Newcastle Vipers Information & Newcastle Vipers Links at HealthHaven.com

Newcastle Vipers
City	Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
League	Elite Ice Hockey League
Founded	2002
Home arena	Metro Radio Arena; Whitley Bay Ice Rink
Colours	White, Black & yellow;
Owner(s)	Paul Ferone and Rob Wilson
General manager	Jamie Longmuir
Head coach	Rob Wilson
Captain	David Longstaff
Farm club(s)	Newcastle ENL Vipers
Championships	2005-06
Franchise history
2002–Present	Newcastle Vipers

The Newcastle Vipers are an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.

[edit] History

The club was founded August 2002 after a season without a professional ice hockey team in Newcastle. Previously, the city was represented by the Newcastle Jesters, who were founded in 1999 by Finnish businessman Harry Harkimo who purchased the franchise from the Ice Hockey Superleague.

The franchise had previously been owned by John Hall who had owned the club as part of his ambitious "Newcastle Sporting Club" project and known as the Newcastle Cobras and later the Newcastle Riverkings. The Cobras had previously played as the Durham Wasps who had moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne Arena following a season at the Crowtree Leisure Centre in Sunderland as a result of Hall purchasing them after a number of years of financial problems. The Durham ice rink closed shortly thereafter.

After playing its first three seasons in the British National League, the Vipers joined the Elite Ice Hockey League in the 2005-06 season. During their first season the Vipers finished as runners-up to the Belfast Giants in the league and won the EIHL Play-Off Championship at the National Ice Centre, defeating the Sheffield Steelers 2-1 in the Grand Final.

[edit] Club roster 2009/10

Goaltenders
Number	Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
35	Richard Lawson	L	2005	USA
37	Michel Robinson	L	2009	Québec, Montreal, Canada

Defencemen
Number	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
2	Ryan Mahrle	R	2009	Troy, Michigan, U.S.A.
4	Jerramie Domish	R	2009	Collegeville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
11	Tyler Kindle	L	2009	Portage, Michigan, U.S.A.
26	Mark Gouett	R	2007	Waubaushene, Ontario, Canada
27	Richard Thornton	R	2009	Billingham, England
31	Ross Hanlon		2009
55	Daniel Pye		2009

Forwards
Number	Player	Shoots	Position	Acquired	Place of Birth
6	Jamie Tinsley	R	RW	2008	Newcastle upon Tyne, England
9	Mark Rooneem			2009	Alberta, Canada
10	Mike Berry	R	RW	2009	Kanata, Ontario, Canada
14	Dean Holland	R	RW	2007	Walker, England
20	Nathan Salem	R	RW	2009	Sunderland, England
22	Jason Tejchma	L	LW	2009	Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.A.
25	David Longstaff - C	R	RW	2002	Newcastle upon Tyne, England
28	Matus Petricko	L	LW	2009	Saca, Slovakia
48	Ben Campbell	L	RW	2006	Durham, England
83	Matic Kralj	L	LW	2009	Ljubljana, Slovenia