Mick coaches the Leicester Dragons side in which Dean plays.

The side have just returned from competing in the three-day Major League Roller Hockey Euro Cup Championships held in Washington, where they more than held their own.

The Dragons’ medal round “win or go home” matchup against Czech side Dynamo Pardubice was named the Best Game to Watch by league officials.

The Czechs escaped with a 5-4 win and the league is currently marketing a DVD of the game.

Dynamo went on to win the championship with a 6-2 win over Michigan Thunder, a team the Dragons thumped in the preliminary round.

MLRH president Bill Raue said: “This was just a great game with the Brits buzzing around the Czech goal at the end and Dynamo hanging on for dear life.”

The MLRH Euro Cup is normally played in Europe, but it was decided to stage a one-time event in America to showcase European teams.

The Dragons knocked off the Washington Power, Boston Storm and Michigan Thunder to advance to the final day of play before bowing out to the Czechs.

Trailing 5-3 late in the game, the Dragons closed to within a goal and the final minutes of the game featured furious end-to-end-rushes and crushing hits.

“We proved we can play with the big boys,” said Payne senior.

“The problem is, we don’t have any suitable training facilities.

“The Czechs, Canadians and Yanks all have beautiful arenas and we are training in tiny sports halls or whereever we can find a flat surface.”

Payne has introduced the sport to hundreds of school children through a National Lottery initiative and MLRH views him as an ambassador for the game.

“What Mick Payne has achieved is remarkable,” said Raue.

“He is probably better known in America than in England but I’m sure that will change one day soon.”