Former Sheffield Steelers star added to Sheffield Steeldogs' coaching ranks for remainder of NIHL National season

Abel, 62, who also served as a player and assistant coach at neighbouring Sheffield Steelers, is stepping in as No 2 to help Steeldogs’ head coach Steve Weeks for the remainder of the season.

The move comes on the back of what has proved a difficult 2023-24 campaign for the Steeldogs, one which has left them second-bottom of the standings and in danger of missing out on the post-season for the first time since the league was formed in 2019.

The past week has seen two players – veteran defenceman Tim Smith and up-and-coming forward Jack Brammer – announce their intention to leave via social media as the club battles to halt its worse run of form so far this season. Smith intends to retire, while Brammer is keen for a move elsewhere to further his development.

Weeks was only installed as head coach in between Christmas and New Year after player-coach Jason Hewitt stepped down for personal reasons. Weeks had previously been the team’s bench coach, having replaced Lewis Jones earlier in the season.

Since stepping up into the main role, he has overseen one win in his six matches in charge, but remains confident he can turn the team’s form around.

To aid that objective, Abel has been added to the coaching team, already well-known in Sheffield hockey circles through his time with the Scimitars – who effectively became the Steeldogs in 2010 – and the Steelers. He has won an array of honours for both teams, both as a player and coach.

He will be a familiar face to a number of the Steeldogs’ players, most notably veteran forwards Jason Hewitt and Jonathan Phillips, who won league and play-off titles with him while at the Steelers. Veteran defencemen Ben Morgan and Lee Haywood, meanwhile, both played under Abel when he was head coach of the Scimitars.

Weeks said having a familiar and experienced face alongside him on the bench was a welcome boost for the team.

“I’ve known Neil for years, right from being a kid,” explained Weeks ahead of Saturday's home game against Peterborough Phantoms (face-off 7.30pm). “So it is a welcome addition for him to come in and assist me on the bench.

“And it will be another positive for the guys in terms of another voice, an experienced voice to help guide us through this next part of the season.

“As head coach, I’ve got my own ideas and my own approaches but it’s good to bounce that off other people and it’s about marrying that up with Neil’s experience – getting the blend between a younger head coach and somebody who has been there and done it.”

Scottish-born Abel first made his name in Sheffield between 1992-96 with the Steelers, part of the team which won back-to-back British Championships in 1995 and 1996.

He left the club in the summer of 1996, playing in Blackburn, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes and Hull before returning to South Yorkshire during the 2002-03 season as player-coach for the Scimitars.

He won league titles there and remained in the role until 2008, returning briefly to Blackburn before he was called in by the Steelers to be No 2 to rookie player-coach Ben Simon, the pair leading the team to the Elite League title in 2010-11.

He remained as assistant to Simon’s successor, Ryan Finnerty and also worked alongside Gerad Adams as the team won the 2014 play-off title and the league championship the following year.

He admitted he was excited about his return behind the bench and was determined to help the Steeldogs achieve their objective of a top-eight finish.

"It’s just a case of getting the boys back on track and making a push to make the play-offs this season,” said Abel.

"We’ve spoken to them this week, they are a great bunch of lads and I think they are quite happy to be on board now that Steve and me are getting things underway.

"I’ve been getting a few things sorted and seeing how we can simplify things for the boys, to make sure that everybody is on the same page. We’ve got Jonno and Hewy there –they’ve played at the highest level and they know what’s needed.

"Hopefully with Steve and me coming in, it’s going to give them all a wee boost. It’s a big challenge and it’s about us getting them prepared and them doing it out on the ice.”