FANS' favourite Darren Brown is the latest play-off winning champion to put pen to paper for the 2011-12 season with Essex’s Team of the Year.

Brown was one of the prominent forwards for the Chelmsford Chieftains during last season’s campaign that saw them just miss out on the league title, but took home the play-off championship.

Brown pitched in with 20 points in 38 games last term, but was a key player on the team and this was reflected in him being voted player of the year by his fellow players.

New Chieftains coach Gary Clarke said: “Darren is a very likeable guy who will be a great asset in and around the dressing room, but more importantly it is what he produces on the ice that has gained most people’s respect.

“Darren is a very hard-working two-way player and works equally as hard in his own end as he is on the attack at the other end of the ice.

“He is not afraid to get stuck in and I know straight away he is a player I can depend upon to play a specific role in tight matches for the good of the team.”

Six of last year’s team have returned, with additions to the team in the form of Dwayne Newman, David Wride, Connor Stokes and Clarke himself, in a player-coach role.

Returning to the side so far have been top scorer Danny Hammond, shot-stopper Ben Clements, top defencemen Alex Green and Danny Wright, while Tom Long and James Ayling contribute hugely to a very dangerous forward line being assembled.

The Chelmsford Chieftains have announced leading car dealer Grants as their main sponsors for the 2011-12 season.

The Braintree-based dealership is one of the UK’s leading SEAT dealers and following the mutual success brought about by their sponsorship with the Chieftains in the season just gone, they were happy to sign on again for another season.

Grants’ communications manager Katie Williams said: “We are delighted to be the Chelmsford Chieftains main sponsors again for the 2011/12 season.

“Last year was a great success and we worked really well together, helping to raise the profile of the club and our association with it.”