Ice hockey team under threat from big freeze

THE big freeze which has played havoc with the sporting calendar this month is now threatening to claim the unlikeliest of victims - an ice hockey team.

Edinburgh Capitals are facing a cash crisis and losing some of their star players after the weather led to a steep drop in paying spectators being able to come along to their matches at Murrayfield Ice Rink. The Elite League club already operate on a shoestring budget and owner Scott Neil has admitted that they face a major cost-cutting operation to survive.

Neil admitted: "There is no doubt that the crowd numbers have been significantly affected by the weather over the last month and this has made the operation of the club very difficult.

"Capitals had six home games over this period and they should have been our best gates of the season but, unfortunately, crowds did not come up to expectation. If we continue to suffer a downturn in attendances, then it will be impossible to retain our current expenditure."

Capitals host Scottish rivals Dundee CCS Stars in the Elite League and Braehead Clan on 2 January and Neill appealed to fans to rally behind the cash-strapped team.

He added: "Capitals will strive to retain and grow the current squad, but we are reliant on fans coming to the games. The uncertainty of our income streams are extremely worrying and difficult to predict."

The Capitals longest-serving player, Martin Cingel, added: "Our supporters are superb. They've stuck with us through the good times and the bad times. Right now we need these loyal people more than ever."

In football, meanwhile, all six SPL games are still on course to go ahead on Boxing Day, although the SFL programme has been reduced to just four games across the three divisions.