The Blackburn Hawks (formerly known as the Blackhawks and the Lancashire Hawks) are an English ice hockey team based in Blackburn, Lancashire. They are presently affiliated with the EIHA Moralee Conference (NIHL N1) and have previously competed in the British National League and the English League Premier Division. The team's home venue is the Blackburn Arena, which has a seating capacity of 3,200.
History
The Blackhawks era The Blackhawks achieved their inaugural victory on 28 October 1990 by defeating the Oxford City Stars with a score of 6–3.1990 / 1991 Season, Oxford City Stars Ice Hockey Club (accessed 23 March 2009) The game took place as a non-import challenge match, where no professional players born outside of the United Kingdom participated. Throughout the subsequent 1990–91 season, all Blackhawks games were played away from home, as the newly constructed Blackburn Arena was not yet completed. The team's first home game occurred on 26 January 1991, coinciding with another 6–3 victory against Oxford. The inaugural goal scored at the arena was by Blackhawks' Dan Holden, an offensive defenseman who amassed a total of 116 points during the season. The leading points scorer for the Blackhawks in the 1990–91 season was Fred Perlini, who contributed 132 points (83 goals and 49 assists) in just 21 games.1990–91 Blackburn Blackhawks [BHL] player statistics, hockeydb.com (accessed 23 March 2009) Among the notable players were Gary Shearman, Trevor Foster, Georgie Powell, and Paul Fleury. Under the management of Keith Purvis and coaching of Pete Murray, the Blackhawks secured fourth place in the English League Division One. Additionally, following the dissolution of Solihull, the Blackhawks were promoted to the Heineken League.
In the 1991–92 season, the team was managed by Doug McKay, a former coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, his tenure was brief due to financial difficulties, leading to the departure of the Blackhawks' management. Consequently, by the end of the season, the Blackhawks were relegated to the English League Division One.
Building to league success In the 1992–93 season, the team underwent a rebuilding phase and adopted the new name Blackburn Hawks. Canadian Glenn Knight initially served as player-coach, but later transferred the coaching duties to the team's new addition, former AHL forward Steve Moria. The team's financial situation improved following a buyout by Peel Holdings, the firm that owned the site of the Blackburn Arena. This change in financial status facilitated the recruitment of new imports to the team.
The Hawks secured victories against the Milton Keynes Kings early in the season and performed competitively throughout, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. The season was regarded as a "tremendous season and certainly one that the Hawks' faithful should remember for a long time to come."History of the Hawks , Tony Preece, July 2000 (accessed 17 March 2009)
Before the start of the 1994–95 season, the Hawks faced turmoil when Steve Moria departed for the Swindon Wildcats. Inexperienced forward Mark Stokes stepped up to assume the role of player-coach. The season marked the Hawks' most challenging B&H Cup campaign, with six consecutive defeats. Nonetheless, the Hawks garnered attention for other achievements.
The British Ice Hockey Association imposed bans on new imports Sverre Sears, Matt Zilinskas, and Jeff Winstanley after they were featured on the front page of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for a late-night naked skating session. Consequently, they were dismissed from the club, prompting a staffing overhaul. Former Toronto Maple Leaf Rocky Saganiuk arrived, pledging to secure a playoff spot for the fans. Saganiuk recruited Trent Casey, Darren Durdle, and Tony Cimellaro. However, the Hawks' defensive vulnerabilities contributed to their relegation to Division Two by the end of the season. Nonetheless, a last-minute league restructuring resulted in the team starting the new season back in Division One.
Prior to the start of the 1995–96 campaign, it was announced that Saganiuk would not be returning, opting to remain in Canada. Under the management of Mike Cockayne, the Hawks secured sponsorship with Thwaites Beer and debuted new red, black, and yellow uniforms at the beginning of the season.
During the season, the Hawks achieved their first-ever top position in the league standings, notably securing a significant victory of 12–9 over the newly formed Manchester Storm. This match took place at the Nynex Arena, attracting a then-record crowd of 9,500 spectators and garnering millions of viewers on Sky TV, marking the first live UK hockey match broadcast on satellite television in the UK. Later in the season, the Hawks returned to the Nynex Arena for a league title decider, which set another British attendance record of 16,280 spectators.
The Northern Premier League In the 1996–97 season, the Hawks welcomed a new coach, Jim Pennycook, a highly experienced player in the British ice hockey scene. This season marked the inception of the Ice Hockey Superleague, a televised league that divided British ice hockey teams based on their financial standing. Blackburn was not included in this new league and instead participated in the Northern Premier League of the BNL, which imposed a limit of three imports per team.
The Hawks encountered challenges early in the season, losing two of their three imports before the end of November. Coach Pennycook played through injury for most of the season, and the team faced roster shortages after Christmas, with only eight players available for some games. However, they made new signings before the transfer deadline and concluded the season with a mid-table position.
