Harleston Magpies Hockey Club
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| Full name | Harleston Magpies Hockey Club | |
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| Founded | 1935 | |
| Ground | Shotford Heath, Harleston, Norfolk, IP21 5UF | |
| League | England Hockey League, East Hockey League, Empresa Norfolk Women’s League | |
| Website | magpies-hockey | |
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Harleston Magpies is a field hockey club based near the town of Harleston, on the south Norfolk/north Suffolk border, England. It was established in 1935, celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015. The club's home ground is at Shotford Heath, just south of the Norfolk market town of Harleston. The club boasts two AstroTurf pitches – one water-based and the other sand-based, with a clubhouse and large car park for members and visitors.
The club has 6 men's league sides, 7 ladies' league sides plus numerous other sides including development, youth, veterans, mixed and indoor teams. The ladies 1st team play in the England Hockey League East Division, while the men's 1st team will play in the equivalent national league in 2015/2016 having won promotion in the 2014/2015 season.
The men's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th teams play in divisions of the East Hockey League, section of this while development and junior sides play in regular competitions, including national events. On the ladies' side of the club, the ladies 2nd team play in the Premier division of the East Hockey League alongside many 1st XI sides. Other ladies sides play in the Empressa Norfolk Women's Hockey League.
Formative years
Founded in 1935, Harleston Magpies is one of the oldest clubs in the East Region. It was named after the Harleston Magpie public house in the town of Harleston, now the JD Young Hotel.
Information about the club
As mentioned above, Harleston Magpies (originally for men only) was formed in 1935 and named after the well-known public house which hosted the inaugural meeting. A separate ladies club was formed in 1954 with a successful merger following in 1974.
Two years later the present clubhouse was built – and later extended – and in 1982 the club bought the freehold of most of its grounds.
Over the years the club has continued to improve its facilities and in 1990 put down a sand-based artificial grass pitch, which was re-carpeted in 2006, and in 2002 put down a water-based artificial grass pitch. In the summer of 2007 the club's floodlights were upgraded, the clubhouse balcony replaced and a disabled toilet and stairlift installed. These developments would not have been possible without the invaluable help of Mid Suffolk DC, South Norfolk DC, Sport England, the Foundation for Sport and the Arts and many club members, sponsors and supporters.
The club, which is renowned for its friendly family atmosphere, has developed a large and active youth section drawn from the local community due in no small part to the decision in 1995 to appoint a Youth Development Officer to promote hockey at the club and in the community.
The club aims to instill a lifelong interest in the game in its members, has been one of the most consistently successful in East Anglia over the last twenty years (despite the inevitable ups and downs) and seeks to serve the local community, placing great emphasis on its youth development programme, by providing hockey for men, women, boys and girls – of all ages and abilities.
In 2007 the club was awarded Clubs 1st status by England Hockey. Clubs 1st is part of Sport England Clubmark – a nationally recognised accreditation for sports clubs.
The club aims to ensure that as many people as possible within the community who might wish to join the club are made aware of its activities through, mainly, the local press and radio, the club's excellent website, the Harleston Grapevine magazine and the notice board near the Harleston Post Office.[1]
Notable events in the past 40 years of the club have included –
- Built (and later extended) its clubhouse in 1976
- Bought its own ground in 1982
- Put down a sand-based artificial grass pitch in 1990
- Put down a water-based pitch in 2002
- Re-carpeted the sand-based pitch in 2006
Location
The clubhouse and pitches are based at Shotford Heath, between Harleston and Weybread. Although Magpies are registered as Norfolk hockey club, they actually play in Suffolk, the River Waveney marking the boundary between the counties. Directions to the clubhouse are here.
Teams
The table below shows teams entered into leagues in the 2014/2015 season, with their league title and final position.
| Men's | League for 2014/2015 season | Final Position | Ladies | League for 2014/2015 | Final Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st XI | East Premier A | 1st – Promoted | 1st XI | Investec Women's Hockey League Conference East | 3rd |
| 2nd XI | East Premier B | 10th | 2nd XI | East Premier | 6th |
| 3rd XI | East Division 3NE | 7th | 3rd XI | Empresa Norfolk Women's Hockey League Premier Division | 3rd |
| 4th XI | East Division 3NE | 11th – relegated | 4th XI | Empresa Norfolk Women's Hockey League Premier Division | 7th |
| 5th XI | East Division 5NE | 5th | 5th XI | Empresa Norfolk Women's Hockey League Division 1 | 4th |
| 6th XI | East Division 5NE | 11th – relegated | 6th XI | Empresa Norfolk Women's Hockey League Division 1 | 12th – relegated |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | 7th XI | Empresa Norfolk Women's Hockey League Division 3 | 5th |
| Boys Development | Boys Development League | 1st | Girls Development | Girls Development League | 2nd |
Men's 1st XI 2014/2015
Captain – Mark Wheelhouse
Vice Captain – Leigh Sitch
Coach – Ben Wright
Manager – Steve Leate
Men's 2nd XI 2014/2015
Captain – Dickon Taylor
Vice Captain – Robbie Kinsella
Ladies 1st XI 2014/2015
Captain – Lucy Belsey
Vice Captain – Debbie Francis
Manager – Nick McAllen
Coach – Clyde Camburn
Assistant Coach – Susan Wessells
Ladies' 1st XI squad for 2014/2014 season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Based on data from England Hockey team specs. Positions and numbers to be confirmed.
Ladies 2nd XI 2014/2015
Captain – Samantha Tea
References
- ^ http://www.hockeymuseum.org/Default.aspx?id=571313.
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