Leeds Knights owner Steve Nell and coach Ryan Aldridge outline vision for team's future development

Leeds Knights’ owner Nell, who Aldridge had already worked for both at Swindon Wildcats and the Swindon-based Okanagan Hockey Academy, asked his former coach to succeed Dave Whistle behind the bench, having surprisingly decided to get rid of the popular Canadian midway through the team’s inaugural season.

That ‘month or so’ quickly turned into the rest of the season and then into a two-year deal signed later that summer. On Monday night, the Knights announced Aldridge had signed a three-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027.

The two go back a long way and have a working relationship that clearly, well, works. Crucially, they share the same vision for the future of the club.

Despite the success the Knights have already enjoyed - Aldridge helped deliver a NIHL National league and play-off double in 2022-23, his first full season in charge - there is a determination to ensure there is much more silverware to come.

That could be as early as the current campaign, the Knights in pole position to land a second successive regular season title, sitting eight points clear with nine games remaining.

But for both Nell and Aldridge, it is about much more than the here and now. Both are aligned in their thinking for how the Knights should develop in the coming years.

There is a thriving junior system already in place from which it is hoped future Knights players will come, one part of helping that progression through the ranks being a Knights ‘B’ team which it is hoped could be up and running as early as next season.

If Nell has his way, it would start life one level below in NIHL North One and provide a bridge for players to make the transition from Under-18s hockey - either from the Junior Knights or further afield - and eventually through to the NIHL National team.

It won’t happen overnight but it is the desire to make it happen that was a big part of the attraction for Aldridge to, as he put it on Monday night, “stick around”.

“I’m very happy to have it sorted, of course,” said Aldridge. “I’ve had fun since I’ve been here, we’ve been successful since I’ve been here. I’m happy to stick around, I like the group, I like the organisation and we’re looking to build on that.

“When I first came up, Steve asked me to come up for a month and help out, then it was just seeing that season out and I thought that was probably going to be it as I was obviously doing something else at the time.

“Then we obviously did the deal for me to come up for two years, things seemed to work out okay and so we decided to get another deal done which I’m delighted about.

“Steve often talks about sustainability of the business, of the league and that’s the same with us.

“We’ve got to build up our youth and when I say homegrown, I mean from the local area and make it more sustainable through young players, we want our youth playing.

“We want to build a team that is pushing for titles every year. We’re not going to win every year but I think we just want to build a well-established organisation and make sure we compete every year.”

For Nell, there has never been any doubt about who he wanted at the helm on the ice. Knowing Aldridge as well as he does, coupled with the unexpected success the 45-year-old has brought so far, made it an easy discussion, particularly given Aldridge’s history of nurturing young talent.

“His record since he’s arrived says it all, really,” said Nell. ”The results we’ve had, the way he’s handled the team - all the boys respond to him, they all respect him and they all play for him every single night.

“We both want to build something here. The first two years have been a good start to that but our position at the top is obviously one we’d like to maintain.

“It’s about growing the club on and off the ice and the development of the younger players coming through is key to that. Ryan is key to that development, so that all fits for me.”