Six years after he last donned a Mos jersey, the Invicta Dynamos have announced the return of 26 year old creative forward Callum Best who signs for the club where he has previously amassed 127 points in 71 games.
Despite only being in his mid-twenties, Callum Best has already been playing hockey at EPL or NIHL level for a decade having made his senior debut in 2008 aged just 16. A product of the junior setup in Guildford, the forward dressed 30 times for the Flames in the EPL in 2008/09 before moving on to the Slough Jets and Bracknell Bees the following term where he made a combined total of 54 outings.
Having represented Great Britain at under 18s level in the World Junior Championships, he then travelled again – this time switching to the Basingstoke Bison for 2010/11 where he clocked up a further 54 EPL games.
In 2011/12, Callum Best began the campaign in the ENIHL with the Slough Jets but soon switched to Kent to join up with the Invicta Dynamos. Over the next two seasons he featured 71 times for the Mos across all competitions and secured 127 points with 42 goals and 85 assists.
Injury brought his second term in Gillingham to a premature end but he was back on the ice in 2013/14 having completed a move to Streatham. The forward settled in South London and it was here that he stayed for the next four seasons barring a brief spell back in the EPL with Guildford at the start of 2015/16.
Between 2013 and 2017, Best made 141 appearances for Streatham and found the target 99 times whilst playing a role in 149 more for an impressive tally of 248 points.
Last season Callum Best moved back to Bracknell and he featured 40 times for the Berkshire outfit racking up another 47 points. 17 goals and 30 assists saw him play a key role for the Bees but now the 26 year old forward returns to Kent and the Dynamos where he will once again don the number 11 jersey at Planet Ice, Gillingham.
Speaking on the return of Callum Best, Head Coach Kevin Parrish said, “Callum is only 26 but has been around the NIHL and EPL for nearly a decade and I’m very pleased to be bringing a player of his experience to the roster for 2018/19.”
“He has proven himself at this level of the game for a number of years, has racked up the points wherever he has been and I foresee him playing a key role for us in Gillingham in 2018/19.”
“Callum is a playmaker who links up well with his teammates and creates numerous chances but he’s equally adept at putting the puck in the net himself. His creativity will give us an extra dimension going forward and allow us to be increasingly competitive in the NIHL South next season.”
“I’m delighted to bring Callum back to Gillingham and look forward to working with him again.”
Talking on his switch back to Kent, Callum Best said, “Kevin Parrish is putting together a good team in Gillingham and I’m looking forward to being a part of that in 2018/19.”
“I’ve been both a Dynamo and opposing player here and feel it’s a rink I always do well in so I’m pleased to make it my home rink again next season. I’ve also always had a good time with the fans here so I’m looking forward to carrying that on next term”.
When asked what he was looking to bring to the line-up he answered: “A bit of excitement, some goals and hopefully some pretty plays. I want us to be competitive every game and see how far we can go in every competition.”
The return of Callum Best takes the Invicta Dynamos roster to 9 with that number set to enter double figures in the near future as Head Coach Kevin Parrish continues to reveal his side for 2018/19.