There isn’t another Sussex sports team with a more tumultuous history than East Grinstead Hockey Club (EGHC).
With tales of great success throughout the eighties and nineties, including five gold medal-winning Olympic athletes playing for the club, East Grinstead have been somewhat slumped in recent years.
However, the realisation hit that the club deserved better after finishing at the bottom of division one in 2001, and then sitting in division two for the next two seasons.
First team manager, Matt Jones, has been in place since 2005, has been a driving force in helping the club to rise through the ranks again:
“We spent a lot of time trying to slow the slide down and rebuild the core ethics of the club… That very dogged and never-say-die attitude which is very evident today throughout the club managed to get us through some very hard seasons on the indoor front”.
The signing of Trinidad and Tobago international Kwan Browne as player-coach brought on a change in direction, with continual promotions back into the premier division for 2005-6. Then came the turn of Mark Pearn to act as player-coach and help East Grinstead’s ascent, putting his Olympic pedigree to great use.
There are countless other names who have all lent their skills and expertise, alongside the player-coaches; club captain Phillip Coote, James Keman, Jones and Ann Needle – the combination of ambition, determination and yearning for their place at the top has ensured the success for EGHC keeps on flowing.
With a reel of achievements from 2010 including EHL Premier Division Champions, European Indoor Trophy Champions, National Indoor Finals Champions and Ladies National Vase Winners to name but a few, the club has a great deal to look forward to at all levels.
We’d like to wish each and every one of the East Grinstead Hockey Club teams all the best of luck for next season – we can’t wait!
(Information taken from SussexSport March 2011)