Club Information
South Shields Men's Hockey Club plays in Division II of the North East Hockey League on Saturday afternoons. Training is on a Tuesday evening from 7pm to 8pm at Mortimer Comprehensive school (see the map link on the home page for directions).
Club History
by the Club Biographer David Belk
The origins of the club go back to 1954 (50th anniversary
celebrations in 2004?) when they played as Sunderland Phoenix. They played
on the grass at Gypsies Green Stadium for many years before becoming South
Shields HC in the 60's.
In the late 60's the Club became part of Westoe Club and had a Ladies section
playing on the grass at Westoe before utilising the shale/gravel pitch at
Brinkburn School, eventually being forced to leave Westoe (and the Ladies) to
become members of Brinkburn CA as a condition of continued use of the pitch.
With the advent of Astroturf in the mid-80's the club moved from Brinkburn and
joined Temple Park to use the Astroturf, with post-match activities taking place
at the Grey Hen.
When the pitch at Mortimer CA was built the club utilised it as it was, and
still is, significantly cheaper to hire. The Club moved the after-match
activities from the Grey Hen to the West Park until we settled where we are now
at the Steamboat Inn.
The club joined the NE Hockey League at it's inception in 1972 and scored over
100 league goals in their first year. During their league membership both teams
have enjoyed promotion and also suffered relegation at various stages.
Having consistently run 2 teams for most of its existence and, during the late
90's, 3 teams, the club is now running only 1 with a decent squad of about 20
players.
Notable achievements are few and far between because Shields was and still is
more concentrated on the social side. Top of the agenda must be the winning in
1974 of the Blackpool Easter Hockey Festival. The same year they reached the
semi-finals of the John Balmer Memorial Trophy. We attended the Blackpool
Festival every year throughout the 70's before moving on to Llandudno Festival
in 1981 until that Festival was discontinued in 1996. The Club has attended
Bowden Hockey Festival and taken part in various local tournaments and has done
fairly well, on occasions actually winning some of them.
Lifetime Vice Presidents are Alan Smith; Keith Halling; Ian Lumley; Graeme
Broderick; John Traynor; Raul Karandikar
The oldest surviving members, still playing, are myself (since 1971-72 season), Alan Walker (1974-75)
& Jeremy Gough (1978)
Any members who have any further information which could be added then please email: SouthShieldsHC@blueyonder.co.uk
This page was last edited on 16-May-2004