Congratulations to former Elite League player Colin Shields who has been awarded an MBE by King Charles III.
“I was just checking the post and I had a message and I was so happy to open it,” Shields told BBC Northern Ireland Sport. “It was unexpected. I never thought this was something I would achieve or be honored with. I’ve had to keep it a secret for about a month now. It was hard not to tell close friends and family.”
“When I first came to Belfast, I never expected to stay the way I did. I made my home here, I live here, it’s a massive part of my life.”
Shields retired in 2019, as he was and remains the all-time leading scorer in Elite League history. He also won over 100 caps for Great Britain and is the all-time leading goalscorer for the national team.
Shields is one of only a handful of British players to be drafted in the NHL, being selected 195th in the 2000 Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. During his time in the EIHL, Shields played 11 seasons in Belfast with a year at both Newcastle and Sheffield, making over 700 appearances.
Congratulations on receiving this honor!
Photo: William Cherry