MATT FOORD wants to end his career with Bracknell Bees.
The forward wrote his name into the club’s history books when surpassing the 408 appearance record previously set and held by Matt Cote last weekend and now wants to continue adding to his impressive tally.
And news of the 34-year-old insisting he wants to continue turning out for the side will no doubt be welcomed with open arms by supporters and players alike after what has been another challenging season on the ice.
“I won’t play for anyone else,” said Foord, the Bees captain who pulled level with Cote’s record during Friday’s 6-5 overtime defeat at Hull Pirates and then broke it up at the Sheffield Steeldogs, a game Bracknell were also defeated in, losing 4-2.
“My heart is with Bracknell Bees and has been since I joined. I play with my heart on my sleeve and I feel at home here.
“I’m happy here and I think I would like to end my career here.
“I don’t think I will ever play for anyone else.
“I have met some wonderful people along the way: friends, fans – everybody. I am honoured to play for the club.”
An illustrious career has seen Foord play at three levels of competition within the English game – the British Ice Hockey League, Elite and Premier League.
His time with Bees stretches some 11 years and in between a spell with the Swindon Wildcats.
Yet little will he have known, or perhaps even cared to have thought about, that when signing on at The Hive back in 2005 and then returning in 2008 and again in 2011, he would one day pull on the black and gold more times than the legendary Cote.
“It’s funny because someone mentioned it to me a little while ago, when I was probably 80 or 70 games off it and I thought that was crazy and that I’m never going to get there (to 408 appearances),” added Foord, who was speaking after Sunday’s 4-1 reverse against Peterborough Phantoms.
“But then as it got nearer I thought ‘oh my god, this is incredible, I could actually surpass this’.
“I played against Matt (Cote) and what a player he was, so to be mentioned in the same breath as a player like Matt Cote is just an honour.
“I’m just happy I got to play for a club like Bracknell and when I first started out I didn’t think I would ever get to have these sort of experiences, meet the people I have met, play for the teams I have played for and it is just an overwhelming experience.”
Foord is expected to rack up two more appearances for Bees this weekend when the club host Telford Tigers in their final home game of the season on Saturday (6pm) before the campaign is wrapped up away at Manchester Phoenix on Sunday (6.30pm).
Whether he remains a Bracknell player next season remains to be seen but Foord, who commutes from Swindon for every game, has been left encouraged by what he has seen both on and off the ice in recent weeks.
The shooter believes plans to create a committee to help tackle administrative tasks and potentially setting the club up as a charity is a positive step in the right direction.
He also lauded the unquestionable commitment shown by those players who have stuck around through the tough times, many of whom have continued to give their all despite the documented cash flow issues surrounding the team.
He said: “We are going through a difficult time, but the players we have will not quit.
“We won’t give up week in, week out. It is a testament to the whole team that we don’t give up.
“We will go to the end.”
