The former GB Junior Ethan James becomes the Raiders first netminder to be signed by coach Adam Laishram for the 2024/25 season.

An elite netminder in the National League, at 25 years of age he continues to improve year on year. He’s known for his quick glove saves but he demonstrates a variety of skills on the ice. With great speed between the pipes, James is definitely a key signing for the team.

Ethan has played 202 games for the Raiders and counting, racking up 9,135 minutes with a save percentage of 88.58% across his Raiders career, including 2 shutouts. He has also tallied 15 assists, showcasing his elite passing skills.

James played a majority of the games last season, clocking up 2,556 minutes, leading to an 88.75% save percentage from 1,395 shots faced.

Ethan is an influential player in the Romford Raiders team and as proven before has won the team games, leading us to a Coventry Play-off final.

“It always feels good to be playing in Romford after playing here when I was young. To be able to say you’re playing at your childhood club is special.

There are always going to be pros and cons either going or staying at a club which you need to weigh up, but being part of the Raiders is something that I didn’t want to leave. The team spirit in the room is something which is going to push us this season.

A special mention to the fans who have stuck with us these last couple of tough months. Thank you as always to those who come week in week out to support, when times were tough during the season you stuck by us and you’re supporting the team now.

Having the crowd sizes we did towards the end of the season definitely helped push us during the playoffs last year. It would be amazing to get the Sapphire that busy going fresh into the season.
Have faith in the team that Adam is building, it’s going to be a good season and I for one am excited to be back at the Sapphire wearing gold and blue.”

The Planet Ice National Ice Hockey League (PINIHL) is excited to unveil the structure and
fixture format for the 2024/25 season. With a focus on maintaining the thrilling competition
that fans have come to love, the upcoming season will feature familiar elements with a few
exciting changes to enhance the experience for both players and spectators.

Season Structure and Key Dates
The 2024/25 PINIHL National Ice Hockey season will see 11 teams compete in a broadly
unchanged format from previous years. Teams will face each other three times at home and
three times away. As before, each team will drop three home and three away fixtures,
resulting in a total of 54 games for the regular season. The table of the number of times each
team plays is at the end of this release.

• Pre-Season: Kicking off the excitement, pre-season games are scheduled for the
  weekends of August 30-September 1 and September 6-8. These games will offer a
  sneak peek into the teams’ preparations and strategies for the main season.
• Season Opening Weekend: The official season will commence on the weekend of
  September 14-15, 2024, promising high-octane action from the start.
• Regular Season Finale: The regular season will conclude on the weekend of March
  22-23, 2025, setting the stage for the playoffs.
• Playoffs: Mirroring last year’s format, the playoffs will be contested over three
  weekends: March 29-30, April 5-6, and April 12-13, 2025.
• Coventry Weekend: The pinnacle of the season, the Coventry weekend, is set for
  April 19-20, 2025, where the top teams will battle for the ultimate glory.

Cup Competition
This season, the cup competition will see a streamlined format, making it even more intense
and engaging. The qualifying stage will consist of 10 games instead of the previous 20. Each
team will play every other team once, resulting in 5 home and 5 away games. The semi-
finals and finals of the cup competition (both over 2 legs home and away) will aim to be
completed by the end of December, subject to fixture availability.

Ticket Sales and Announcements
Pre-season games will be announced very soon, followed by the release of full fixtures.
Tickets will go on sale later in the summer, ensuring fans have ample opportunity to secure
their spots for the must-see matchups.
We encourage all fans to stay connected with their favourite teams through social media and
their official websites throughout the summer for the latest updates and announcements.
Stay tuned for an exhilarating season of NIHL National Ice Hockey as we build on our legacy
and continue to bring the best of ice hockey action to fans across the country.

Good luck to Leeds who will look to defend their League title, Peterborough who will aim to
repeat their Playoff win, and Milton Keynes who will want to keep their hands on the cup!

The Romford Raiders are delighted to announce the re-signing of Brandon Ayliffe for the 24/25 Season.

Joining the club in 2018, Brandon holds the club record for the highest number of consecutive appearances… 319 and counting! Last season, Brandon put up 34 points for the Raiders in his 64 games played, pushing his total to 212 points (91 goals and 121 assists) across his six year tenure and 5 ironman seasons.

Brandon is easily recognised on the ice; his pace is unmatched and his drive to succeed is evident in all games. Developing his skills at National Level, Brandon is a fierce threat to the opposition and we are sure our fans will be delighted to see him in the Gold & Blue again this year.

“I am pleased to be back in Romford for another year. I’ve been talking to Adam throughout the summer about the upcoming season about the ideas he and the new owners have for the Club. I’m excited by the new plan of action; The club has a great future ahead and I can’t wait to be a part of it!”

Dear Romford Raiders Volunteers,

We wanted to bring you up to date and give you all some insights on where we are at the moment as we appreciate some of you have not yet had the opportunity to meet the new ownership team.

We were approached by John Scott just over a month ago with a view to taking over the club. At that time, we had no coach, no captain, no players signed and a somewhat uncertain future. Many other clubs had already filled their rosters before we even started.

The team of volunteers who’ve been working hard to keep the club on ice so far includes Alan White, Paul Windebank, Al Gerrie, Paul Davies, Sean Barry, Brendan Cowley, Andy Pearson, Dave Leach, Matt Scott, Louise Capps, Graham Ford, Mel Treagust, Maria Woolmore, Terri Shaw, John Hattam, Tara O’Connor, Dawn O’Connor- but we need more people to deliver our ambitious plans.

We also want to apologise for not having have chance to speak to all of you yet.

We are still working through a huge to do list, and we want to share our plans for the club with the volunteers who wish to help us in 2024/25 and beyond so we’d like to meet this Monday night 24th June upstairs at The Sapphire at 7.30pm. Please note this is a volunteers forum, we will do a general fans forum at a later date. So please attend if you want to help the club in some kind of capacity and are willing to give up some time for the club.

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to put together a competitive roster, that wouldn’t be possible without the help of our new Player Coach Adam Laishram.

As we reflect on the incredible support you’ve provided to the Romford Raiders over the past few years, we are all extremely grateful. Your dedication, hard work, and passion have been the backbone of our club, ensuring every game, social event, and practice runs smoothly. You’ve not just contributed your time but have become an integral part of our Raiders family, making a lasting impact on both players and fans alike.

As we look forward to the 2024/25 season, we know the challenges and excitement it will bring. Once again, we turn to you, our invaluable volunteers, and appeal for your continued support. Your help is crucial in maintaining the high standards and vibrant spirit of our club. Whether it’s assisting with events, helping out on game days, or supporting our community initiatives, the juniors or the Buccaneers, every bit of your time and effort counts.

Given the late stage we rejoined the league, we’ve been doing the best we can to put a strong business plan in place and provide the foundation for success in the coming years. Not just for the Raiders but at all levels including the juniors.

We can’t do it without your help.

To those of you that have already approached us: Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication. To the ones we haven’t yet spoken with, we want your support.

Together, let’s make the upcoming season one of our best yet! COYR.

Warm regards,

The Romford Raiders Management Team