'I fell in love with Sheffield' Will Kerlin says as he hopes to line up against his Sheffield Steelers replacement in the future

The 19-year old goaltender was released by coach Aaron Fox after a season as understudy to Tomas Duba.

He iced a handful of times in EIHL League and Cup action yet feels he is good enough to make the grade going forward, at another club.

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And he has no hard feelings towards his replacement Ben Churchfield, who has been drafted in to play, as long as the Government gives the green light for a new season, post-pandemic.

"What I learned in a full season there was, well, irreplaceable," said the Bedford lad, currently paying his way through the summer as a shift worker at Tesco's.

"It was my first professional year and I couldn't have asked for more.

"I came on for the first time against Fife Flyers (October 12 last year) I think we were leading 7-1 at the time and went on to win 10-3.

"All the boys were proper excited for me. There were a lot of nerves but it was a great experience to get under my belt.

"Then on Boxing Day (Manchester Storm, 7-0 win) I was able to play at the arena for the first time.

"I'd only played in front of a crowd of 200 or so before and there was something around 9,000 there.

"It was surreal. The fans were very receptive, even for a Southern lad!"

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Kerlin admitted it was difficult to understand the South Yorkshire dialect, but added: "I fell in love with Sheffield, not just the team but the place.

"The organisation was run really well and everybody was always so friendly," said the netminder who lived in the Bramall Lane area.

"I had the utmost respect for everyone at the team. At the end of the year, the coach said he'd been happy with how it had gone but there was a different route he wanted to go down, so he didn't offer a new contract.

"He was up-front; he was looking for more experience.

"Nobody's job is ever really safe so now I am setting myself a target to still play in the EIHL and have had some encouraging talks. I want to play at the top level and I believe in myself that I will, whether it is next season or a year or two.

"I have never met Churchfield but Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils and GB) says he has a lot of potential and for him to say that means something.

"I don't have anything against him. People ask if I am frustrated but in any team there are always people waiting to take you position and you are waiting to take their's."

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