The Manchester Phoenix Podcast

The show for Saturday night's War of the Roses first leg is right here and ready for you now. The game was great! For two periods. It then went a little bit erm.. horribly wrong. We are joined by Roger Williams from Steeldogs TV this week! We gave him a special Christmas present. But at least we got to play What's In My Christmas Dubstep Stocking!!!! My huge thanks go to the players (past and present) who have given me their stocking-filler favourites for the feature. £15 raised on that game alone. Another £15 tomorrow. And, so far, £65 raised for my degrading and horrid Christmas jumper.  Thanks to Dave Pullen for the loan of his glamorous Christmas hat!  It doesn't fit over my headphones but I did my best. We hear from scrapper, Jacob Corson-Heron as he joins Mark, post-game. Enjoy. Ben

Not quite the show you were awaiting but we thought we'd take the opportunity to share some thoughts. All being well, we'll speak to Mr Scholes another day. There is, of course, the Tigers fan forum tomorrow night so maybe there'll be some news out of there. BK and J"T"P

Listen to this week's episode right here. This week's show begins with a fairly long interview with Neil Morris about the state of the Phoenix and the news of this week. It is a surprising listen in places. Less so in others. Let me assure you of this though: the interview is not edited at all. Everything that NM said is making its way into the show. Now, I realise that there will always be those who derive enjoyment from others' misfortunes. There will be those who look at our hard times or WS's withdrawal as validation of their decision to abandon Phoenix or to chose another club over Phoenix this season. Conversely, there will always be those who think that Phoenix can do no wrong. What I would say to both camps this week is for them to show some decency and some strength of character by not crowing, nitpicking, sniping or b****ing about this on social media. The club has a hard enough fight with its fate already without people stabbing at the Faithful in their time of difficulty. Remember this: ice hockey is a minority sport in the UK. Its survival is contingent upon it being appealing to potential fans, the press and investors. Seeing a sport that is riddled with bitterness and sharp-tongued, score-settling is unappealing to everyone. Don't fool yourself that what happens in Deeside doesn't impact on Manchester or Sheffield, Nottingham, Basingstoke or Whitley blinking Bay. It does. So grow up. Oh, yeah. There was some hockey on too. Bison took a deserved win. Listen for more details. BK

Listen to this week's show right here. It was another of those games that nobody thought that we should win. And, for a time, it looked like the predictions would be correct. Nevertheless, you know how it ended. And what a great ending that was to a freezing cold night in the West Manchester Municipal Pool   We also discuss the various rumours that have been doing the rounds, the Bees' statement and the like. Don't forget to have a go at our Welsh phrase of the week! See you in two weeks!

Have a listen right here.  This week's show includes a little coverage of our game on the wrong side of the hills as well as the home game against those pesky blummin' Wildcats. A lacklustre 2nd and 3rd from Phoenix in Sheffield led to defeat from what felt like it should have been victory. Back at the West Manchester Municipal Pool, Wildcats lulled us into a false sense of security before pushing ahead on a lucky break and then clinching it in overtime.   And a belting game it was too. A big crowd of Phoenix Faithful and Wildcats fans made for a great atmosphere at the Phoenix temporary home. It was lovely to see Richard Bentham back on the ice for Phoenix too. He picked up MOM and with good reason (despite his silly penalty!) Until next weekend!

I type this as a happy Phoenix fan!  It has been a little while since I drove back from Deeside with a big grin on my face. A win against Hull Pirates is perhaps not that unexpected but it was something of a trouncing of the Humberside villains.  A game not without its controversy but a thorough and convincing road win. Many a Phoenix fan was of the view that the new plexi at Deeside would be the highlight of the evening and that the Tigers might just come in and throw body after body at it until they took the points. And to say that this was the Tigers complete with Weaver and Silverthorn?  What hope would we have? I suppose this is where keeping the faith comes in.  It took a some doing but Phoenix could smell blood when the first goal went in and when the Tigers netminder fell for the same trick twice inside a minute, Phoenix made darned sure to make the most of it. A good night at the office and what felt like a return to strong team plays. Maynard was MOM for Tigers. Aaltonen was MOM for Phoenix. It was between him, Gron and Fone.  Aaltonen deserved it on the basis of it being 3 periods of sharp plays. A barn-stormer. Plain and simple. Listen-up, right here.

Running late and sounding adequate, it's the Halloween edition of the OMPP! This week, we have coverage from the away game in Basingstoke as well as the home game at the West Manchester Municipal Pool.  We are missing a little bit of audio but I think we make up for it with some added bonuses.  We have interviews with Tony Hand and Mark Thomas as well as this week's rather important Welsh lesson.  Really, although it is a little late, this is still the best hour of hockey podcast you are going to hear this week. So get comfortable and hit play.  Let's hope for a couple more points next weekend.  Ben

A three-point weekend was certainly what the doctor ordered after last week left us all feeling a bit glum. Hear all the details right here. Holding the Flames to the point was no small accomplishment and countering the newly-augmented Swindon Wildcats was a pleasure to watch. That Finucci lad is a bit nifty, eh? We bring you coverage of both games this week and a little from Coach Tony Hand after that away journey. Mark catches-up with Gareth O'Flaherty after the buzzer on the Sunday night too. Do enjoy and be nice to Mark and Co as they go it alone next week! Also, many apologies to the entire of Wales for the worst bit of Welsh ever on a podcast in this week's episode.

