Watched the Prague v Dynamo Moscow game yesterday, as expected far less physical than north american or dare i say British game but high skill level due to the extra time players get on the puck. Very wierd watching Chara of Boston in a Prague jersey and NHL superstar Ovechkin of Washington in a Dynamo one. Comedy moment was the US commentators (Barry Melrose for any hockey fans) talking about the massive travel times in the league (which is actually split into east and west conferences). "when you think, heres a team in Prague and another right over by Japan you realise how vast the USSR really is".
NHL lockout is at a stalemate appartantly, there having discusions but only on minor issues, probably what loo roll goes in the locker room. Those in the know reckon its most likely to end at the end of the year, largely because the showcase Winter Classic outdoor game on Jan 1st (i think, it usually is then) is a huge thing for the league. The 1st two weeks of the season were due to start now and are officially cancelled. The league calculate the loss to them and the players to be $140 million for the fortnight.

That was our worst performance for almost three years. I felt embarrassed watching it. Seven days earlier we'd convincingly defeated Folkestone who were unbeaten and top of the table, yet for some reason our manager made wholesale team changes for Maidstone and it backfired spectacularly. We've since won three on the spin and I expect us to make the top five (play offs) with something to spare.

The league table is pretty tight after ten games or so, but Maidstone seem to be on a bit of a roll now after losing two of their first three. They ought to win that division with the crowds (and revenue) they're pulling in, as well as corporate facilities for midweek hire and a 3G pitch that can be repeatedly hired out without wear and tear being a problem. I believe they budgeted for average crowds of 800-900 and so far they're exceeding that by around 50%. (Dulwich are the next biggest club in the division with an average of 350.) You don't need Gutterfax to do the sums here!

I enjoyed the day out apart from the result (Rifle Volunteers before the match, Flower Pot afterwards) although I suspect Hamlet won't be visiting many more times as Maidstone inevitably progress up the leagues. I remember us playing them in an FA Trophy match at the old London Road greyhound stadium thirty years ago, which was fairly abysmal for watching football, so the Stones are very fortunate to get a modern purpose built football ground so close to the town centre after two decades in exile, and crowds are already as high as when they last played in the town three divisions higher. Only problem is that the ground already looks a bit too small for them. 1,989 was the attendance for Maidstone v Dulwich, with about 100 away supporters. That's the eighth level of English football, and a larger crowd than some of Broncos' Superleague fixtures this year.

What did you think of the Rifle Volunteer? The landlord always seems offended when a customer dares to enter. Been in twice on Saturday evenings in the last year and there have been no other visitors. Once we got told to stop playing darts as his wife was asleep upstair.

Agree with regards to the size of the stadium though, I'm unsure how much room there is to develop too, especially opposite the main stand.

Can't remember when the return fixture is but you'll have to let me buy you a beer for lavishing such praise on our club

I was at that match too and remember that incident well.Jeremy didn't ever make the NHL, though he did get invited to an NHL teams pre season camp at least once. The bloke he took on straight after face off was well known NHL enforcer Wade Belak. Sadly Wade died on 31st August 2011, the police treated it as suicide though I don't think this has been confirmed. If true, he was one of three ex NHL enforcers to take their own life in a short span causing a real debate about the role of the enforcer in the sport and the price some of them may be paying.

Jeremy Cornish is still in the UK, he is now player coach at Isle of Wight Raiders and I believe is a teacher by day. There is another NHL lock out going on at the moment and again a few NHL'ers are playing in the UK however there are no Elite League teams playing around London these days.

Bracknell Bees v Telford Tigers for me today. A broken down train having put paid to Dagenham & Redbridge v Aldershot Town.

To answer Dave's question, The Rifle Volunteer was an odd place. There were a handful of people in there and they were friendly enough, beer was in good nick but it's not somewhere I'd personally choose to drink all the time.

I miss going to the ice hockey used to watch the Knights then the Racers then the Haringey Greyhounds at Ally Pally now cheer the Invicta Dynamos now. Well Gillingham arent doing too bad

I have to say that doesn't surprise me. When I arrived at the bar and greeted him with a cheery "Hello!" he eyed me warily, in the way small children look at an adult who is attempting to amuse them by playing the fool. At one point three people were simultaneously waiting politely to be served and he seemed bewildered. I think he looks a bit like Jimmy Page. (The addled white haired 65 year old version.)


It had thinned out by the time you popped in for a swift half. It was much busier earlier with Stones fans, and they were all very friendly. There was an academic type bloke sitting quietly in a corner doing some highbrow writing stuff while his other half was shopping, but he ended up chatting to people at the bar when he went for a second pint and got roped into going to the football instead. I like Goacher's beers, and you hardly ever see them outside the heart of Kent, but without the football crowd it would have been pretty dead in there.


I'm sure I read somewhere that they could get the capacity up to 7,000 on that site, which is more than enough for Football League. I think the budget was tight to get it up and running otherwise I'm sure they'd have made it bigger already.