Invicta Dynamos Head Coach Kevin Parrish has started shaping his squad for 2018/19 by completing the signing of former EPL and now NIHL shot stopper Adam Long who joins from the north’s Hull Pirates.

22 year old Crewe born Adam Long spent his junior years between Chelmsford and Peterborough before making his senior debut with the Chelmsford Warriors in the NIHL South’s second tier come 2012/13.

By 2015/16, now aged 20, he was then given an EPL birth as he played back up and learned from Latvian goalie Janis Auzins in Peterborough colours, but his stop rate of 93% put him in line to feature more prominently the following campaign. In 2016/17 Long iced 27 times for the Phantoms and kept out 89% of efforts on his net before also playing 5 times for Great Britain at the Winter Universiade.

Following the demise of the EPL and the restructure of the leagues in 2017/18, Adam Long remained with the Peterborough Phantoms where he had now firmly established himself as the club’s number one.

The stopper featured in 14 games and denied 92% of shots on his goal but departed the team in late November as the Cambridgeshire side restructured. His services were swiftly acquired by the Hull Pirates in the NIHL North’s top tier and here he soon became an integral part of a team that challenged for the title – ultimately finishing as runners-up and bowing out of the playoffs in the semi-final stages despite his save rate of 92% in the league and 96% post season.

Now the formidable netminder will ply his trade in Kent having been tempted south to ice for the Invicta Dynamos in 2018/19.

Speaking on his first signing of the off-season Head Coach Kevin Parrish said, “I am very pleased to have a goalie of Adam’s calibre coming in through the front door. Whilst still young at 22 he has already played and proven himself at this level for a number of years and so will not be fazed by the expectation of being our new number one.”

“Adam has been a regular for the Peterborough Phantoms, finished last season in great form for the Hull Pirates up north and I’m very confident he will bring that level of performance to Kent. He’s a very safe pair of hands, excited to be a part of our team and I look forward to working with him from September.”

Having penned his deal to switch to Gillingham, Adam Long told the club’s official website: “I’ve heard great things about being a part of the Dynamos and, after speaking to a number of the club’s past players, it sounded like it was definitely the place for me to be this season.”

“It’s likely to be a tough campaign given that all the sides now know what this league is about and will have strengthened accordingly but Kevin Parrish is putting together a good competitive team and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Adam Long then detailed what he expects to bring to the side when he said. “I’d describe myself as a calm player and I like to keep it straightforward. My aim is simple – to help the team have some success this season. I’m just looking forward to getting going now. I started my last campaign as part of an away team in Gillingham and the atmosphere was brilliant. I can’t wait to be a part of that!”

Adam Long will wear the number 30 jersey for the Dynamos when the new season begins in September. News of his future teammates will be released throughout the off season as Head Coach Kevin Parrish tinkers with his line-up before the restart.