Martin, who played for the Blaze from the 04/05 season to the 07/08 season, is currently sidelined through injury and we are extremely grateful to his club, AaB Aalborg for allowing him time off to enable him to fly over to join us.
In his four seasons with the Blaze, he helped the club to three Elite League titles, two Challenge Cups, one Knockout Cup and one Elite League Play Off trophy. He has been a league first team all star four times and was the league's player of the season following our Grand Slam in 2004/05. In his 270 games for the Blaze he recorded 44 goals and 134 assists.
One of Neal's big responsibilities at the game will be to serve as judge for our banner competition. He will be going around the Arena during the first interval before selecting his favourite so make sure you design a good one and make sure it's up before the first interval !
Neal will be with us for the whole programme of activity which starts in Crosby's bar at 2pm this Sunday. Make sure you join us at 2pm to welcome Neal back to Coventry.
We are also pleased to give supporters the chance to go inside the Blaze dressing room in full game ready set up between 2.30pm and 3.00pm. It's a very small window of opportunity so make sure you don't miss it. Assistant Coach, Luc Chabot will be there to answer any questions but please note that if you wish to visit the room, you will need to meet in Crosby's and will be taken through to the room in small groups.
Between 2pm and 3pm in Crosby's we will be showing an hour long highlights show of our fantastic Grand Slam clinching Play Off finals victory featuring all the goals and action from both semi finals and the amazing final. If you've never seen this, it's a superb opportunity to see the greatest domestic night weekend in our history. Then between 3 and 5 we'll be showing the incredible game in Cardiff that saw us lift the Challenge Cup for the first time. Again, whether you've seen this before or not, it is simply compelling viewing !
Coventry Blaze 10th Season celebration game,
programme of activities
This season the Blaze are putting on a whole
afternoon of activities including magicians, ex-
Blaze stars, special presentations and our big
banner competition as we celebrate ten seasons in the City.
So you don't miss anything that's going
on, here is a full rundown of everything that's happening
2.00pm - John Dalziel opens the day in Crosby's
with Neal Martin
2.00pm - 10th Anniversary Merchandise
Table open in Crosby's
2.00pm - 10th Anniversary shirt auction
open at the Marchandise Table.
2.00pm - 3.00pm : Hour long highlights
show of our Grand Slam clinching play off finals win (big screens in Crosbys)
2.15pm - Free Kids Skate with Mascot
Scorch - access to the Arena through Crosby's Bar
2.30pm - 3.00pm - Game ready dressing
room tours in small groups - meet in Crosby's
3.00pm - Magic Max - Magic Show,
balloon modelling and more in Crosby's - fantastic for the kids !
3.00pm onwards - Table Quizzes -
Question and Picture rounds in Crosby's
3.00pm - 5.00pm : Showing the full
amazing game of our first Challenge Cup win in Cardiff (big screens in
Crosby's)
4.00pm - Face Painting for the kids and
meet Scorch in Crosby's
4.00pm - Former Player Question &
Answer Session in Crosby's -
4.00pm - Mark Twaite, AJ Kelham -
4.10pm - Shaun Johnson, Kurt Irvine, Steve Chartrand -
4.20pm - Joel Poirier, Gareth Owen, Dan
Shea -
4.30pm - Neal Martin 4.45pm - Thommo
pre-game talk
5.00pm - 6.00pm : Showing Blaze slide
shows from previous seasons on the screens in Crosby's
5.00pm - Doors Open into Arena- 5.00pm
- Collect your free pair of Bam-Bams!-
5.00pm - full matchnight shop open in
Crosby's
6.00pm - Blaze v Stingrays - Elite League Including
10th Anniversary Banner raising and Lord Mayor Puck Drop
First Period Interval- Banner competition judged
by Neal Martin-
Matchnight Shop - Limited Edition 10th
Anniversary Merchandise-
The auction for the first batch of 10th
Anniversary shirts will close as the puck drops to start the second
period. Shirt numbers up to and including 24 will close at this
time. This will take place in front of the orange lockers at the open end
of the ice
Second Period Interval- Chuck a Puck-
Matchnight Shop - Limited Edition 10th
Anniversary Merchandise-
The auction for the second batch of
10th Anniversary shirts will close as the puck drops to start the third
period. Shirt numbers from 25 upwards will close at this time. This
will take place in front of the orange lockers at the open end of the ice
Final Buzzer- Shirt Auction
winners presented with Shirts- Post Game - Autograph Session with whole team in
front of the orange lockers at the open end of the ice.
9.30pm - Post game 10th Anniversary party with the
players in Crosby's