There is a very healthy spirit of cooperation amongst Thistles, LX, Dragons and Irish Exiles with issues often resolved by valued assistance and borrowing players. In addition for two recent events Thistles and Dragons formally fielded a combined team, going as Dragons, so that neither team missed out for lack of numbers.
LX are in a fortunate position with player numbers however the Celtic touring sides sometimes have recruitment problems for an age group within an event and Nick Cane of Dragons initiated discussions about further Celtic cooperation.
Based on discussions, for Thistles I drafted a framework of informal guidelines to follow where a shortfall of players is likely and a combined team may be feasible. (Click here for PDF of the framework.) Nick Cane for Dragons then produced a proposal to establish a Celts Grand Masters Hockey Club. He registered a Celts Grand Masters Hockey Club Facebook page and established a Celts GM HC address via Spond (the team management software). You may have received some communication on this.
Both Dragons and Thistles are on the same page on cooperation but our methodology differs. Nick for Dragons would like this Celts GM HC registered with WGMA (in the same way that Thistles, Dragons and LX are). Thistles feel that a separate club would confuse matters and for the odd occasion that this is needed then an informal approach is the way forward.
For certain: we want you to play for Thistles and we do everything we can to field Thistles teams. However where numbers are low and where a combined team makes sense we shall be cooperating with Dragons and Exiles so that Thistles players get to play.