Friday, March 29, 2024
MultimediaHunt for ice hockey hero's lost jersey - so he can buried...

Hunt for ice hockey hero’s lost jersey – so he can buried in it

THE family of a Scottish ice hockey hero are appealing for the return of his jersey which went missing from a pub ten years ago – in time for his funeral on Friday.

Joe Guilcher, who was member of the Dundee Rockets squad which dominated British ice hockey in the 1980s, loaned his top to a local pub in 2000, to display as memorabilia.

THE family of a Scottish ice hockey hero are appealing for the return of his jersey.

But when the pub closed in 2006, Joe returned to collect it, and found that it had been taken – its whereabouts has been a mystery ever since.

Joe enjoyed an incredible 18 year career with the Rockets from 1968 to 1986, and won a famous ‘grand slam’ of three trophies, including the British league, in 82/83.

With the squad not having the funds for multiple jerseys, he wore the same kit for his entire career – and his family now want to lay him to rest in it.

Joe died of cancer last week aged 69, and with his funeral is planned for Friday, his step-daughter Rhonda McKay has launched an appeal for the return of the strip.

The Rockets in action against a French team in the mid-1980s.

She said: “Joe had loaned the shirt to the Marr family when they ran the All Stars pub in Dundee, in 2000 or 2001.

“They closed up in 2006 and sent out a letter to everyone who had given them memorabilia to come and collect it.

“Joe went down straight away he was pumped, but his shirt t wasn’t there – it was missing, along with the frame it was in.”

She added: “It has definitely been taken, everything else was still there, but nobody is in trouble, we just want it back. There will be no questions asked – the person who has it now may have had it passed on by someone else.

“We’d always planned to look for the shirt, but Joe was ill with a long illness, we had to concentrate on getting him better first.”

The top in question is a blue number 11 Dundee Rockets jersey.

Letters displaying “New York” are emblazoned from the right shoulder to left hip, but this is modified, and covered with a “Rockets” slogan.

It was in a blue frame when it went missing.

Anyone with information should contact [email protected].

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