One To Watch – Jonathan Weaver

Name: Jonathan Weaver

DOB: 20/01/1977

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 13st 5lbs

Nationality: British

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

 

Tonight’s one to watch is a 44 year-old veteran who has been playing senior hockey in the UK since the 1992-93 season. Weaver was born in Sunderland and came up through the junior system with his local team before making the move to Durham and it was with the Wasps that he made his debut aged 15.

 

For the next 3 seasons Weaver played with the Wasps in the top league of the UK, after this however the Wasps team folded due to rink closure, but it was in the 96-97 season that the Superleague was formed and Weaver joined the Newcastle Cobras. The Superleague ran from 1996 to 2003 and Weaver played in every single season of it, this is an incredible feat due to their being no limits on imports so British born players were a rarity.

 

With the collapse of the Superleague Weaver chose to drop down to the BNL, initially with the Hull Thunder and then the Fifie Flyers before joining the newly formed Newcastle Vipers. He was with the Vipers for 4 seasons, this included their step up from the BNL into the Elite League, he was captain of the side for 3 years during this spell.

 

After this time up north Weaver moved down south to the midlands where he joined the Coventry Blaze and tasted immediate success with trophies in his first few seasons with the club. While he was with the Blaze he also wore the “A” during two seasons and was captain for the other 3 years he was there. The final stop in the Elite League for Weaver was in Nottingham with the Panthers and he spent two years there where he was part of the clubs only ever league title and a historic League, Playoff and Cup treble.

 

Throughout his career playing at the very top of British hockey Weaver has also been a consistent face for the national team, he has played for his country 108 times which is an incredible achievement and during this time he scored 78 points which included 24 goals.

 

For the past 7 seasons he has been with the Telford Tigers, through the RED hockey days in the EPL all the way through the collapse of that league, into NIHL1 and then now in the NIHL National. Although age is catching up with Weaver, he still remains a superb player in this league and his veteran presence will be invaluable for those young players on the Tigers roster just starting out in their careers.