The new season is almost upon us and despite England Hockey’s best efforts to keep transfers and squad lists under lock and key, I’ve attempted to bring you some sort of preview, detailing some of the player moves and how the teams are shaping up this season. So let’s get into it.
Reigning champions Old Georgians will be aiming to pick up their fourth title in a row after triumphing last season at finals weekend. Whilst they’ve waved goodbye to the outstanding Lee Morton, who’s joined Amsterdam and Sam Hiha, who scored some important goals last year, they have managed to add some considerable quality to an already stacked squad of players. Phil Roper, Ian Sloan, David Ames and David Condon have all been announced as new signings. Last campaign OGs won the indoor and collected a bronze in the Euro Hockey League as well as winning the domestic outdoor title so you’d be hard pressed to look past them to challenge on all fronts once again.
Surbiton, beaten finalists last season, will be aiming to battle OGs for the crown again this time out but they’ll have to do it without the popular and talented defender Brendan Creed. The Great Britain star has decided to move onto pastures anew and returns to boyhood club Bowdon. Striker Alex Williams has made his way to Belgian club Royal Orée whilst Ben Stevenson is taking some time out from hockey. Of course the Sugden Road outfit have a new coach in the shape of Barry Middleton who replaces the outgoing Mark Pearn. Middleton has wasted no time in adding to the squad with rising stars Jake Payton, Max Anderson and Nick Nurse – all part of the Great Britain Elite Development programme, joining.
Wimbledon secured a spot in Europe this season by beating Hampstead and Westminster in a shootout in the 3rd/4th place playoff last time out. Out go Condon and Sloan, as already mentioned, plus Dylan Swaenepoel to Hampstead and Westminster and perhaps most notably, captain Jack Waller has left for EHL holders Pinoke. Coming in the door are Fred Newbold (Club an der Alster), former Australia U21 international Sam McCulloch, GB EDP player Lewis Wilcher and James Vallely from Durham University. The Hockey Paper are also reporting Liam Ansell’s return from Amsterdam, but as yet, I’ve been unable to verify that one. They have a good squad and should be competitive, despite the quality of the players they’ve had to let go.
Hampstead and Westminster have had a change at the top with former South Africa international Rhett Halkett taking over as head coach with Danny Newcombe coming in as his assistant. The turnover of players at Paddington Rec looks considerable, Sam French, Sam Apoola, Seb Buddle, James Sutcliffe, and Joe Hillyer are all leaving behind Paddington Rec, the home of the best lemon drizzle cake in the league and heading for the exit. Some of the arrivals however look absolutely fascinating. Tim Guise-Brown comes over from Holcombe to join his brother Matt. Australian Kiran Arunasalam will be joining from Melbourne. He has 16 international caps and has scored eight goals in that time and could prove to be a superb addition, whilst Hampstead have also raided clubs closer to home securing the services of Mikie Robson, Matt Richards and Ryan Crowe (all from Reading) and Ted Graves (from Bowdon).
It’s all change at Holcombe this year. As already mentioned, Barry Middleton goes to take over coaching duties at Surbiton after 11 years at the Medway outfit and he’s been replaced in the hot seat by Kwan Browne. With Roper, Ames and Guise-Brown being joined by Hayden Phillips (Royal Beerschot) and Rhodri Furlong (Cardiff & Met) in leaving the club, Holcs will look a very different side when they line up for the first game of the season.
Browne has been bringing in new players all summer with the eye immediately drawn to the signings of Great Britain internationals Rohan Bhuhi and Matt Ramshaw. Teague Marcano, who has played for Browne at the likes of Hampstead and Westminster and Southgate also joins up with the Kent side. Felix Tully comes in from Loughborough Students and Kiwi duo Matt Symonds and Tim Neild have also signed. Ali Shan, who has 150 caps for Pakistan plus his compatriot Mubashar Ali, who has 36 goals in 56 international matches are also on board and if that wasn’t enough they’ve also brought in South African international Samkelo Mvimbi. Phew. Obviously with such a high turnover of players, Holcombe will be an unpredictable side come the start of the season, but if Browne can get them to gel who knows what they could achieve? At this point too, it’s worth saying that given they have so many signings, I’m very grateful to Holcombe’s press officers for writing so many detailed articles on each new signing. Those saved me a lot of Googling!
