Nostalgia: Testimonial evening for Fife Flyers legend Mark Morrison

The then player-coach’s eight-year service to the Kirkcaldy club was marked with a special testimonial game and over 2000 supporters made it an occasion to remember.

It was an emotional, but also a fun evening, a fitting celebration of the Canadian’s contribution to Flyers.

The day after the game, a rather bleary-eyed Mark said he had thoroughly enjoyed his testimonial.

“I thought it was outstanding,” he said, “The turnout was brilliant, but then again I didn’t expect any different from the people here who have always supported me.

”After being here eight years it is obvious I wasn’t here just for the hockey and I have made many good friends.

”The game itself was a lot of fun and everyone in The Mighty Mo’s enjoyed themselves.

”A lot of these guys took a night out of important schedules to be here and some travelled a long way which I was very grateful for.”

On the evening itself there was some outstanding hockey and breathtaking goals – as well as a rinkful of pranks and tomfoolery and a whole load of family entertainment.

Almost every seat in the rink was filled as the public of Kirkcaldy and visitors from around the country united to show Mark just how much they thought of him and his incalculable contribution to the Flyers during his eight years at the club.

The Mighty Mo’s team read like a Who’s Who of ice hockey, including the much-loved Gordon Latto who won every honour going with Flyers; Tony Hand who re-wrote the record books and is regarded as the best hockey player Britain has ever produced; BNL star Nick Poole and Bill Moody – one of Flyers most popular imports ever.

It could have been expected then that the Fife Flyers would be given a real showing up, but this was not the case as they put up a good fight and dominated the early stages of the game.

Then the fun really began as Flyers’ captain Frank Morris received a two-minute penalty for wearing a silly helmet, and an impressive goal scored by Todd Dutiaume was disallowed because he skated too fast.

Todd and his younger brother Mark, who iced for The Mighty Mo’s were each sent off for two minutes for swapping jerseys amid an amusing scuffle which delighted the crowd, while interference by the match officials added to the merriment.

In the final few minutes of the game, by which time the scoreline was totally irrelevant, all the players from both teams took to the ice and chaos took over to the tune of a Scottish reel.

The final score was 7-6 to The Mighty Mo’s, unless you took into account the one sneaked into the net by Flyers when around 40 people were on the ice.

Two tiny tots representing Hockey 2000 taking to the ice in Flyers and Mighty Mo’s jerseys; a goalie shoot-out; a special on-ice presentation of cars by the match sponsors and a celebrity shoot-out in which three lucky programme winners chose their favourite Mighty Mo’s player to fire the puck all kept the crowds amused during the breaks.

The game was followed by a whole wealth of presentations and tributes to a rather bashful Mark.

And as the crowd filtered away, there was no doubt everyone had had a night to remember.