creditable third in his first season, but never really looked like one of the better teams in the league. From this point forwards, the Bees never looked like returning to the 'top table' of British Ice Hockey. The Bees eventually announced that they were to leave the ISL at the end of the 2002–2003 season. With Manchester and Ayr having ceased operations during the season, the Bees announcement finally spelt the end of the ISL as a viable league. The Bees joined the British National League and were instantly tipped as being major contenders for the title. However, they finished just fourth in their first season, before going on to win the league and cup double in their second season. Ironically, as with the ISL winning team, the Bees were coached by an ex Bees player, Mike Ellis, again coaching in his second season. The Taylor Times After the double winning season, Mr Nike announced that he was no longer going to be funding the Bees. Up stepped local Estate Agent, David Taylor. David was a sponsor of the Bees and along with his wife Sharon and coach Mike Ellis, they set up a new club. Mr Nike granted them a licence to use the name "Bracknell Bees" for marketing purposes for a three-year period. At this time, Edinburgh Capitals and Newcastle Vipers decided to resign from the British National League in order to join the premier Elite Ice Hockey League. As this would leave the BNL with only five teams; and thus with little option but to fold, the Capitals and Vipers temporarily withdrew their applications so as to allow the remaining BNL teams to apply for EIHL status. However, terms could not be agreed between the EIHL and the remaining five BNL teams; leading the Capitals and Vipers to resubmit their original applications and join the EIHL; which ultimately resulted in the closure of the BNL. This led the Bees, along with fellow former BNL members Hull Stingrays and, the Bees biggest rivals, Guildford Flames, to move to the EPIHL. Coach Mike Ellis put together a mix of youth and experience and they tasted some success in their first EPL season. As well as finishing a respectable 5th in the league, Bees made it to the play-off final, beating the Sheffield Scimitars in the semi-finals at the SkyDome Arena in Coventry. Bracknell came up short in the final