Newcastle Vipers

The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.

History
The club was founded August 2002 after a season without a professional ice hockey team in Newcastle. Previously, the city was represented by the Newcastle Jesters, who were founded in 1999 by Finnish businessman Harry Harkimo who purchased the franchise from the Ice Hockey Superleague.

The franchise had previously been owned byJohn Hall who had owned the club as part of his ambitious "Newcastle Sporting Club" project and known as the Newcastle Cobras and later the Newcastle Riverkings. The Cobras had previously played as the Durham Wasps who had moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne Arena following a season at the Crowtree Leisure Centre in Sunderland as a result of Hall purchasing them after a number of years of financial problems. The Durham ice rink closed shortly thereafter.

After playing its first three seasons in the British National League, the Vipers joined the Elite Ice Hockey League in the 2005-06 season. During their first season the Vipers finished as runners-up to the Belfast Giants in the league and won the EIHL Play-Off Championship at the National Ice Centre, defeating the Sheffield Steelers 2-1 in the Grand Final.

On 6 May 2011, the EIHL confirmed that the Vipers would fold and not take part in the 2011-12 season after months of financial difficulty, leaving the North East with no top flight Ice Hockey club for 2011-12. GM Jaimie Longmuir said he was "Incredibly sad to confirm that the Vipers will no longer participate in the Elite League following Tuesday’s meeting."

Honours

 * EIHL Play-Off Champions 2005-06


 * Findus Challenge Cup Winners 2002-03, 2003-04


 * Elite League Runners Up 2005-06

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