Defence Budget

Tony Hand is still the elder statesman of the EIHL, but he's now got more company in the 40-plus club.

After the Newcastle Vipers today confirmed the long-rumoured signing of veteran import Ed Courtenay there's another 40-year old in the league. Courtenay will be teaming up with Vipers player-coach Rob Wilson, who can also be counted in the grey-haired gentleman category.

While the three old timers have all remained productive, often showing younger import players how it's done in the Elite League, there comes a time when they'd like to finally hang 'em up.

And for Wilson, it's arrived.

But due to the Vipers' financial position, he's not going to be leaving his patrol on the blueline at the Metro Radio Arena anytime soon.

Ahead of Thursday's game against the Edinburgh Capitals, Wilson admitted that he'd rather be watching the Vipers from the bench and not the blueline.

“For myself, I’d rather be behind the bench if I was being 100% honest,” Wilson said in an interview with skysports.com.

“But right now our budget is not really allowing us to do that. I just want to try and do the best I can, as I’m a very competitive person. If you want something bad enough you’ll keep chasing it and I like competing. We’re playing well so right now it’s been going ok.”

With Wilson continuing to play because of financial reasons, Courtenay also cited money as a reason for his return to the EIHL.

“I had planned to retire from playing but the Vipers have given me a good offer to come back and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the ice,” Courtenay told the Newcastle Vipers website.

As the old saying goes: “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number.”

And the Vipers' number was good enough for Courtenay's age.

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