Southgate have been part of the coaching merry-go-round this summer too, with Huw Stevens taking over as head coach and former Great Britain coach Jason Lee in as his assistant. Experienced campaigner Mo Gandhi has joined as well as Australian Shane Benfell. Polish international Joe Hillyer moves from Hampstead and rising star Calum Douglas joins his brother Ali at Chase Park. Although they have lost Rohan Bhuhi, Will Calnan and Anton van Loggerenberg, Southgate will know they had a good season last time out and will be looking to consolidate this time around.
East Grinstead endured a tough campaign by their standards last season and ended up top of the relegation table, albeit with little alarm as the season drew to a close. For the side from Saint Hill out go Jack Webb, Richard Curtis, Ali Clift, Oli Clift, Mike Wood, James Smith, and Richard Lane. In come Kurt Lovett, Louis Tipper, Alex Sheldon, Mike Moran, Stephen Perry and Dylan Holland.
All’s quiet as far as I can tell from Oxted’s social media feed and website. They managed to fight their way into the pool to compete for a place at finals day last season but came up short in that. I’d say success would be further consolidation this season but it’s hard to tell without knowing who’s come in or gone out!
It’s seemingly been quiet over in Nottingham, too. Beeston haven’t been very active on their social media accounts but word is they have lost a couple of players but have around five coming in, including the return of goalkeeper and Bees legend Simon Hujwan, who has come out of retirement.
Cardiff and Met finished clear of the relegation trap door by three points last season and with the quality of the other teams in the league it’s hard to see them troubling the top sides this time out. They will be buoyed by managing to stay up last season but I expect it to be tough for them. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any transfer activity on their social media accounts or website but Rhodri Furlong has joined from Holcombe.
Richmond won the South Division by seven points and only tasted defeat three times last season. They will take their place in the top flight full of confidence and full of ambition. They’ve been forced into a coach change with David Goodfield’s playing commitments with Surbiton meaning he stepped down to be replaced by Scotland international Hamish Imrie. Arjan Drayton-Chana has returned to Surbiton and Rich Swan has joined Loughborough Uni. In comes goalkeeper Anton Van Loggerenberg (Southgate). Will Holderness joins from Reading, Malachy Barbour (Western Province – SA), Zachary Mason (Kings United New Zealand), Joe Waterston (Grange), Rory Nicholls (Monkstown), and Alfred Ntiamoah have all joined the club as they look to establish themselves as a Premier League mainstay.
Last but by no means least, is the northern powerhouse, Bowdon. They won the north division by 8 points from Loughborough Students last season. They only lost one game, which was after they had already secured promotion. I’ve already mentioned the arrival of Brendan Creed, but they have further strengthened with the returns of Cole Pidcock and Nik Henshaw. Throw in some Southern Hemisphere flair and skill with Zach Rakkas and Maks Wyndham-Smith alongside the already established Bowdon names such as Simon Egerton, Richie Dawson-Smith and Matt Bellin and Bowdon will be relishing the chance to represent the north in the top flight once more. They are starting their campaign against Old Georgians, though. Which is as tough as you can get!
There you have it. It took me a long time to sift through all the social media feeds of all the clubs to find these transfers, so if I’ve missed any, I apologise. The first round of fixtures take place this weekend, details below.
Southgate vs Cardiff & Met 17:30
Beeston vs Richmond 18:00
Surbiton vs Oxted 18:00
East Grinstead vs Hampstead & Westminster 18:00
Bowdon vs Old Georgians 18:30
Holcombe vs Wimbledon 18:30
The Top of the D 