MK Lightning is proud to announce an exciting transformation of the banners at Planet Ice Milton Keynes. Following a triumphant National Cup final win in 2023/24, we wanted to get right the representation of our past and present, and leave space for the future. Sorry it’s taken a while, but hopefully the finished result is worth it.
Our first silverware as owners
The 23/24 season saw MK Lightning secure a major victory at the National Cup final. This was our first piece of silverware as owners, and our first proudly wearing the zeus on the front of our jersey – this left us in a nice but difficult predicament.
We have worked with Dave Bunyan from the Supporters Club, and consulted with some of our honoured players to shape a vision that hopefully properly respects the club’s history fully.
Tom Roberts from the MKL Board said: “The decision to change our banners was not taken lightly hence the delay” “It was about aligning our visual identity with our rich heritage and the passionate support of our fans.” “We could have hung a new design of banner in the rafters, for this one title, but this would have felt out of place and an afterthought with the other banners. We needed something that would fit with MK Lightning and our proud history”.
Reflecting True Colours
Historically, MK Lightning’s franchise colours have been predominantly black, white, and gold. However, existing banners featured a blue theme, all with the same MKL Logo – which was now not current, and this felt out of step with the club’s story since 2002.
After extensive discussions, it was determined that the new banners should reflect the authentic heritage of MK Lightning. “We – MKL and MKLSC – together recognised that just replacing one banner would not capture the spirit of our identity,” said Tom. “Instead, along with the franchise colour scheme, each banner now proudly displays the team’s logo at the time the title was won, ensuring that every milestone is celebrated in its proper historical context.”
Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future
The revised banner design takes into account the evolution of the club’s identity through its history. With jersey retirements spanning multiple eras and logos, the new display approach ensures consistency by aligning each banner with the club’s traditional colours. This design strategy not only honours the legacy of past triumphs but also provides a cohesive look that is inspiring to current players and supporters.
A Collaborative Vision
The transformation is the result of collaborative efforts between the owners and the Supporters Club. Together, we have worked to celebrate the club’s accomplishments while staying true to the foundational colours and ethos that define MK Lightning.
Dave Bunyan, Chairperson of the MKL Supporters Club said: “Having worked closely on behalf of the Supporters Club with Vicki, Tom and Jon behind the scenes in making this happen, it has been with immense pride and at the same time been a great honour. Whilst I for one fully appreciate that they should of probably gone up earlier but now that they are up they do look good and are a fitting tribute to this great club.
The retired shirt banners hanging in the rafters highlight the dedication and loyalty those players have given to this great club of ours, these names and numbers should never be forgotten and are and always will be legends of Milton Keynes Lightning.
The ten achievement banners of silverware won over the seasons is again something we should all be very proud of, the adding of the logo’s on each banner shows our history and rounds off the banner perfectly in my humble opinion.
The replacement of the banners is another example of the Supporters Club working closely with MKL and long may it continue.”
MK Lightning invites all fans and community members to join in celebrating this new chapter. The updated banners are now proudly displayed at Planet Ice Milton Keynes, serving as a lasting tribute to the club’s past victories and as inspiration for the future.
We couldn’t of done this without a few people, who deserve a special mention.
Thank you to Alex Wager from Boss Plant Sales, and RS Machinery, as it appears diggers and cherry pickers are very different things.
David and James, for removing and hanging the new banners at the rink, and getting photos.
Thank you to Dave from the MKLSC, for his patience and seeing the same vision we had.
