Ice Hockey
Journalists UK
Great Britain Rosters
1989

World Championships Pool (D) 27th place finish overall

European Championships 20th place finish overall

Goalie John 'Bernie' McCrone Ayr Bruins
Goalie David Graham Nottingham Panthers
Defence Moray Hanson Murrayfield Racers
Defence Alastair Reid  Ayr Bruins
Defence Stephen Cooper (C) Cardiff Devils
Defence Gordon Latto (AC) Fife Flyers
Defence Paul Hand Murrayfield Racers
Defence Paul Pentland Murrayfield Racers
Defence Phill Lee Solihull Barons
Defence Terry Ord Whitley Warriors
Forward Jonh Kidd Ayr Bruins
Forward Ian Cooper Cardiff Devils
Forward Ivor Bennett Durham Wasps
Forward Paul Smith Durham Wasps
Forward Tony Hand Murrayfield Racers
Forward Scott Neil Murrayfield Racers
Forward Nigel Rhodes Nottingham Panthers
Forward Peter Smith Peterborough Pirates
Forward Jim Pennycook Tayside Tigers
Forward John Iredale Whitley Warriors
Forward Stephen Smith  Whitley Warriors
Coach Terry Matthews   
Ass Coach Alfie Miller   
Gen Manager Frank Dempster   
Team Manager John Rost   
Physiotherapist Luke Ram   
Trainer Dave Wilson   

Best players of the Championships- Goal-David Graham(GB), Forward-Tony Hand (GB)

World Championships, Pool D – 1989 in Belgium.

Venues – Geel and Heist op-den-Berg.

Great Britain ended a self-imposed seven-year exile from World Championship hockey in March 1989, when they travelled to Belgium to participate in Pool D.

Coached by Terry Matthews, they took an exclusively British born and bred squad, but despite high hopes they missed out on promotion to Pool C, finishing third in the five-team group. Tony Hand top scored for the Great Britain team with 6+11 from the four games. John Iredale and Scott Neil both registered nine points each, as did 20-year old Ian Cooper, who was also in the line-up for Great Britain’s’ return to the World stage.

It was a loss to the hands of the host nation, Belgium, that ultimately cost Great Britain promotion and both coaches, Terry Matthews and Dirk Laenen for the Belgians, were in agreement that the GB team had failed to perform to anything like the levels they were capable of. Matthews noted, “the annoying thing is we are a much better side than the Belgians…. but on the night, they were the better side.” Laenen astutely pointed out, “I didn’t see the game of Great Britain like they played against Romania – they were not so organised. We are technically a better team than Great Britain, but physically, they are much better than us. We (Belgium) played with the brains and that was not the play of Great Britain.”

Tournament Results
March 16th vs  New Zealand   26-0 (9-0, 9-0, 8-0)
March 17th vs  Romania T    6-6 (3-3, 0-1, 3-2)
March 19th vs  Belgium  L    5-6 (2-3, 1-0, 2-3)
March 21st  vs  Spain    8-4 (3-3, 1-0, 4-1)

Compiled by Anthony Beer, using material reported at the time in the Ice Hockey News Review.

2008 / 2009 (c) All materials copyright of IHJUK