shall certainly celebrate it the following night against Peterborough.  Luke, we salute you, without a doubt one of the Faithful