Coach George Alley is delighted to bring back Lee Valley Lions stalwart James Joseph back for his thirteenth season.

Alley and Joseph have played together in the past and the coach believes it’s important to have the club record apperance holder in the dressing room.

“James and I go way back,” he said.

“I started playing the year the original Lions had folded, but Eddie and Mike Smith (former Lions owner) continued to run junior sessions, James already had a couple of years under his belt at that point and he’s been around ever since, regardless of the team’s situation or league position.

“What’s rare in British Ice Hockey, and London in particular is loyalty for more than a few years because the city is so fluid.

“We don’t have many locals in the team who really understand what the club has been or have grown up here, James is key to that local core you have to have in any team.”