THE banks of the River Clyde are synonymous with industry, associated with pioneers and entrenched in hard work.

The constant cacophony of clanging and clattering of the shipyards from days gone by was a typical characteristic of Glasgow as thousands poured in and out on a daily basis while Scotland led the way in Europe and abroad.

Over the decades that clamour has softened to a more subtle tone as the waters on the river have settled – until now.

Just a few miles upstream there is a different type of noise that for the last five years has resonated throughout Scotland, but is now beginning to ripple across the continent.

The Braehead Clan have been making waves for sometime in the Elite Ice Hockey League, but it was only really last year that this phenomenon of Scottish sport began to really gain momentum. Just pipped to the league title, Braehead claimed the Gardner Conference on the ice while seeing their attendances soar off it, regularly selling out their 3,500-capacity home at the Braehead Arena.

That success last year has seen season ticket numbers for this term double to 1,400 ahead of a move to a new stadium within the next five years that could hold up to 9,000 fans.

Now, just a week away from dipping their toe into the uncharted European waters of the Champions Hockey League, Clan hockey operations director Gareth Chalmers attempts to explain to SportTimes not only how far the club has come in his two years there, but how much further he can help take them.

“We have a good reputation and people have heard about us and what the set-up is like here,” said Chalmers, whose players are all given accommodation just yards from the arena.

“We are in a good area, the housing is really good, the arena and facilities are excellent, not to mention the club as well. That reputation goes beyond the UK but throughout the hockey world that guys will get looked after here.

“Off the ice, we are on a totally different level. It’s phenomenal how much we have grown. That’s down to hard work. The fans have bought into what we’re doing here and word of mouth has helped us put bums on seats. Getting things right in the background helps you build something special on the ice.”

The growth in interest and infrastructure is encouraging for those around Braehead given how football, the nation’s sport, appears to be going in the opposite direction.

Fundamentally, though, the excitement at this stage of the season is being generated by the thoughts of events on the ice.

Over the summer head coach Ryan Finnerty and Chalmers have assembled a fresh group of players spliced with some familiar faces that they believe can help progress the club to their ultimate goal of being champions.

Former Stanley Cup winner Ric Jackman and ex-KHL netminder Chris Holt are the two standout attractions among the 11 new faces, but they are only parts of the purple jigsaw.

Chalmers said: “Two years ago I think on paper we had a fourth/fifth-placed team. Last year maybe third or fourth. Right now, I think we are a top two team. That’s only happened because we’ve tried to build the business off the ice.

“I think we are reasonably happy with how things have gone. It’s been a long summer and we’ve tried to recruit more aggressively than previously.

“We’ve had a shorter time to work with it given we have the Champions Hockey League but we’ve just tried to upgrade in every single area we could. I think we’ve done that.”

The lure of European ice hockey has no doubt helped attract a better calibre of player to the banks of the Clyde, but it has also helped prepare Clan for the rigours of a gruelling league campaign.

Following the two-legged ties in the CHL against Sweden’s Vaxjo Lakers and Ingolstadt of Germany, there is a long and arduous road ahead for Finnerty and his men, even if they fail to finish at least second against their continental opposition.

But given Clan’s players started training early this week Chalmers is confident they can break the ice fast.

“We are miles ahead of where we were last year,” he said. “I think it may become the norm with getting guys in earlier in the summer. It gives us more time to get guys bedded in.

“It’s a great opportunity to participate in the Champions League, but it also gives us a head start on the other teams in the league. It’s pretty exciting right now, it’s good for us.”

Speaking about being in with the big boys of the CHL, Chalmers added: “It is on a completely different level from what we are used to, and that’s good for us.

“We want to push on and this allows us to see where we can be long term. I think they are delighted to have a team from Glasgow in the competition and even if we don’t progress it will be a worthwhile experience.”