Swindon Wildcats

Swindon Wildcats
City	Swindon, Wiltshire
League	National Ice Hockey League
Founded	1986
Home arena	Link Centre
Colors	Red & White, Red & Black
General manager	Steve Nell
Head coach	Aaron Nell
Captain	Sam Bullas
Media	Cats TV
Affiliate	Swindon Wildcats 2
Franchise history
1986 - 1996	Swindon Wildcats
1996 - 1997	Swindon Ice Lords
1997 - 2000	Swindon Chill
2000 - 2001	Swindon Phoenix
2001 - 2004	Swindon Lynx
2004 - present	Swindon Wildcats
Championships
Regular season titles	3 (1996/97), (2000/01), (2018/19)
Autumn Cups	2 (1991), (2017/18)

The Swindon Wildcats are a professional ice hockey team based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. They play in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL). Since their inception, the Wildcats have played their home games at the 2800-capacity Link Centre in West Swindon. The club was founded in 1986 as the Swindon Wildcats, shortly after the opening of the Link Centre.

The Wildcats were members of the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) from 1997 to 2017. Due to the instability of the EPIHL following the culmination of the 2016–17 season, the Swindon Wildcats announced their intention to join the National League.

In their first season competing in the National League, the Wildcats won both the Autumn Cup and National Cup competitions, securing the club's first silverware since the 2000-01 season. The following year the Wildcats won the regular season, becoming the 2018/2019 champions.

Logos and uniforms

Logos

The Wildcats' logo is an animated wildcat in the team colours of red and white.

Jerseys

The jerseys currently worn by the Swindon Wildcats are in red and white, the colours sported by the team since the 2008–2009 relaunch. They have worn the same jerseys (with a few small variations) since the 2008–2009 season. For the 2019/20 campaign, the Wildcats will have an alternate jersey that is predominantly black with red motifs.

The first Wildcats colours were black, yellow, orange and white. Blue and white were worn in 2006 and 2007.

Mascot

The official mascot for the Swindon Wildcats is an anthropomorphized wildcat by the name of Willie. He has been the mascot for the 'Cats since their return to the Wildcats name in 2004, after three seasons as the Lynx. He wears a Wildcats jersey with the number 00.

Season-by-season record

Season	League	GP	W	L	OTW	OTL	Pts.	Rank	Post Season
2007–2008	EPIHL	40	16	20	1	3	37	7th	Qualification
2008–2009	EPIHL	54	21	29	2	2	48	8th	Quarter-Final Loss
2009–2010	EPIHL	54	12	31	4	7	39	8th	Semi-Final Loss
2010-2011	EPIHL	54	16	31	3	4	42	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2011-2012	EPIHL	54	25	23	0	6	56	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2012-2013	EPIHL	54	20	22	1	11	53	7th	Quarter-Final Loss
2013-2014	EPIHL	54	23	23	6	2	60	5th	Semi-Final Loss
2014-2015	EPIHL	48	24	20	4	0	56	5th	Quarter-Final Loss
2015-2016	EPIHL	54	30	19	-	5	65	6th	Quarter-Final Loss
2016-2017	EPIHL	48	22	22	-	4	48	6th	Qualification
2017-2018	NIHL S1	32	18	6	4	4	48	3rd	Conf QF Loss
2018-2019	NIHL S1	42	31	7	1	3	67	Champions	Conf SF Loss

Club roster 2020–21

Netminders
No.	Nat.	Player	Catches	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
30		Renny Marr	L	(1997-10-08) 8 October 1997	Lochgelly, Scotland	2017 from Coventry Blaze	21/22

Defencemen
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
24		Tyler Plews	R	(1997-09-13) 13 September 1997	Kirkcaldy, Scotland	2018 from Edinburgh Capitals	20/21
28		Stephen 'Stevie' Whitfield	R	(1990-10-12) 12 October 1990	Swindon, England	2008 from Swindon Wildcats ENL	20/21
44		Neil Liddiard	R	(1978-05-07) 7 May 1978	Swindon, England	2015 from Guildford Flames	20/21
61		Sam Godfrey	R	(1994-02-02) 2 February 1994	Swindon, England	2017 from Milton Keynes Lightning	21/22
77		Ben Nethersell	R	(1998-01-05) 5 January 1998	Worthing, England	2013 from Okanagan Hockey Academy U16	21/22

Forwards
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Acquired	Contract
11		Chris Jones	R	(1991-01-04) 4 January 1991	Cardiff, Wales	2017 from Cardiff Devils	20/21
12		Loris Taylor	L	(1993-08-01) 1 August 1993	Swindon, England	2018 from Swindon Wildcats 2	20/21
13		Sam Bullas	R	(1990-09-20) 20 September 1990	Nottingham, England	2014 from Nottingham Panthers	21/22
18		Floyd Taylor	L	(1995-03-28) 28 March 1995	Swindon, England	2011 from Swindon Lions	20/21
19		Aaron Nell	L	(1989-10-22) 22 October 1989	Swindon, England	2014 from Sheffield Steelers	20/21
37		Toms Rutkis	L	(1997-11-09) 9 November 1997	Riga, Latvia	2013 from Guildford Phoenix U18	Two Way
89		Tomasz Malasinski (*)	L	(1986-08-23) 23 August 1986	Nowy Targ, Poland	2019 from GKS Katowice	21/22

(*) Non-EIHA trained player ("Import"). By gentleman's agreement, teams are restricted to dressing at most two such players per game, with only one being allowed "active" - on the ice, or serving a penalty on the game clock - at any one time.

Team Staff
No.	Nat.	Name	Position	Acquired	Place of birth	Joined From
N/A		Aaron Nell	Player-Coach	2015	Swindon, England	Okanagan Hockey Academy U18
N/A		Stephen Nell	General Manager	2016	England	Okanagan Hockey Academy U18
N/A		Robert Pamphilon	Assistant Coach	2013	England
N/A		Lee Richardson	Assistant Coach	2019	Swindon, England	Oxford City Stars, NIHL 2
N/A		Pete Bradford	Equipment Manager	2010	England
N/A		Steve Bradford	Equipment Manager	2014	England
N/A		Mark Thorne	Assistant Equipment Manager	2014	England

2020/21 Outgoing

Outgoing
No.	Nat.	Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Leaving For
21		Luc Johnson	L	(1997-07-21) 21 July 1997	Milton Keynes, England	Peterborough Phantoms
71		Edgars Bebris	L	(1991-08-07) 7 August 1991	Aizkraukle, Latvia	MK Lightning

Retired numbers

6 Lee Brathwaite, D, 1992–1997, 1998–2009

7 Bryan Larkin, D, 1991–2001

9 Gary Dickie, F, 1993–1997

10 Steve Nell, F, 1986-1988, 1990-1996, 1997-1998, General Manager 2004–present

14 Daryl Lipsey, F, 1986–1995

15 Scott Koberinski, F, 1989–1993

17 Ian Richards, F, 1987–1999

See also

• Swindon Wildcats NIHL – amateur affiliated team playing in National Ice Hockey League South Division 2

External links

• Official website
• Swindon Wildcats Academy