SIX DAYS proved to be a long time in ice hockey as Stevie Lyle yesterday completed a dramatic return to Swindon Wildcats less than a week after quitting as head coach.

The 35-year-old netminder walked away from his position at the Link Centre last Friday, but in a surprise announcement Cats revealed Lyle will be back between the pipes for remainder of the season.

Lyle told the Advertiser that he believes stepping down as head coach was the right decision and is now focusing on playing under forward Aaron Nell, the son of Cats general manager Steve, who is expected to remain in the Link Centre hotseat for foreseeable future.

“I had said my goodbyes but I enjoyed my time at Swindon and I thought (coming back) was the right thing to do,” the former Great Britain stopper revealed.

“As soon as I decided to step down, Steve did ask me if I wanted to stay on as a player but I just needed last weekend to regroup. I spoke to Steve (on Wednesday) and sorted everything out.

“It was one of those things. Me travelling over from Cardiff to Swindon wasn’t helping and I felt that leaving was the right thing to do because it wasn’t fair on the team, seeing me all stressed and not the Stevie they know.

“I just wanted the right outcome to it all and I think I’ve got it with me coming back as a player.

“I’m going to be one of the boys again. I’ve got no problems helping anyone - whether that be Steve or Aaron - and a few of the boys are excited that I’m back, which is nice.”

Lyle could yet be unavailable for Swindon in the coming weeks after signing on as cover for Belfast Giants keeper Stephen Murphy, whose wife is due to give birth shortly.

Wildcats general manager Steve Nell added: “Lyle leaving as coach never affected our relationship personally and there were no issues at all.

“He’s a top goalie and all the boys get on with him, so there are no issues there. As we’ve seen from the last week, nothing is ever set in stone and I think that applies to any sport.”

Long-serving utility man Lee Richardson has been promoted to assistant captain in place of player-coach Nell, who admits that his spell in management has come earlier than he anticipated.

The 26-year-old said: “If a better coach wants to come in and coach the Wildcats, then they’re welcome to my job but until that, I’ll carry on for the rest of the year and maybe beyond that.

“Coaching is something I thought about when I’d finished playing but I didn’t expect it to happen this early – it’s maybe five or 10 years early. I’m used to helping my dad run the business but now the work I’m doing is all team-orientated but I’m just trying to do the best job I can.”