Harleston Magpies Hockey Club

Harleston Magpies is a field hockey club based near the town of Harleston. It was established in 1935. 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 ladies 1st team play in the Women's England Hockey League. The ladies 2nd team play in East Region Hockey Association League. Other ladies sides play in the Empressa Norfolk Women's Hockey League. Men's teams also play in the East Region Hockey Association League. The club also fields development, youth, veterans, mixed and indoor teams.

Harleston Magpies Hockey Club
Full nameHarleston Magpies Hockey Club
Founded1935; 89 years ago (1935)
GroundWeybread,Diss,Suffolk, IP21 5UF
LeagueWomen's England Hockey League
East Region Hockey Association

Formative years

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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

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Harleston Magpies 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

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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

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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

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Captain – Mark Wheelhouse
Vice Captain – Leigh Sitch
Coach – Ben Wright
Manager – Steve Leate

Men's 2nd XI 2014/2015

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Captain – Dickon Taylor
Vice Captain – Robbie Kinsella

Ladies 1st XI 2014/2015

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Captain – Lucy Belsey
Vice Captain – Debbie Francis
Manager – Nick McAllen
Coach – Clyde Camburn
Assistant CoachSusan Wessells

Ladies' 1st XI squad for 2014/2014 season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ENG Megan Adams
2 DF   ENG Maria Andrews
3 DF   ENG Lauren Barber
4 DF   ENG Lucy Belsey (captain)
5 FW   ENG Amy Campbell
6 GK   ENG Calianne Clark
7 MF   ENG Elizabeth Clymer
8 MF   ENG Debbie Francis (vice captain)
9 FW   ENG Abby Gooderham
10 DF   ENG Louisa Greenacre
11 DF   ENG Charlotte Harrison
12 DF   ENG Kath Johnson
13 GK   ENG Lucy King
15 GK   ENG Charlotte Lee-Smith
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 FW   ENG Emma Lee-Smith
17 DF   ENG Melissa Ludlam
18 FW   ENG Bryony Lund
19 DF   ENG Lauren Mickleburgh
20 MF   ENG Georgina Minta
21 DF   ENG Katie Ogden
22 DF   ENG Katrina Sitch
23 GK   ENG Kristina Smyth
24 FW   ENG Anouska Stott
25 DF   ENG Amy Tuffs
27 FW   RSA Susan Wessels
28 FW   ENG Angie Wheelhouse
29 MF   ENG Lucy Whiting
30 DF   ENG Kira Wooltorton

Based on data from England Hockey team specs. Positions and numbers to be confirmed.

Ladies 2nd XI 2014/2015

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Captain – Samantha Tea

References

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  1. ^ "Welcome to the Hockey Museum".