Sheffield Steelers have confirmed that club captain Jonathan Phillips will return to skipper the side for the 2009-10 campaign.
Phillips agrees Steelers stay
Sheffield Steelers have confirmed that club captain Jonathan Phillips will return to skipper the Elite League double winners for the 2009-10 campaign.
Steelers have won two Play-Off titles as well as the coveted EIHL championship under Phillips' stewardship, and the 26-year-old insists he had no hesitation agreeing a new deal.
"It's been an amazing time here which is why I didn't want to go anywhere else," he said.
"I see Sheffield as my home right now, my self and (wife) Kristy have just had our first child so I guess that rounded off the perfect year for me. Two trophies and a son, doesn't get much better than that does it?
"This has been a project for many of us who arrived at roughly the same time three years ago, we all knew that we had great potential here and that this club was desperate to win again.
"We are lucky that we are the ones who have brought back those winning days once again.
Matsos delight
"I don't see that winning the double means the job is over and that our work here is complete, in fact quiet the opposite, the work continues, we are greedy and want to do it all over again."
Head coach David Matsos revealed his delight that Phillips has agreed to return and hopes the Welshman will remain a Steeler for many more years to come.
"Jono is our leader, he has been here since day one of this rebuilding process, he is a reason why we win here in Sheffield, he is none replaceable in my mind," he said.
"His work ethic is outstanding, that's how he leads, he doesn't scream and shout, in his own way he just says follow my example. Guys see how hard he works and they follow that lead
"Jono is at the heart of our core group of guys, when new players arrive they look at the example Jono and the others have set and they then instantly know what standards and what work ethic we demand here - it's why we win.
"I think we have seen Jonathan grow as a player, a leader and as a man in his time with us. I really hope that he isn't just here for one more year, that he is here for another five or six and that in his time he lifts more trophies than any other Steelers captain."
