13 REWIND OLDSCHOOL
The following season Steve Moria left to join Division 1 rivals Swindon Wildcats and the Hawks underwent a season of upheaval. High profile coach Rocky Saganiuk came in mid-season and a lot of money was thrown at boosting the struggling squad. One of the newcomers was netminder Ian Young who had had a wealth of experience at HBLP level and who became first choice netminder for the latter part of the season. By the time he arrived at Blackburn, Ian Young had already notched up 14 seasons of top level hockey with home team Cleveland/Billingham, and spells with Telford, Paul Hannant at the Legends game Solihull and Humberside (Photo by Tony Greenwood - www.kippax.com) – much of that time in the HBL Premier Division. He had first hit the national headlines when, as a 17 year old in his first full senior season, he recorded the Heineken League Premier Division’s first ever shut out in a 0-11 win away at Nottingham Panthers on 22nd December 1984. Phil Lee also started off at Billingham and he said of Young: “I played with Ian at Billingham and Solihull. On his day he was one of the best British tenders I played with.” Having initially started the season back with Billingham, Ian was one of the players drafted in mid-season during the 94/95 when big name coach Rocky Saganiuk was brought in to salvage the Hawks season after a series of disasters and sackings.