COVENTRY, Great Britain – It was a grand night for Paul Thompson at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena last Saturday night as he took charge of the Coventry Blaze organization for the 1,000th time.

Although the occasion was marked with a fifth successive defeat for his side, Thompson admitted it was a proud moment.

The 42-year-old is also one of the longest-serving professional coaches for one team in Europe. Like Arno Del Curto of Swiss side HC Davos he has been in charge since 1996.

Thompson, who was born in Singapore, has also been coaching Great Britain’s national team since 2006-2007.

The Coventry team has had a winning environment from pretty much day one and has gone from a fourth-tier side to the best in the British game.

Thompson said: “I am not one who looks back, I never have been to be honest. I never shout about what I and the club have won, for me it's in the past and it's about winning the next game which is important to me.

“It hit me a bit a few weeks ago when I was told about when the 1,000th game would be and there is going to be an enormous sense of pride. Also to belong to the longest-serving coaches in Europe, I don't know if that will ever be beaten.

“We have had a winning mentality from day one, we set that standard. We have had a lot of success, but you remember the first trophy just as much as the last. The first one started a winning tradition which we have carried on.

“We have maintained the club as the top one in the UK which has been a massive challenge for us all.”

It was Andy Buxton who appointed Thompson as coach in 1996.

With the Solihull Barons – for whom Thompson was coach – having evolved into Solihull Blaze for the start of the 1996-1997 season, the club came second in the Premier League before being victorious in the English National League, the ED1 North as well as the play-offs.

The club moved into the new English Premier League for the start of the 1998-1999 season when they were again crowned league and play-off champions and were losing finalists in the English Cup.

Then in their first season back at British National League level, Blaze finished seventh before reaching the play-off semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Fife Flyers.

In 2000, the club headed for new surroundings and started the 2000-2001 season at the Coventry Skydome.

Blaze came fourth in the league in 2000/01 before they lost the Challenge Cup final and play-off final and were runners-up in the league.

The 2002/03 campaign was more successful with Blaze triumphing in the league and play-offs although they once again lost the Challenge Cup final.

That summer the organization announced they were to take their place in the newly-formed Elite League.

In seven seasons in the Elite League, Blaze have won the league title four times, the play-offs once, the Challenge Cup twice and the Knock-Out Cup.

But the 2004-2005 campaign has gone down as the greatest in the club's history so far as Thompson led Blaze to the Grand Slam.

With the likes of Jody Lehman, Neal Martin, Dan Carlson, Adam Calder and Ashley Tait having joined, Blaze – who later recruited Wade Belak from the Toronto Maple Leafs during the lock-out – first lifted the Challenge Cup before securing the league and then the play-off title courtesy of Tait's overtime winner against Nottingham Panthers.

Thompson said: “I have had so many magical moments during my time with the organization, but that has to be the best. We were the first team to win the Grand Slam in the Elite League and I am not sure if it will be repeated.”

Blaze have also represented the Elite League in the Continental Cup four times, being denied a place in the Super Final following a 1-0 defeat to Italian hosts Bolzano two years ago.

With nothing left to prove in British ice hockey, Thompson has admitted he is tempted by the challenge of coaching in North America or Europe one day.

He said: "Right now I am coach of the Coventry Blaze and the Great Britain national team and part-own two Elite League teams, but North America or Europe is something I would like to do.

“I have had offers from both in the past. I would like to test myself and have a different challenge, but that is not now – one day though I will.”

Buxton, the man who signed Thompson in 1996, said: “I certainly won't claim to have been any great visionary at the time. Paul was coaching the Solihull Barons B team at the time and when the opportunity arose for a new coach of the first team, he was the logical choice.

“He had made a good impression in a very short space of time with the B team and it was clear even at that stage he was a very committed individual and would do the job to the very best of his ability. I don't think anyone could ever have expected him to be as successful as he has, though.

“He's dedicated, highly focused, knows what he wants and needs and is an exceptional man-manager. He's never happy unless he's making progress and chasing the edge and he has a real thirst for knowledge. He has all the qualities you would like to see from anyone in any job and he's committed to being the best he can possibly be.

“It is an incredible achievement. A thousand games in your career is impressive enough but for one club? That's just amazing and a very, very rare feat.

“He is still every bit as hungry for success now as he was when he stepped on the bench for his first game in charge. He really is one of a kind.”

Calder and Martin – two members of the Grand Slam-winning side – were also full of praise for their former coach.

Calder said: “Congratulations to Thommo as it is a great achievement to have 1,000 games behind any bench but for him to be as successful as he has been says it all about the type of person and coach he is.

“He holds every player accountable and is a true legend in British ice hockey. The time I got to spend in Coventry was some of my best experiences in the game and a lot of that has to do with Thommo. He hates to lose but that might just be from growing up a Birmingham City fan!”

Martin said: “Thommo has done a great job. It is a great testament to him that he has been at the club for so long and has kept on building teams every year and is successful.

“Thommo is a great players' coach. He makes you want to play for him, he is a winner and that spreads through the team. He wants his players to be the best and I know when I played for him I felt bad if we lost or let him down. You had so much respect for him and that has played a bit part in Coventry's success.”

STUART WALKER