Post by Teadrinker on Nov 11, 2004 9:02:55 GMT
Thommo's book is now out and for those of you who kindly pre-ordered a copy, they have been sent out and should be with you in a day or two.
Press release from the Coventry Blaze
Coach drops gloves and tells all
Coventry Blaze coach Paul Thompson lifts the lid on the characters, controversies and comedy of British ice hockey in his revealing new autobiography today.
‘Benched: Blazing a trail through British ice hockey’ tells the tale of how Thompson’s promising career as a player was halted by injury, and how he turned to coaching to stay in the game he loved.
An original member of the Sheffield Steelers, he went from playing in front of thousands to coaching in front of dozens with his hometown club the Solihull Barons.
Thompson tells how a dynasty was founded as the Barons became the Solihull Blaze, and how he and his side went through a rollercoaster as financial crisis engulfed them before a new Crazy Gang emerged to bring them up through the leagues.
His story is punctuated by the characters and hysterical moments that make the game what it is, and follows the Blaze’s move to Coventry in 2000 and rise to trophy success and a berth in the Elite League.
An insider of the controversial and cash-strapped Great Britain programme, Thompson gives an insight into what life is really like with the national team. He reveals his thoughts on the future of the game.
Thompson said: “There are some really mad, fun, good, solid people in ice hockey, and I seem to have coached most of the crazy ones at some point. Looking back over ten years as a coach I can’t believe some of the scrapes that we’ve got ourselves into. The day my team was stopped by armed police on the motorway was strange enough, but then walking into a pitched battle between my players and a load of drug addicts in Scotland once was pretty hairy too.
“I’ve had a lot of fun, a lot of heartache and seen a lot of fights in my time in the sport, and Benched recounts the best and worst moments. It has been great writing it and I’m sure that it is something that fans of all sport will enjoy reading.”<br>
‘Benched: Blazing a trail through British ice hockey’ is published by Blaze Publications in paperback, price £9.99. It is available from www.benched.co.uk and from all good bookshops.
Thompson will be signing copies of Benched at the Blaze Hockey Locker in the Co-op Extra Superstore, Queen Victoria Road, Coventry at 1pm on 20 November.
Press release from the Coventry Blaze
Coach drops gloves and tells all
Coventry Blaze coach Paul Thompson lifts the lid on the characters, controversies and comedy of British ice hockey in his revealing new autobiography today.
‘Benched: Blazing a trail through British ice hockey’ tells the tale of how Thompson’s promising career as a player was halted by injury, and how he turned to coaching to stay in the game he loved.
An original member of the Sheffield Steelers, he went from playing in front of thousands to coaching in front of dozens with his hometown club the Solihull Barons.
Thompson tells how a dynasty was founded as the Barons became the Solihull Blaze, and how he and his side went through a rollercoaster as financial crisis engulfed them before a new Crazy Gang emerged to bring them up through the leagues.
His story is punctuated by the characters and hysterical moments that make the game what it is, and follows the Blaze’s move to Coventry in 2000 and rise to trophy success and a berth in the Elite League.
An insider of the controversial and cash-strapped Great Britain programme, Thompson gives an insight into what life is really like with the national team. He reveals his thoughts on the future of the game.
Thompson said: “There are some really mad, fun, good, solid people in ice hockey, and I seem to have coached most of the crazy ones at some point. Looking back over ten years as a coach I can’t believe some of the scrapes that we’ve got ourselves into. The day my team was stopped by armed police on the motorway was strange enough, but then walking into a pitched battle between my players and a load of drug addicts in Scotland once was pretty hairy too.
“I’ve had a lot of fun, a lot of heartache and seen a lot of fights in my time in the sport, and Benched recounts the best and worst moments. It has been great writing it and I’m sure that it is something that fans of all sport will enjoy reading.”<br>
‘Benched: Blazing a trail through British ice hockey’ is published by Blaze Publications in paperback, price £9.99. It is available from www.benched.co.uk and from all good bookshops.
Thompson will be signing copies of Benched at the Blaze Hockey Locker in the Co-op Extra Superstore, Queen Victoria Road, Coventry at 1pm on 20 November.