Telford Tigers ice hockey team will not play again for at least a year after its new owner pulled the club out of the English Premier League to regroup.
Telford businessman Neil James said the club simply did not have enough time to complete arrangements and get a team together for the 2009-2010 campaign but vowed they would be back next year.
He said every effort would be made during the year out to ensure a “stable and sustainable” base was built for the club to progress.
Mr James, a training design consultant, said: “No, there isn’t going to be a team this year but there will be on-going things for the supporters, for instance we may organise coaches to go to watch other teams in the English Premier League.
“I want to keep the backing of the fans so that next year we will come back a lot stronger.”
He said he had no intention of just being at the helm of the Tiger for one year and pledged his full commitment to the club.
Mr James, who took over at the helm 10 days ago from former owners David and Rachel Candlin, broke the news of the lay-off to fans on the club’s website in a bid to quell speculation and fears about what lay ahead.
He said in a statement: “Over the past couple of weeks, despite the best efforts of everyone behind the scenes, due to the short timescale in which to meet various requirements and getting everything in place, we have taken the decision to take a year out and build for the 2010-2011 season to ensure ongoing stability and competitiveness.
“Obviously, we understand the supporters’ disappointment that Telford Tigers will not be icing this season however, given a number of factors, the timescale and talks with the EPL and the council, all parties were in agreement that this was the best way forward in the long term for the continued success of the team.
“I would like to reassure everyone that the next year will be spent working hard behind the scenes, talking to existing and potential sponsors, and building a stable and sustainable base from which to move forward.”
Mr James said the club already had a number of volunteers to help out but he appealed to any supporters who would also like to help or who had any ideas which could benefit the club to come forward.
He said a number of supporters meeting were planned over the coming months to keep everyone up to date with progress being made
Just two months ago, with the season still running, Mr Candlin said the club’s management was already making plans for the 2009-2010 season and talking to local companies and principal sponsors GM Heating and Plumbing about those plans.
News of the year-long lay-off came after loyal Tigers’ supporters, local companies and ice hockey fans around the UK raised £20,000 in just four days last August to rescue the club when a major sponsorship deal fell through.
