VIPERS go into this weekend's matches against Hull and Sheffield having answered the question about their 11th import.

The club has parted company with forward Aleksandr Shevchenko, with coach Rob Wilson admitting "it just wasn't to be".

The 23-year-old joined in the summer from Ukrainian outfit Sokol Kiev and had recorded only one assist in six games so far this season.

Wilson said: "I took a risk when signing Aleksandr because I hadn't seen him play and didn't know what to expect. Sometimes this can work out well but in this instance it just wasn't to be.

"Following my decision to bring in Todd Jackson I've been looking at who would have to go and in the end Aleksandr was that individual. I would like to go on record and thank Aleksandr for his effort during his short period of time with us, I am sure the fans will join the management, staff and players in wishing the guy all the best for the future".

With Czech defenceman Petr Kratky currently out injured, Wilson is looking forward to his return and believes the form of Dean Holland and Ben Campbell will give him an offensive headache.

"I said last week that we'd have to make a decision when Petr return to the ice" said Wilson. "However it's looking like he'll be back in action on 6th October against Manchester which will be a massive boost for us.

"I have been delighted with how the British players have been performing, especially Ben Campbell and Dean Holland. They've both showed that they're capable of playing in the Elite League and if they continue to show the same commitment and passion, I'll not be able to keep them out of the line-up.

One player who has recently been on the end of some criticism is Canadian Derek Campbell, who signed from Elite League rivals Manchester Phoenix during the summer.

Vipers captain David Longstaff has called on Vipers' fans to be patient with the player that recorded 74 points last season.

"I know Derek is coming in for a lot of stick from the fans, but he has been carrying a bad groin injury since the first day of training camp" confirmed Longstaff.

"Really, Derek probably shouldn't be playing and should be resting, but he's shown he's a real team guy and wants to play knowing we're missing Petr Kratky at the moment.

"The physio has told us that he is expected to make a full recovery over the next couple of weeks, I'm sure once he gets back to full fitness he'll become a firm fan favourite in Newcastle."