Paisley Pirates’ coach Ian Turley has continued the rebuilding of his squad for the new season of Scottish National League ice hockey by announcing a further four signings to bolster an already impressive looking roster.

 

Returning from last year’s side are Graham McCamley, David Orr, and netminder Gordon Langford, while teenage forward Dylan Robertson has also joined the club from North Ayrshire Wild.

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“Yes,” I’m well pleased with the way the squad is coming together,” commented Turley. “McCamley and Orr are well noted for their firepower up front, while Langford had a very good season for us last year, one which we anticipate him repeating in the coming months, as he and Graeme Meechan share the duties between the pipes. I’m also very excited about young Dylan coming to the club. He, like a few young players, have been told by various people that the Pirates will always give good young talent a chance to develop, and he asked me about coming to join the squad. He’s only just turned 17, and it’s very important to us to continue to attract good young players to the squad, as they’re the future for teams such as ourselves. He’ll continue to make big strides with the Pirates, and he’s already been looking good in training, so he goes straight into the lineup for the first leg of our Autumn Cup quarter final at Kilmarnock Storm on Saturday 5 September (face off 7.00pm). Because of North Ayr’s withdrawal from the competition, it’s now a straight knock out over two legs at Kilmarnock, with the second leg also taking place at the Galleon Centre a week later.2

 

“While like I say I’m happy with the squad now in place, I expect to sign at least a couple more players before our first match, a few have been unavailable at training for various reasons of work and the like, which happens at this level, but I really can’t wait for the new season to get under way on the 5th. It’s been a long summer, but the waiting is nearly over!”

 

The newly re-formed Paisley Pirates Supporters Club is also looking forward to its first official “fixture”, as on Friday 18 September it’s running a Fundraising Night at the 5 on 5 Club, part of the Prolife Fitness Suite Complex, in Paisley. “We’ve now got no match that weekend,” explained chairman Bill Elliot, “so it seemed a good opportunity to run a social event which gets everyone together, although I know there will be a big turnout of Pirates supporters for the Autumn Cup matches on the two preceding weekends.”

 

“The format for the evening will be to formally launch the Supporters Club and tell supporters about some of the plans to raise money and generally support the team in the coming months. Apart from there being a few fundraising elements which were very popular at a previous social evening, which had a quiz and a few games of bingo amongst other features, folk will have a chance to actually join the club, and maybe enlist in a monthly draw which will help raise vital funds for the Pirates. We’ll also be auctioning off one of club icon Chris Conaboy’s shirts, and we’re taking bids for it as of NOW! There will also be a Meet the Players element to the night, where the members of this year’s squad will be formally introduced to supporters, so all in all we think it’s excellent value for the £3 admission fee that will be charged at the door on the night. After 6 months of a starvation diet with no ice hockey, it’s time to get the show on the road and with two matches and a social night to look forward to in the next few weeks, the wheels are very definitely in motion!”

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Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X