The History of Horsham Hockey Club

The very early years

In 1906/7 Horsham Hockey Club was affiliated to the Sussex County Association. They played in dark green shirts with light blue collars and cuffs. The colours later changed to red shirts and matches were played at The Shelley Arms Broadbridge Heath. This early club did not resume playing after World War 2.

A new beginning

1967/68 & 1968/69 a few trial games were played at the Cricket Club.
April 1969. The inaugural meeting of the Horsham Hockey Club under the Presidency and Chairmanship of Dr John Dew. Men’s section only. Founder Members include Hugh Thomas, Allistair Barnes, Richard Marshall and Barry Peay who all paid an annual sub of 10 shillings (50p)
The first match was played against East Grinstead on Saturday 25th October 1969 followed by a match against Cranleigh the next day, both were lost.
1970 to 72 The 1st XI were unbeaten in 46 matches.
1971 The Ladies section was set up
1973/4 The Men were promoted to Sussex Division 1
1974/75 The Ladies and Men’s Clubs amalgamate. A 3rd XI for the Men was started
1975/6 A 4th XI for the Men appeared as did Mixed Hockey
April 1977 John Dew stood down as President and Hugh Thomas took over the role.
1979 Jan Bartlett gains her International Umpires Badge
1979/80 A 5th XI for the Men
1981/82 The Sunday Mixed side appears on the scene as does the successful Sunday Men’s team captained by Nick ‘Fugly’ Evans and later Nick ‘Willis’ Kimberly
1983/4 The Men’s 1st XI promoted to the Kent Sussex Regional League. Nigel Dean becomes Indoor Captain for the next 6 years. A Ladies 3rd XI is started. Tony Salmon becomes our Chairman
1984 The Horsham Hobblers start playing Vets Hockey
1984/85 The Men’s 1st XI is relegated back to the Sussex League. The Inaugural Annual Dinner takes place.
1986/87 The Colt’s Section is started by Tom and Steph White
1987/88 An asto pitch is laid at Broadbridge Heath and a new era of hockey begins at Horsham.
1988/89 The Men’s 1st XI return to the Kent Sussex Regional League. The Men’s 2nd XI also promoted to the 2nd XI Regional league
1989/90 The Ladies 1st XI is promoted to The South League Division 2. The Under 16 Boys and the Under 18 Boys both win the Mercian League Cup Final
1991 The Ladies win the 1st XI Cup final for the first time
1993/94 The Men’s 3rd XI playing in Kent Sussex Regional League
1995/96 The 1st XI Ladies win the County Cup as do the Men’s 3rd XI. The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate
1996/97 The Ladies 1st XI promoted to The South Division 1. The Men’s 3rd XI promoted to the South Open Premier League Division B. The Ladies 1st XI wins the County Cup. The Mixed team win the EHMA Timpson Trophy
1997/98 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup
1999/00 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Men’s 2nd promoted into the South 2nd XI Division 2 and the 3rd XI promoted into the South 3rd XI Division 1. Ladies Vets win the County Cup.
2000/01 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Ladies are the Sussex Vets Champions. The Ladies are promoted to the Indoor National League Division 2
2001/02 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Men’s 2nd XI relegated to The Kent Sussex 2nd XI Open League. The Men’s 3rd XI Relegated to the Kent Sussex 3rd XI Open League.
2002/03 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Ladies Vets win the County Cup. The Men’s 3rd XI relegated to the County League
2003/04 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Ladies are the County Vets champions
2004/05 The Ladies 1st XI are promoted into The National League Division 3 and also win the County Cup
2005/06 The Ladies 1st XI promoted to National League Division 2 and win the County Cup. The Ladies 2nd XI win the Sussex Plate. The Ladies 4th XI win the Sussex Vase. The Men’s 1st XI win the Sussex Plate and the Hobblers win the County Cup
2006/07 The Ladies 2nd XI win The County Cup (1st XI). The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate
2008/09 Under 16 Girls are Runners up in the National Indoor Competition. The Under 18 Girls win the National Plate Final.
2008/09 Ladies National League re-structure, now play in East Conference
2008-2011 Ladies 2nd XI play in South League 3B
2009 -2015 Ladies 1st XI National League Conference East
2010/11 Ladies Vets win National Over 35 Plate Competition
2010/11 The Mixed Team are Runners Up in the National Knock Out Cup
2011/12 Ladies Vets Runners Up National Over 35 Plate Competition
2011-2015 Ladies 1st XI win Sussex Knock Out Cup
2013-2016 Ladies 2nd XI return to South League 3B again
2013/14 Men’s 1st XI promoted to South Premiere League Division 2
2014/15 The Mixed Team are 3rd Place in the National Knock Out Cup
2015-2018 Ladies 1st XI relegated to South Division 1
2016/17 Men’s 1st XI promoted to South Premiere League Division 1
2017 & 2018 Ladies 1st XI win Sussex Knock out Cup
2017 Ladies 2nd XI return to South League 3B once more
2017 & 2018 Men’s 1st XI win Sussex Knock Out Cup
2017/18 The Mixed Team are 4th Place in the National Knock Out Cup
2018 Ladies 1st XI promoted to National League Conference East
2018 Men’s 1st XI relegated to South Premiere League Division 2
2018 The Hobblers are disbanded
2019 Hugh Thomas, our President passes on to another place
2020/21 Covid-19 hits the UK and Hockey seasons are cut short as the country goes into lockdown
2022 England Hockey compete a national league restructure which means L1 retain National League and M1 are promoted

The History of Horsham Hockey Club

The very early years

A new beginning

1967/68 & 1968/69 a few trial games were played at the Cricket Club.

