Newcastle Jesters
| File:Newcastle jesters 2001.png | |
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| League | Ice Hockey Superleague |
| Team history | Newcastle Cobras 1996–98 Newcastle Riverkings 1998–2000 Newcastle Jesters 2000–01 |
| Based in | Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Arena | Telewest Arena |
| Colours | Red, Blue, Yellow & White |
| Owner | Harry Harkimo |
The Newcastle Jesters were an ice hockey franchise based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The team were members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and played their home games at the Telewest Arena (now the Utilita Arena).
History
Single Season of Jesters (2000–2001)
The name 'Jesters' was the last of three used by the club during its five-year existence. The franchise was initially known as the Newcastle Cobras between 1996 and 1998. The team was then known as the Newcastle Riverkings for two seasons between 1998 and 2000 before it assumed its final name for the 2000–01 season. The team featured lots of Finnish players during the teams season as the Jesters. The team had former Jokerit players Tommi Sova and Santeri Immonen, former JYP and Ilves goaltender Tommi Satosaari and Tero Arkiomaa, who was the second best pointscorer during the season. The team was coached by future multiple time world championship winning coach Jukka Jalonen. At the end of 2000 the Jesters had lost four games in a row, and hired Canadian NHL veteran Bob Halkidis as a defender to boost their flagging fortunes.[1] Mid-February 2001 saw the team at the bottom of the table, one point adrift of Nottingham after five successive defeats including an 8-nil defeat at the hands of Cardiff.[2] By March 2001 it was revealed that the Jesters owed two months unpaid wages to their playing squad, who took legal action against the club.[3] By April 2001 the general manager of the club was in talks to move to Sheffield.[4] The Jesters were subsequently banned by the league from hiring new players due to the non-payment of salaries, but shortly before the start of the 2001-2 season Paul Smith, the chairman of the team, was still insisting that they would be playing that season.[5] The club was then shut down. Hockey returned to the area with the Newcastle Vipers who joined the British National League in 2002 and then became members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The Vipers though folded in 2011.
2000–01 Ice Hockey Superleague Roster
| Pos. | Name | Nationality | Birthdate | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Jimmy Hibbert | Canada Canadian | 8 February 1975 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| GK | Bill Russell | Canada Canadian | 25 February 1977 | St. Albert, Alberta, Canada |
| GK | Tommi Satosaari | Finland Finnish | 17 February 1975 | Jyväskylä, FIN |
| D | Craig Binns | Canada Canadian | 18 July 1974 | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| D | Craig Binns | Canada Canadian | 18 July 1974 | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| D | Bob Halkidis | Canada Canadian | 5 March 1966 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| D | Santeri Immonen | Finland Finnish | 29 July 1972 | Helsinki, FIN |
| D | Arttu Käyhkö | Finland Finnish | 5 January 1973 | Joensuu, FIN |
| D | Darren McAusland | Canada Canadian | 3 March 1972 | Grovedale, Alberta, Canada |
| D | Miroslav Mosnar | Slovakia Slovakian | 10 August 1968 | Bratislava, SVK, Czechoslovakia |
| D | Rob Wilson | United Kingdom British/Canada Canadian | 18 July 1968 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| RW | Tero Arkiomaa | Finland Finnish | 20 February 1968 | Helsinki, FIN |
| RW | Louis Bedard | Canada Canadian | 14 October 1975 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| C/RW | Michael Bowman | United Kingdom British | 25 October 1980 | Durham, England, UK |
| F | David Clarke | United Kingdom British | 5 August 1981 | Peterborough, England, UK |
| F | Eric Fenton | United States American | 17 July 1969 | Troy, New York, USA |
| F | Tomas Kupka | Czech Republic Czech | 30 September 1968 | Prague, CZE |
| C | Daniel Lacroix | Canada Canadian | 11 March 1969 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| C | Gelnn Mulvenna | United Kingdom British/Canada Canadian | 18 February 1967 | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| C/LW | Matt Oates | United States American | 20 December 1972 | Evanston, Illinois, USA |
| F | Joel Poirier | Canada Canadian | 1 May 1975 | Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada |
| F | Stuart Potts | United Kingdom British | 9 October 1981 | Durham, England, UK |
| LW | Erkki Rajamäki | Finland Finnish | 30 October 1978 | Vantaa, FIN |
| C | Lubomir Rybovic | Slovakia Slovakian | 12 February 1972 | Košice, SVK, Czechoslovakia |
| RW | Timo Salonen | Finland Finnish | 28 August 1976 | Pori, FIN |
| C | Tommi Sova | Finland Finnish | 8 April 1975 | Oulu, FIN |
| RW | Jari Suorsa | Finland Finnish | 27 January 1976 | Kuusankoski, FIN |
| F | Andrew Tindale | United Kingdom British | 22 October 1980 | Sunderland, England, UK |
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References
- ↑ Batchelder, Vic (9 December 2000). "Steelers stressed out as cup goes up in smoke". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ↑ "Ice Hockey: Devils still on fire". Irish Examiner. 19 February 2001. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ↑ "Broke Jesters fail to see funny side". Evening Chronicle. 30 March 2001. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ↑ "Jesters boss in talks on club move". The Northern Echo. 6 April 2001. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ↑ "Jesters boss issues promise". BBC News. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
