In today's show I speak with former Whitley Warriors, Murrayfield Racers, Cardiff Devils, Manchester Storm, Newcastle Riverkings, Coventry Blaze and Newcastle Vipers forward Hilton Ruggles.
Hilton reflects on his early years growing up playing hockey in Montreal, his spell in mainland Europe, and his arrival in the UK after signing for the Whitley Warriors in 1988 — memorably slipping over alongside fellow import Mike Rowe while being introduced to the press.
After four seasons with the Warriors, Hilton enjoyed brief stints with Solihull and Murrayfield before signing for John Lawless's Cardiff Devils. His three seasons in Cardiff were hugely successful, winning "The Treble" in his first year and scoring over 300 goals. It was also during this period that teammate Shannon Hope gave him the nickname "Homey," which still sticks today.
In 1995, Hilton joined the newly formed Manchester Storm, attracted by the challenge of building a new club closer to his home in the North East. After a short wait for his contract, he delivered a stunning season, scoring 112 goals in just 51 games as the Storm won the British League Division One title at their first attempt. Hilton also recalls the surreal moment his image appeared on billboards across Manchester, promoted ahead of the city's football giants.
After three seasons with the Storm and with changes behind the bench, Hilton returned to the North East in 1998, signing for the Newcastle Riverkings. Two seasons later he moved to the Coventry Blaze, where he spent four years contributing both on and off the ice, helping guide the club from the British National League into the Elite League.
Hilton finished his playing career back in Newcastle with the Vipers, retiring in 2005 after seventeen seasons in UK hockey. He reflects candidly on knowing when it was time to step away and offers a surprising answer when asked whether he still misses the game.
In 2009, Hilton was inducted into the UK Hockey Hall of Fame, having amassed 1,096 goals, 929 assists and 2,200 penalty minutes.