April 1969. The inaugural meeting of the Horsham Hockey Club under the Presidency and Chairmanship of Dr John Dew. Men’s section only. Founder Members include Hugh Thomas, Allistair Barnes, Richard Marshall and Barry Peay who all paid an annual sub of 10 shillings (50p)

The first match was played against East Grinstead on Saturday 25th October 1969 followed by a match against Cranleigh the next day, both were lost.

1970 to 72 The 1st XI were unbeaten in 46 matches.

1971 The Ladies section was set up

1973/4 The Men were promoted to Sussex Division 1

1974/75 The Ladies and Men’s Clubs amalgamate. A 3rd XI for the Men was started

1975/6 A 4th XI for the Men appeared as did Mixed Hockey

April 1977 John Dew stood down as President and Hugh Thomas took over the role.

1979 Jan Bartlett gains her International Umpires Badge

1979/80 A 5th XI for the Men

1981/82 The Sunday Mixed side appears on the scene as does the successful Sunday Men’s team captained by Nick ‘Fugly’ Evans and later Nick ‘Willis’ Kimberly

1983/4 The Men’s 1st XI promoted to the Kent Sussex Regional League. Nigel Dean becomes Indoor Captain for the next 6 years. A Ladies 3rd XI is started. Tony Salmon becomes our Chairman

1984 The Horsham Hobblers start playing Vets Hockey

1984/85 The Men’s 1st XI is relegated back to the Sussex League. The Inaugural Annual Dinner takes place.

1986/87 The Colt’s Section is started by Tom and Steph White

1987/88 An asto pitch is laid at Broadbridge Heath and a new era of hockey begins at Horsham.

1988/89 The Men’s 1st XI return to the Kent Sussex Regional League. The Men’s 2nd XI also promoted to the 2nd XI Regional league

1989/90 The Ladies 1st XI is promoted to The South League Division 2. The Under 16 Boys and the Under 18 Boys both win the Mercian League Cup Final

1991 The Ladies win the 1st XI Cup final for the first time

1993/94 The Men’s 3rd XI playing in Kent Sussex Regional League

1995/96 The 1st XI Ladies win the County Cup as do the Men’s 3rd XI. The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate

1996/97 The Ladies 1st XI promoted to The South Division 1. The Men’s 3rd XI promoted to the South Open Premier League Division B. The Ladies 1st XI wins the County Cup. The Mixed team win the EHMA Timpson Trophy

1997/98 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup

1999/00 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Men’s 2nd promoted into the South 2nd XI Division 2 and the 3rd XI promoted into the South 3rd XI Division 1. Ladies Vets win the County Cup.

2000/01 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Ladies are the Sussex Vets Champions. The Ladies are promoted to the Indoor National League Division 2

2001/02 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Men’s 2nd XI relegated to The Kent Sussex 2nd XI Open League. The Men’s 3rd XI Relegated to the Kent Sussex 3rd XI Open League.

2002/03 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The Ladies Vets win the County Cup. The Men’s 3rd XI relegated to the County League

2003/04 The Ladies 1st XI win the County Cup. The men’s 1st XI win the County Plate. The Ladies are the County Vets champions

2004/05 The Ladies 1st XI are promoted into The National League Division 3 and also win the County Cup

2005/06 The Ladies 1st XI promoted to National League Division 2 and win the County Cup. The Ladies 2nd XI win the Sussex Plate. The Ladies 4th XI win the Sussex Vase. The Men’s 1st XI win the Sussex Plate and the Hobblers win the County Cup

2006/07 The Ladies 2nd XI win The County Cup (1st XI). The Men’s 1st XI win the County Plate

2008/09 Under 16 Girls are Runners up in the National Indoor Competition. The Under 18 Girls win the National Plate Final.

2008/09 Ladies National League re-structure, now play in East Conference

2008-2011 Ladies 2nd XI play in South League 3B

2009 -2015 Ladies 1st XI National League Conference East

2010/11 Ladies Vets win National Over 35 Plate Competition

2010/11 The Mixed Team are Runners Up in the National Knock Out Cup

2011/12 Ladies Vets Runners Up National Over 35 Plate Competition

2011-2015 Ladies 1st XI win Sussex Knock Out Cup

2013-2016 Ladies 2nd XI return to South League 3B again

2013/14 Men’s 1st XI promoted to South Premiere League Division 2

2014/15 The Mixed Team are 3rd Place in the National Knock Out Cup

2015-2018 Ladies 1st XI relegated to South Division 1

2016/17 Men’s 1st XI promoted to South Premiere League Division 1

2017 & 2018 Ladies 1st XI win Sussex Knock out Cup

2017 Ladies 2nd XI return to South League 3B once more

2017 & 2018 Men’s 1st XI win Sussex Knock Out Cup

2017/18 The Mixed Team are 4th Place in the National Knock Out Cup

2018 Ladies 1st XI promoted to National League Conference East

2018 Men’s 1st XI relegated to South Premiere League Division 2

2018 The Hobblers are disbanded

2019 Hugh Thomas, our President passes on to another place

2020/21 Covid-19 hits the UK and Hockey seasons are cut short as the country goes into lockdown

2022 England Hockey compete a national league restructure which means L1 retain National League and M1 are promoted