Ice hockey duo retire after more than 1,600 matches

The captain of an ice hockey team is retiring after playing a record 876 times for the club since joining it 16 years ago.

Sam Bullas said winning the end of season National Ice Hockey League play-offs with the Swindon Wildcats would be "the icing on the cake of his career".

Player-coach Aaron Nell, who has played 805 games for the club and is the highest scorer in its history, is also retiring at the end of the season.

Bullas, who was due to become a father for the first time this week, said: "I'll miss being around the team, being around the ice rink with the fans and everything that goes on with being an ice hockey player. But at the same time I'm looking forward to starting my family life."

And after the Wildcats won the NIHL league this season, they also qualified top of their group for the play-off finals which take place in Coventry over the weekend of 18-19 April.

It is rare for teams to compete the double of both League and Play-offs win in the NIHL, which is the second tier of English ice hockey, just below the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Bullas said "We're really excited. With the team we've built this year there was an expectation for us to make finals weekend and now it's time to try and get that Play-off cup for the first time in our history."

The forward player said he and the whole team were "over the moon" at winning the league, but he said sometimes that's overshadowed by the Play-offs.

"It's a bit funny in ice hockey," he said, "Even though the league is over a seven-month period of graft and travelling all over the country, the play-offs is seen as a big one, so we're excited and hopefully we can add that to our championship."

Bullas, known to fans as Bully, decided at the beginning of the season it would be his last as a player. He and his wife are expecting their first child.

On his 16 years with Swindon Wildcats he said "I'm a piece of the furniture now. I came down here as a young lad and I expected to be here for a couple of years, learn my craft and then move on but I've ended up staying here for all these years.

"I wouldn't change it for the world."

He thanked the fans and the club's owners and coaches for his "wonderful adventure".

"Obviously no-one wants to finish playing, playing's the best part," said Nell.

"But I think it's the right time. I'm glad that we were able to have a good season this year and win the league and hopefully we can take it one step further."

He said he "really enjoys coaching" and is "looking forward to the next phase".

Paul Norbury, chair of the Swindon Wildcats Supporters Club, said he was pleased both Sam and Aaron were finishing their playing careers on a high.

"Both have sacrificed a lot and have worked incredibly hard," he said.

"It's great that they're league champions, and they'll leave everything out there on the ice this weekend so I hope they can win the play-offs too."

Swindon Wildcats will play the Hull Seahawks at 17.30 on Saturday 18th April in the second knockout match of the NIHL Play-offs weekend, competing for a place in the final on Sunday 19th.

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