Devils are ready to ‘wage war’ with the Council

Jan 7 2008 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo

CASH-STRAPPED Cardiff Devils are fighting for their ice hockey lives – and are turning to Cardiff County Council.

“We are going to wage war with the council,” said Devils’ owner Martin Moloney. “All we want is what we were promised.

“Cardiff Devils are losing money every week – and the players are faced with possible pay cuts.”

The Devils were given a rent-free ice time agreement by the council – and that was confirmed to the South Wales Echo by their press office last week, when they moved from their former rink in the city to Cardiff Bay.

Now, though, they are being charged £1,500 a week in maintenance costs by rink operators Planet Ice.

They use only seven hours ice-time per week – and even at the top rate rental cost at the Cardiff Bay rink it would be £110 an hour, which would work out at £770 a week, plus VAT.

“We have paid the money so far, but we would like to know why it is so high when the council have agreed with us and Planet Ice we should be able to play and train rent free,” said Moloney.

“Everybody accepts we should pay rink maintenance costs while we are on the ice, but the figure we are paying seems high.

“We can’t take it out on Planet Ice. They are a business and running things properly from their point of view. Our rent-free ice time agreement is with the council.

“That’s where the buck stops.”

This afternoon, Cardiff Devils players meet with the club owners, Cardiff businessmen Moloney and James Hill.

They will talk through the financial problems and talk about possible solutions.

The Devils had a mixed weekend, following a shocking performance in the 6-0 defeat at Basingstoke Bison on Saturday with one of their best displays last night.

Both games were in the British Knockout Cup and Cardiff, the holders, went out 9-5 on aggregate.

Gregg Rockman, on loan from Bracknell, was in goal on Saturday and Sheffield’s Davey Lawrence played last night.

Player-coach Gerad Adams has suffered a broken bone in a foot and will be out for a month or more.

Match stats – Saturday: Basingstoke 6, Cardiff Devils 0.

Scorers, Bison: Owen 2+1, Braff 1+2, Chambers 1+0, Campbell 1+0, Aldridge 1+0, Thornton 0+1, Puratakanen 0+1.

Period scores: 1-0; 2-0 (3-0); 3-0 (6-0).

Shots on goal: Bison 11+10+16=37, Devils: 12+15+8=35

Penalty minutes: Bison: 2+4+9=15, Devils: 2+2+5=9

Men of the match: Bison, Ryan Aldridge, Devils, Gregg Rockman

Sunday, second leg: Cardiff Devils 5, Basingstoke Bison 3

Stats, Devils: Silverthorn 2+1, Petricko 1+1, Birbraer 1+0, Davies 1+0, Deschatelets 0+2, Stone 0+1, Teplitsky 0+1, Francis 0+1, Garrow 0+1, Cowmeadow 0+1.

Bison: Braff 1+1, Chambers 1+1, Cruikshank 1+0, Stewart 0+1.

Period scores: 1-1; 1-1 (2-2); 3-1 (5-3).

Shots on goal: Devils 7+15+9, Bison 16+10+20.

Penalty minutes: Devils 0+0+27=27, Bison 4+2+47=53.

Men of the match: Devils, Matt Towe, Bison: Greg Chambers.