Wayne Scholes has moved to strengthen Telford Tigers’ ownership structure as he aims to return the club to the summit of the EPL next season.

Scholes is to become the chairman of the renamed Telford Ice Sports Ltd (TSI), the organisation that will now run the Shropshire-based club.

It is a move that will also see successful businessman Matt Bowyer become a director, alongside the hugely-experienced Tigers’ General Manager Paul Thomason.

Scholes remains as ‘committed as ever’ to the Tigers, but the demanding nature of his business travel schedule has prompted him to strengthen the club’s management expertise on the ground in Telford.

That newly formed team is already close to securing a number of exciting new additions to the Tigers’ squad, with the clear target of winning silverware next season.

“Our fantastic coach Tom Watkins has a very competitive budget for next season, and we have already started building an extremely good squad,” said Scholes.

“I want us to be back at the top of the league.”

Scholes has also added two trusted lieutenants to the TSI board of directors, in the shape of Telford-based Ian Pickup and Hendrick Theron, who has been involved with the Tigers for the past season.

He added: “I know the changes we have made off the ice will help strengthen the expertise we have around the club.

“Bringing in Matt Bowyer will allow us to secure some extremely prestigious sponsorship deals, which will in turn help us to achieve the goal of making Telford Tigers a major force in British Ice Hockey.

“I’ve always said that I want the Tigers to be sustainable in the future, and this move is part of that plan. I am as committed as ever to this wonderful club for the long term.”