The Romford Raiders are delighted to announce the appointment of Jason Buckman as the new Head Coach.
Buckman is no stranger to the Raiders’ faithful. A former stalwart defenceman, he proudly wore the Raiders jersey for five successful seasons, lifting silverware throughout his time with the club, playing at both Rom Valley Way and Lee Valley. He was an integral part of the historic team that played the final game at the iconic Rom Valley Way Ice Rink — a moment etched in Raiders fans’ memories and the history of the club.
Over the past three seasons, Buckman has been behind the bench as Head Coach of the Romford Buccaneers, where he has played a key role in developing local talent and instilling a winning mentality throughout the club. Before that, he spent four seasons as Assistant Coach of the Peterborough Phantoms, where he contributed to their Treble-winning success.
Buckman brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and a deep understanding of Romford’shockey culture. His career, both as a player and coach, has been marked by success and a relentless drive and passion for excellence. Buckman is ready to build on the strong foundations laid by former Head Coach Adam Laishram and the team’s impressive performances this past season.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be taking on the role of Head Coach with the Raiders,” said Buckman. “I’m really excited for the season ahead. After spending the last 3 seasons coaching the Buccaneers, the time is right to step up a level and take on this challenge as Head coach at National league level.
The new ownership group have done a fantastic job in such a short time, and there is no doubt the team over-achieved expectations. and there were moments throughout the season which showed what this team can achieve with a little more structure and some changes to drive the success of the organisation.
Having played here for 5 seasons and now coached here, I feel like I have a good understanding of how this team should play and the expectations from fans. From RVW to the Sapphire, the fans ask for a never quit attitude, and hockey to be played the Romford way, and hopefully I can bring that mentality to next year’s squad and we can have a successful year.”
As we’ve seen this season, the Romford Buccaneers play a vital role in the Romford Raiders’ development pathway. Acting as the bridge between our Academy system and the senior Raiders squad, the Buccaneers provide a crucial platform where future stars sharpen their skills and make the leap into senior hockey.
With Buckman stepping up as Head Coach of the Raiders, we will now begin the search for a new Head Coach for the Buccaneers. This individual will work closely with our junior coaching staff and Buckman to ice a competitive team in NIHL1 while continuing to nurture and develop the next generation of Romford Hockey talent.
Recruitment of the Raiders 2025/26 team has already started, and Buckman’s first player signing will be coming very soon, but in the meantime, please join us in welcoming Jason Buckman to the Raiders as Head Coach and prepare for an exciting new chapter in Romford hockey.
#OnceARaider #AlwaysARaider