BLACKBURN Hawks have emerged victorious in their struggle with ice hockey's governing body to run the new Northern Conference and still remain part of the BIHA.

The seven clubs so far confirmed as members - Hawks, Dumfries, Fife, Murrayfield, Paisley and Whitley, as well as Irish newcomers Castlereagh - had threatened to break away from the BIHA if their "collective responsibility" agreement had not been sanctioned.

But leading members of the ruling body's executive have now agreed to the proposals, which include strict wage-capping.

Member clubs - and there is still a possibility that Billingham could be added - want to stop losing money.

And Hawks could emerge as a leading player with all teams on a level field in terms of finances.

The Northern Premier League looks likely to face off on the second weekend in September, with teams playing each other six times - three each at home and away. At the end of the season, the top four will play their counterparts from the Southern League - whose wage-cap limit is higher - in a tournament designed to extend the season and foster competition between the two conferences.

"Now that the structure is in place, we can start to assemble the side we have in mind," enthused Cockayne.

"We have been going from meeting to meeting but at last we have a draft set of fixtures and we can move forward positively.

"I already know what the British contingent of our squad will be - we'll have Jim Pennycook, Lee Cowmeadow, Simon Mills, Paul Fleury, Ian Hough and Danny Higgins back, not forgetting George Powell of course.

"We'll be looking at imports from eastern Europe and the European community - we want two forwards and a defenceman, and I know there are quality players out there.

"Now we have a date to aim at we can make sure everyone's fit and ready for the off."

Cockayne admitted that defender Malcolm Bell faces a long battle to overcome a shoulder injury and may miss a big chunk of the season.

Des Finlay added: "We stuck together and refused to be railroaded into a format that would have hijacked everyone into a loss-making national league.

"If that had meant forming a breakaway organisation running its own affairs, we were prepared to do so, but that would have brought problems - players being blackballed, registrations refused and so on.

"But happily the BIHA has compromised and seen the wisdom of our approach.

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