Milton Keynes Lightning

Milton Keynes Lightning	Milton Keynes Lightning
 	
League 	EPIHL
Founded 	2002
History 	Milton Keynes Kings1990-2002
Milton Keynes Lightning2002-Present
Arena 	Planet Ice Milton Keynes
Capacity 	2,200
City 	Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Team Colours 	White, Black & Gold
Head coach 	Nick Poole
Owners 	Harry Howton and Vito Rausa
Team Captain 	Adam Carr
The Milton Keynes Lightning is an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, England, currently (2009/2010) playing in the semi-professional English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPL) with a good record of league success. They are also a founding member of The Elite Ice Hockey League, though they have not yet entered a team in that league.
Their home arena is Planet Ice, just to the south of Milton Keynes Central railway station in Central Milton Keynes.
==History==
Origins
Founded in 2002, MK Lightning moved into the empty space left by the departure of Milton Keynes Kings. The MK Kings were involved in a dispute with rink owners Planet Ice, which led to the Kings re-locating to Solihull in May 2002. There they became the Solihull MK Kings for just one season before winding up in April 2003.
Five years of league success
From 2002 to 2006 MK Lightning have won 2 EPL titles and have won the EPL Playoffs 4 times.
==Club Honours==
2002/2003:
*EPL Playoff Winners
2003/2004:
*EPL Champions
*EPL Playoff Winners
2004/2005:
*EPL Champions
*EPL Playoff Winners
2005/2006:
*EPL Playoff Winners
==Arena redevelopment==
In November 2006, Milton Keynes Council approved plans to redevelop the arena, recognizing that it was contrary to the Structure Plan but that doing so would secure the long term future of the arena. In January 2007, the Government accepted the Council recommendation to vary the Structure Plan without an enquiry and the developers (Abbeygate) confirmed that the development will begin imminently.. The development would have included a new store for Danish furniture company ILVA as well as other leisure units.
Subsequently, ILVA UK went into administration and the plans have been shelved sine die.
==Club roster 2009/2010==
Goaltenders	Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders
Number 	 	Player 	Catches 	Place of Birth 	
28 	 	Alex Mettam 	L 	Sheffield, England 	
31 	 	Barry Hollyhead	L 	Shrewsbury, England	
Defencemen	Defencemen	Defencemen 	Defencemen	Defencemen 	Defencemen
Number 	 	Player 	Shoots 	Place of Birth 	
19 	 	Leigh Jamieson - A	R 	Milton Keynes, England	
21 	 	Ross Green 	R 	Chelmsford, England 	
22 	 	Adam Radmall 	R 	Nottingham, England 	
55 	 	Mike Farn 	L 	Durham, England 	
66 	 	Lewis Christie 	R 	Edinburgh, Scotland 	
78 	 	Lukas Zatopek 	L 	Czech Rep 	
Forwards	Forwards	Forwards 	Forwards	Forwards 	Forwards
Number 	 	Player 	Shoots 	Place of Birth 	
6 	 	Michael Wales 	R 	Gillingham, England	
9 	 	Grant McPherson 	R 	Stirling, Scotland 	
18 	 	Adam Carr - C 	R 	Durham, England 	
20 	 	Andre Smulter 	L 	Vaasa, Finland 	
26 	 	Adam Brittle 	L 	Telford, England 	
41 	 	Matt Towalski - A	L 	Stafford, England 	
61 	 	Ross Bowers 	R 	Luton, England 	
62 	 	Jacob Heron 	R 	England 	
71 	 	Monir Kalgoum 	L 	Huddinge, Sweden 	
91 	 	Nick Poole 	R 	Calgary, Canada 	
== Current staff ==
		 				
		 				
	Executive Operations
* Ownership – Harry Howton and Vito Rausa
* Official Photographer – Jez Tibbetts
* Match Night Announcer – Chris Dickens
*Match Night Music – Mike Walls	 		
Hockey Operations
*Head Coach – Nick Poole
*Assistant Coach – Andre Smulter
*Stick Boy – Philip Bushby 
*Game Night Co-ordinator – Karen Starkey		
==Associated teams==
* Milton Keynes Thunder
==External links==
*Planet Ice
*MK Lightning Homepage
*MKIH Forums
Category:British ice hockey teams
Category:English Premier League team