Long-time, much-loved D-man, Invicta stalwart, fan favourite and our very own No61, Arran Strawson, has decided the time has come to hang up his skates. His decision has not been made lightly and it has taken him some time to reach but we can confirm this weekend will be the very last one that Strawson puts on a Mos jersey and takes to the ice with the team at home, as he heads into retirement.
A 25-year-old Strawson first iced in Gillingham in 2012 following a move to the club from the Wightlink Raiders. Prior to that he had spent his junior and early senior years in his hometown of Sheffield, icing for the Rapiers U16s, the Steelhawks U19s, the Spartans, the Scimitars and the Steeldogs. A loyal homegrown talent that clearly loved the sport he played; he remained in his beloved Sheffield for many years.
In 2011, a restless Strawson, decided the time was right to spread his wings and he packed his bags and set off for pastures new. He subsequently spent a lone, successful season, on the Isle of Wight, racking up 38 points along the way with 10 goals and 28 assists under his belt. Following discussions with our then Head Coach, Kevin Parrish, through the summer of 2012 Strawson was enticed across to the Mos. He took to the ice for the first time on 1st September when we played a 4v4 tournament against Basingstoke and his first taste of league action as a Mo was the very next day when we faced MK Thunder; a game he picked up an assist in and the Man of the Match honour, a good sign of things to come.
In a career spanning 11 seasons Strawson has currently played an incredible 422 games for the club – the 4th highest of all time. His All Time Stats are pretty remarkable too having scored 69 goals and picking up 249 assists along the way giving him a points total of 318. These impressive figures underline Strawson’s vital role and skill in creating play from deep within the d thus enabling him to take the accolade of the highest all time point scoring defenceman last season, jumping above the previous highest Phil Chard. His tenure at the club has seen him honoured as both Captain and Alternate Captain and his experience has played a significant role in the development and support of the younger players on the roster across the years.
The dependable D Man has stuck with us through the highs we have celebrated together and the lows we have endured together and cemented himself as an all-time fan favourite, made many lifelong friends along the way and now calls Medway his home.
His highlights with the Mos include winning the NIHL Southern Cup in 2014/15, the NIHL South Playoffs in 2016/17 and, most recently, the NIHL Southern Cup last season, playing an integral part in all three of those accolades.
Given his commitment to the club, his loyalty, and his dedication, we cannot imagine another player taking to the ice wearing No61 so we are pleased to announce his jersey will be retired. Forever our No61 and a ‘reyt’ good one at that!
Now having made the difficult decision to hang up his skates we would like to extend our biggest thanks and love to Strawson and we wish him all the very best as he looks to enjoy more time with his growing family. We know Lizzie, Riley and Loretta will be very lucky to have you around more often at the weekends and we also know your body will thank you for this decision in the long run, no more knocks or bruises or broken bones to contend with on a Monday morning.
There is no doubt he will be hugely missed by all involved with the club. His larger-than-life personality is a great loss, both on and off the ice, and we head into the weekend with mixed emotions, but we know that we have not seen the last of him and are sure he will be in and around the rink on gamedays next season supporting the team but also enjoying a beer as he watches on!
Strawson, thank you for your service, your support, your humour, your entertainment value (and outright stupidity at times!) and your friendship across the years.
It’s been a blast! Ta-ra pal!
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