Rod Stewart’s son chosen for UK ice hockey squad

While his father remains football mad, Liam Stewart, who was born in London and raised in Los Angeles, has taken to the rink rather than the pitch and forged a successful career in the world of ice hockey.

Yesterday it was announced that Liam, whose mother is the former model Rachel Hunter, has been included in the initial 31-man squad that will eventually be whittled down to 23 players ahead of the world championships in Holland next month.

The 20-year-old plays hockey in America for the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League and has already represented Britain at the under-20 level. Yesterday’s announcement put him a step closer to playing his first senior team international. He is now in his fourth season with the Chiefs and for the past two years he has been assistant captain. He began his playing career with the Los Angeles Junior Kings under-16s.

The player yesterday re-tweeted the Team GB Ice Hockey’s squad announcement. In 2013 when Liam Stewart was cleared to play for Britain he said: “I’m very proud to be cleared to play for the country I was born in. I know my dad would be especially proud so it was exciting to hear it was approved.”

Stewart is one of eight former under-20 players looking for their first senior appearance. Yesterday new head coach Pete Russell said: “Over the last three or so months we have watched a lot of hockey across the leagues and been in contact with lots of different hockey people in the UK, mainland Europe and USA. We have the final 31 and it’s the right players and people. They all deserve their place and it’s an exciting group to look at.”

Rod Stewart will be pleased that his son is embracing the world of work. The singer, who is worth over £100 million once insisted his daughter Kimberley Stewart take a job in a boutique called Blonde, where she earned £6 an hour, while Sean Stewart was forced to work in a video store for £3.50. However both are now set to star in a reality TV series which began filming this month and will be broadcast on the American entertainment channel E!.

Liam may have a chance to display his skills during two warm-up matches against Poland before the British team heads to Eindhoven for their Division 1B campaign from 13-19 April.