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#1
I feel this deserves a thread of its own but I just wanted to congratulate both Gerad and Franny for extending their contracts for the next season and a thank you and well done to the Devils management for making the offer.
This duo has received some stick for performances in previous years but in that time I feel they have delivered an entertaining team every season. Gerad fell into the role when Patterson was relieved of his duties half way through 2006/2007 and in inherited a very good team. Seasons following and I feel Gerad had to fight with weaker budgets and two seasons of horrendous injuries to hit the squads (I feel for the likes of Coventry now) without any support to backfill. Yet he managed to lead the team to the playoffs finals every season he has been in charge.
When Matt Burge came in, we still have a modest budget but with the removal of a lot of the off ice politics I really feel this helped pave the wave for Gerad and Franny’s better seasons’ as coaches. Last season was the first time I feel Gerad was presented with a competitive budget and we came within one goal of winning the CC and the heartbreaking lottery penalty shootout loss to Belfast in the Playoff Final.
This year, with another competitive budget, but dare I say nowhere near the biggest in the league (we know Sheffield and I suggest Nottingham and Belfast are larger), Gerad and Franny have put together the best team we have ever had in Elite League era. It is entertaining, as ever, but this time around it is a consistent winning team with the right attitude and belief it can achieve. Much of that is down to the players but it’s the coach/s who bring those guys in and that is where huge credit goes to these guys who are still learning their trade.
Welcome on board again both.
This duo has received some stick for performances in previous years but in that time I feel they have delivered an entertaining team every season. Gerad fell into the role when Patterson was relieved of his duties half way through 2006/2007 and in inherited a very good team. Seasons following and I feel Gerad had to fight with weaker budgets and two seasons of horrendous injuries to hit the squads (I feel for the likes of Coventry now) without any support to backfill. Yet he managed to lead the team to the playoffs finals every season he has been in charge.
When Matt Burge came in, we still have a modest budget but with the removal of a lot of the off ice politics I really feel this helped pave the wave for Gerad and Franny’s better seasons’ as coaches. Last season was the first time I feel Gerad was presented with a competitive budget and we came within one goal of winning the CC and the heartbreaking lottery penalty shootout loss to Belfast in the Playoff Final.
This year, with another competitive budget, but dare I say nowhere near the biggest in the league (we know Sheffield and I suggest Nottingham and Belfast are larger), Gerad and Franny have put together the best team we have ever had in Elite League era. It is entertaining, as ever, but this time around it is a consistent winning team with the right attitude and belief it can achieve. Much of that is down to the players but it’s the coach/s who bring those guys in and that is where huge credit goes to these guys who are still learning their trade.
Welcome on board again both.
What would be equally fantastic now would be for as many as possible of the current team to be secured for next season. 