Not quite the episode title that I wanted to go with but it's a reasonable summary. Get started on this episode right here. You might want to take this in 45 minute bursts! It was not the finest week in the history of our fine Club but we must assume that various lessons have been learned from the week that was. This episode brings you coverage of all three games. Jim Piper and Rob Kearns ("MK Rob") get you up-to-speed in a really very fair bit of road-game coverage. Then, back to Deeside for the Saturday game against Peterborough Phantoms. They are the form side at present and are showing promise for the season. But can it last? We stay in everyone's favourite shed in "West Manchester" for the Sunday game against Hull Pirates.  Many felt that we should have walked it but, clearly, nobody sent that memo to Mr Baston who put in an awesome performance between the pipes for the Chocolimes. Have you seen the video of that third period where one of our former contributors has edited together all of Baston's saves?  If not, you should go and check it out. This week's Welsh is one of those terms that you will have read in Wales and wondered how to pronounce it. We're here to help. Thanks to the usual team plus Peter Bradbury, Joe Scutts, Rob Kearns, Luke Boothroyd and James Archer.

Of course, we picked-up two points on the Saturday against the RED Hockey stablemates in Bracknell but, as James Neil says this week, it would have been nice to have a point from the home clash against the Bison. It wasn't a thriller of a game, it must be said. Both sides looked exhausted from their Saturday night clashes. There were individuals with exceptional fitness on each side who were driving the show and neither team let their heads go down and the result was probably about right, if it had to be done in regulation. But it would have been nice. Anyway, that's enough of that. In this week's show, we enjoy a little autumn sunshine outside the rink at the start of the show and we are all treated to the unfortunate notion of Jim Piper's holiday-wear. We continue our guide to speaking the language of my fathers, Welsh. This week, we learn how to ask, "What?". Very useful. And it sounds a bit like a German trying dialogue from A Clockwork Orange. See, that explains the episode title. Now it's time to test a theory. I don't think that anybody reads this. If you have read this, post this to Twitter (without tagging @pnxpodcast): I read the secret message. #DontTellTheBudgie If I get more than 5, I'll...erm... well, I don't know what I will do. Something though. Probably.  Have a listen to this week's show, right here.

That's why I support the Phoenix.  Injuries a-go-go but we have a coach who can call upon talent and create something impressive with what he has available. In a week that saw Mark Thomas added to the injuries list and real worries forming about whether the podcast team would end-up having to ice for the Phoenix, there came a little luck mid-week. Jan Platil was released by Hull Pirates as they looked to make space for a new forward and Phoenix snapped him up as injury cover.  There was a little consternation from the Faithful as he wasn't announced via the Club's media prior to him hitting the ice. Of course, behind the scenes Phoenix would have had to fight against the clock to get him registered and ready to ice and so, one may think, the top priority was to get him ready to ice before announcing him. Then, getting a press-release together (on a weekend) and getting it out there might have been a push.  Everyone has a view on it. The main thing is that the club was able to pick him up and plug the other gaps caused by early injury woes. Probably the revelation of the weekend was Paul Davies.  He played in NIHL2 Deeside Dragons last season and he made a big impression on the Phoenix (and the Steeldogs) on Sunday night. Big props to local lads, Ryan Jones and Ross Kennedy for having stepped-up and helped keep the pressure on the opposition. This week's show, which you can listen to right here, includes coverage from the away game in Swindon (featuring Scuttsy, Jim, Stuart and others) as well as the home game against the pups. We hope you enjoy the new format. We are trying new things. Let us know what you think. @pnxpodcast

Listen right here to the story of the game Phoenix stole from the Flames. A lot of pundits were suggesting that Phoenix would walk away from this injury-bedevilled weekend zero points and, after a bit of physical punishment in Basingstoke on the Saturday, it really looked likely that we'd have to that up. But then, when the Flames misjudged their assault on Deeside's new residents, Phoenix landed the #2 spot on the EPIHL table. Phoenix put in the most solid of team performances on the ice tonight. A team with that level of bond at such an early stage can go on to do great things. Tonight was, we hope, a sign of how Phoenix is the little team that shook its fist at the rest of the league. To round things up, Mark Woodcock caught-up with the lovely Nico Aaltonen after the game. Tonight's podcast was powered by donuts.

Have a listen to this week's show right here. A new season starts and Phoenix come out on top against MKL and against Hull Pirates. We thought we'd take the show indoors this week in order to soak up the atmosphere so the show's a little longer and a little different this week. Words of wisdom this week from Ben Wood, Mark Woodcock, Paul Woodcock, Jim Piper and yours truly. Please send all complaints to podcast@riskofbeingdrownedoutbynoice.com

Take a listen right here. A great trip to Telford saw the Phoenix kick some kitty backside as the hosts were tired and suffering from injury woes.  Nevertheless, the Phoenix were not gifted the result and they pulled off the sort of teamwork that saw Tigers fans cry that the sky was falling. But then, on Sunday night in Deeside, it was some of the Phoenix fans who were doing their best Chicken-licken impressions as a lacklustre performance on home ice combined with a smarting Tigers bench resulted in a bit of a trouncing. We caught up with Gareth O'Flaherty after the game to talk it through and to look ahead to the first weekend of the league. We also took our second Welsh lesson and discovered that those cheeky PTV lot have being trying to steal our Welsh feature!  I know, right?  Shocking! Anyway, wounds from this weekend will heal and Hull and MK will be facing a team that has learned a lot from the pre-season.

This week's episode is right here. So, with just the one game to talk about this weekend, we did what came naturally: sniped about the Tigers; mocked the Archers sound effects; talked nonsense. A pretty usual episode for us, really. Have at it and we'll catch up on the Cup game show this week.