I WRITE as a totally independent individual who has supported Blackburn Hawks since the Arena opened.

We have suffered a long decline in our team's status culminating this season with the Hawks being in the lowest league in English ice hockey with no player imports.

I understand the team played their first match at Sheffield and according to Teletext information, won 10-6.

Arena management has consistently blamed the lack of support for the demise of the team. However, I believe the support given to the team has been equal to and much higher than at the other venues.

Virtually all British ice hockey teams do not exist from match-day income. They all 'exist' from sponsorship.

The fact that no one has been able to, or allowed to sponsor the Hawks on a large scale is the main reason for its lack of progress.

The other reason is the failure of the management in promoting the club in all aspects. What is the future for hockey in Blackburn when there are only 10 home league games proposed for this season?

Just a fact to ponder on - Oxford, who did not win a game last season and attracted crowds of around 200 spectators, are actually competing in a higher league than the Hawks this season and won their first home game against local rivals Swindon - enough said.

Peel Holdings and the local management should be totally ashamed to have allowed the hockey club to reach its current state.

C E BERRY, Bolton Road, Ewood, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.