The Basingstoke Bison will bestow the highest honour on a player in the sport of ice hockey, when they retire the shirt number of Don Yewchin next month.

This will happen before the game between the Herd and the Bracknell Bees on Saturday October 10.

Yewchin was instrumental in setting the club up in 1988 as ice hockey co-ordinator and it is a testament to the man and all his hard work, that the foundations he laid have meant the sport is still going strong in the town 21 years later.

It is fitting that the Canadian’s number 12 jersey will be retired before a game between two teams, whose, rivalry goes right back to Basingstoke’s very first ever season.

He still has fond memories of those derby games especially the first ever victory over the Bees and is sure to enjoy the chance to watch one for a change.

Yewchin career in Basingstoke spanned three season including a promotion, which set the club on its way to many more honours since then.

While playing for the team the hot shot forward netted over 300 league goals and still to this day holds many scoring records for the team.

Yewchin will become only the second player in the club’s 21 year history to have been afforded this accolade joining a very select list with Kevin Conway