The Guildford Flames ice hockey club have retained the services of 33 year old defenceman Neil Liddiard. The former British National League all-star and ‘top defenceman’ award winner has signed on for a 9th season at the Spectrum base and will, barring injury, surpass the 500 game barrier during the course of the coming term. Last season, including the run to the playoff title, Liddiard had 5 goals, 15 assists and 122 minutes in penalties. In 470 career Flames starts, the Swindon native has 44 goals and 199 points. He has also served 893 minutes in career penalties, just 139 short of sole ownership of the club’s all-time top spot currently held by former Flames forward Vinny Zavoral.
Liddiard, a product of Swindon’s Jr. set up, and former member of that city’s top senior side, launched his Flames service in 2003-2004 when the team lifted the BNL playoff title. His tenure with the club followed three seasons with Basingstoke Bison which in turn followed an identically timed stint with the Peterborough Pirates from 1997-1998 through 1999-2000.
The 6’0”, 200lb blue liner’s initial playoff crown, and the most recent post season championship, is in addition to a pair of English Premier League titles from 2005-2006 and 2007-2008 as well as an equal number of cup holdings from 2007 and 2010.
From 1995 through 1997 Liddiard represented Great Britain at the World junior championships and did the same thing with the senior side at the main event in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2005. In 22 senior international appearances, Liddiard has 2 goals and 3 assists.
Flames head coach Paul Dixon talked about the returning veteran:
“At the tail end of the season and in the playoffs, especially in Coventry when it was all on the line, I think his extensive domestic and international playing experience really came to the front. He stepped it up and put in a great effort on our behalf and played a big part in ending a very long playoff drought. We need guys who can play a physical style and figure heavily in our team’s overall toughness, and those components of the game are the strengths of Neil’s asset base. He is always fully committed to team objectives and we are glad he has taken up an offer to extend what has already been a very long and successful contribution to the history of this organisation.” |
