Capital(s) Punishment: Fan Interview - Part 2

Welcome back to our special interview with Edinburgh Capitals supporter Chris Gent. It's the second part of the article which Chris discuss the Caps further and finishes off with the naming of his all-time Caps team. Hope you've enjoyed this article, I hope I can do a few more fan interviews in the weeks and months ahead.

Thanks for reading it, and many thanks of course to Chris himself for agreeing to take part - it's very much appreciated.

HB: What does the loss of EIHL hockey mean for the city of Edinburgh?

CG: There will be a very small fan base next year in Edinburgh supporting ice hockey in the city. I think we may struggle to get back now to that level. What I wanted was an Elite League club moving forwards, we needed change as it wasn't. But this was 2 steps backwards, many passionate fans have walked away. 

As a spectator sport we have damaged the city badly. It's a long road back, but I hope we can get there. 4 generations of my family have watched hockey in Edinburgh, my daughter won't be there next year so maybe it ends there. That's the sad part. 

HB: Do you think we will see an EIHL side return to Edinburgh anytime?

CG: Honest answer is no. Love to be proved wrong, but I'm concerned I don't see it again and I'm in my 40s. The league grows year on year. London in the wings. Hull. When we lost that spot I think it got very difficult to get back. But I'm not giving up and the best chance I see right now is Capitals returning with a new stronger structure. We will see. 

HB: How personally, are you going to get your hockey fix this season ahead?

CG: I saw people say support Racers, you're cutting off your nose on this one. A minority of fans will switch to them and carry on and that's fair enough. I can't just switch and watch that level. It's good skating local players and I get why some like it, but as a spectacle it's not even close to the EIHL. I paid to watch the best the UK has, often on the other side to be fair ha ha. But I loved the level, it's by a distance the best UK league. My heart remains with Caps and my head Elite for now. 

I'll meet up with friends, go see some games around the country. Play offs are an amazing event that's tempting. Ultimately though the sad part is I'm worried I drift away and as someone who loved the sport for over 30 years that's a strange feeling. 

HB: And finally Chris, name your all-star Caps line-up.

CG: NM - Cody Rudkowsky, DF - Michal Dobron, Jan Krajicek, FW - Owen Fussey, Mark Hurtbise and Stevie Kaye.

On behalf of the Hockey Blog, thanks again mate - hope to see you in a rink somewhere soon!

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Capital(s) Punishment: Fan Interview - Part 1

This season, 2018-19, marks the first season of no Elite League hockey in the Scottish capital. After years of flirting with uncertainty, the Capitals finally succumbed to a very sad end in April 2018 when a consortium led by David Hand (brother of "Sir" Tony) won the ice contract at the rink. Hand pressed then for a Elite League franchise to be awarded to his "Murrayfield Racers" but this was declined by the EIHL board. This decision ensured that no top level hockey would be in Edinburgh after 13 seasons.

You have to feel for the fans who supported the Capitals through those thick and thin times, they deserve better. One of those fans, Chris Gent, has agreed to talk about a few things and from his replies, you can taste the passion he has for his hockey club. We bring you the first part of the interview right here, so please read on...

HB: How sad was it to see the Caps finish in the way they did?

CG: Well to be fair last season was tough to start with. The failed Russian recruitment strategy really hurt the club and left us open to this situation. I think the saddest part of it all was the response was in place. Scott needed help to run the club, you could argue it should have been well before, but a new structure was in place and I'd seen it start to take shape. More experience, shared accountability, investment. This season would have been stronger, but it wasn't to be. Can't explain losing your club to folk who haven't. Then to see what's unfolded since, the drop in standard in Edinburgh this year, hammer blow for our sport. Many will now drift away from ice hockey sadly. I love the sport but can't simply ignore all that's happened, I'll be at some EIHL games though.

HB: If anyone is to blame for it, whom in your opinion should carry the can for it and why?

CG: Shared blame. I think the Caps organisation could have done more especially last season, there were obvious issues. At times it felt fans were taken for granted. That for me left the door ajar for this move. The rink I also blame, they showed a complete disregard for ice hockey in their stance that they would side with Racers regardless of the level of hockey they have on show. Personal issues over what's best for the public and I'm the end their own income. The Racers are also very much to blame. Their botched attempt to get in to the EIHL then the NIHL showed to me they didn't have half the business case they had folk believe. If you're moving in to improve ice hockey in Edinburgh and you are not certain you are in the Elite, fall on your sword when rejected and let us get back to the top league hockey we had. Their intentions were good, but they've knocked the sport back in Edinburgh for years as a spectator sport.

HB: Could anything have been done to save the Caps?

CG: No more could have been done within Caps over the summer. As I said yes, previously, a better structure years back. But this summer no. The rink had made up their mind it was Racers, and despite an "Elite or nothing" statement from them they were never letting go of control once in.

HB: Were the EIHL right to refuse the application from the “Murrayfield Racers”?

CG: Tough one as I feel Edinburgh could run an Elite League team. Ultimately we need a new venue to truly step up, major advertising and I'd want a new brand altogether. In this case though yes I do think the EIHL got it right. A small fan base already then divided and business case with allegedly was overly optimistic in terms of fans means it wasn't solid enough. This city should have Elite, better managed, stronger, but Dundee, Glasgow and Kirkcaldy are there and not Edinburgh. That's gutting. 

Part two of our interview with Chris will appear later this week.

Please like The Hockey Blog on Facebook and for Twitter users you can connect with us at:

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