The club’s longest serving player of all time, Rick Plant, continues to add to his longevity record by signing on for a 14th season. The Shrewsbury native iced in all 63 games last year and finished 4th in club scoring with 23 goals and 42 assists. The 6’1”, 220lb forward also became the first club member to cross the 700 games barrier, and could this season repeat the milestone at 800, currently 40 games shy of the mark. During his long career with Spectrum’s outfit, Plant has reached 3rd on the all-time offensive list with 271 goals, 403 assists for 674 points. In addition to impressive individual achievement, the 34 year old is the historical trophy leader; his hands are on 13 of the side’s 15 championships ranging from this past season’s League and Cup double all the way back to the opening treble in 1997-1998.
His residence in Guildford began in time for that treble winning campaign. During his first season, the club nailed down the Southern Conference, British National League and playoff titles. He departed the following year to take up employment with Telford Tigers, but returned to Surrey in 1999-2000. A year after that he participated in the club’s 2nd treble campaign when the Christmas Cup, league and playoff titles all found their way back to Flames possession. In addition to those all conquering seasons, he starred in the English Premier League crowns of 2005-2006 and 2007-2008; the 2007 and 2010 Premier cups; the 2010-2011 playoff title and the most recent League and Cup pair.
In addition to his one year stint in Telford, Plant lined up with the league champion Swindon Ice Lords in 1996-1997 and spent the 1995-1996 season with Milton Keynes Kings.
Paul Dixon talked about the veteran forward:
“After all these years it actually gets hard to find something to say that you have not said before for a guy for whom there is little or nothing left to achieve. His resume speaks for itself in terms of numbers and where he is relative to other significant players who have been through here. Perhaps the things you do not get to see or hear may be exactly the things that have kept him here so long, and that is his view to always putting the team objectives ahead of his own as well as maintaining a desire for team success despite already having a pocket full of everything there is for us to win. You can ask him to do anything, take up any role, play any position that might help the team get to the top and he’s willing to do it. This year he was put in more of an offensive role than perhaps he had been over the previous few seasons and he did not disappoint with one of the best statistical outputs of his career to play a very big part of our ultimate success. It is always good news to add quality characters to your roster, and keeping a player as well respected as Rick is a great step ahead of the new season.”