Ahead of the 1997–98 season, the team underwent another name change, rebranding as the Lancashire Hawks in an effort to promote the team across the county. However, attendance figures did not see significant improvement, and many fans voiced their disapproval of the new name.
The Hawks faced a series of challenges including staffing issues, injuries, and roster changes, leading to their bottom-place finish in the league and elimination in the playoffs.
The Bobby Haig era In the 1998–99 season, the team participated in another new league, the English League Premier Division. This league was established for teams aiming to compete effectively on a smaller budget than those in the British National League. Competing against teams like Solihull, Swindon, and Milton Keynes, the team reverted to its previous name, the Blackburn Hawks, following pressure from the management team at the Supporters Club annual general meeting held in the Arena bar in May 1998.
Jim Pennycook returned to the Arena in a playing role, while the Arena management sought a new coach for the season. Bobby Haig, an experienced Scotsman and brother of former Hawk John, assumed the role with the aim of restoring the team to its former success.
The season commenced with a decisive victory over the Wightlink Raiders, securing a 13–1 win. However, controversy arose at the start of 1999 when it was revealed that the team had exceeded their season's budget threefold by Christmas. In response, five players, including import Chad Brandimore and club captain Simon Mills, were released from their contracts to alleviate the financial strain on the club. By mid-March, the team faced challenges in the league standings, leading to the realization that they would not participate in the end-of-season playoffs due to financial difficulties. Nevertheless, fan support remained strong, with nearly 1,500 attendees witnessing a 10–9 victory over Chelmsford and a close 7–6 defeat against Milton Keynes at the end of the league campaign. The win against Chelmsford marked the team's highest number of home game victories in a season since its establishment in 1991.
Amid the financial challenges at the season's conclusion, concerns and rumors regarding the club's future surfaced. Some speculated that Blackburn might not field a competitive ice hockey team for the 1999–2000 campaign. Additionally, certain media outlets reported that the team faced potential expulsion from the league due to their decision not to participate in the playoffs.
The decision to move down to the English League Division One elicited a mixed response from fans, mainly due to concerns about the availability of skilled import players in the league. To increase their game count, the team also joined the Border League, comprising teams from Scotland and northern England. Led by Haig, the Hawks narrowly missed out on securing a playoff spot at the season's conclusion.
During the 2000–2001 season, under the guidance of Bobby Haig, the Hawks competed in the English National Ice Hockey League (formerly known as ED1). The season began with a mix of results, including a 14–1 loss to the Kingston Jets and a 14–0 victory over the Bradford Bulldogs, all before Christmas. The team also retained the North West Cup by defeating the Altrincham Aces. However, on 27 January 2001 the Aces avenged their loss by eliminating Blackburn from the English Cup. The team concluded the season in fourth place in the league.
On 3 April 2001 the Blackburn Hawks commemorated their 10th anniversary with a special event featuring the return of Steve Moria and numerous former players. The game, which pitted Bobby Haig's All Stars against Steve Moria's Select, concluded with a 9–8 victory for Moria's team.Blackburn Hawks 10th Anniversary Challenge Match, The Blackburn Citizen (accessed 17 March 2009) The match drew a crowd of over 1,000 spectators and raised £4,000 for the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children).Frozen Assets , Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 30 May 2001 (last accessed 26 March 2009)
During the 2001–2002 season, the Hawks concluded with a fourth-place position in the ENIHL North Division, marking a less successful period for the team.EIHA Hockey Stats , last updated 16 March 2009 During this season, the team faced challenges, losing all six games in the ENIHL Cup and failing to advance past the group stages in the English cup. This pattern established a precedent for the Hawks, with subsequent seasons often seeing them secure a place in the league's top five, achieving a moderate performance in the cup competitions, and Bobby Haig emerging as the team's top scorer.
During the 2002–2003 season, the team finished fifth in the league and narrowly missed reaching the final of the English National Premier Cup, securing the second position in the qualifying table. However, their performance in the Northern Cup was less successful, as they did not win a single game in the competition.
Following a weekend with no points mid-season, Haig suggested that the team's lack of success may be attributed to the absence of younger players, stating, "We had no Under 19s and we also found it difficult to raise our game after the disappointment of (an 8–2 defeat at) Sheffield. Perhaps we need an injection of some new players. It's been a bad weekend and I have got some serious thinking to do."Haig Boss has thinking to do, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 9 October 2002 (accessed 26 March 2009)
One of the new young players recruited by Haig was 19-year-old Richard Hulme, who made his debut in a challenge match against Spartak Durham.Hawks Outspark Spartak, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 27 December 2002 (accessed 26 March 2009) Hulme, who emerged from the Hawks' youth teams, became involved in a controversial incident.