Inverleith Hockey Club

Last updated

Inverleith Hockey Club
Inverleith Hockey Club logo.png
Full nameInverleith Hockey Club
League Scottish Hockey National Leagues
Founded1917
Home ground Edinburgh Academy Field, E Fettes Avenue
Website Official website

Inverleith Hockey Club is a field hockey club that is based in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland and play their matches at Edinburgh Academy Field on E Fettes Avenue. They are located very close to ESM Hockey Club. [1] The men's section has four teams [2] and the women's section also has four teams. [3] Additionally there is a junior/youth section with five various age teams.

Contents

History

Inverleith Park, the club's original base Inverleith park gates - geograph.org.uk - 4736421.jpg
Inverleith Park, the club's original base

In 1917, staff at the North British Rubber Co. formed a hockey club and named it Inverleith Hockey Club because the team would play their matches at Inverleith Park. [3] However, the difficulty of finding a playable grass pitch over the following two decades led to the club playing at various public parks and venues such as Murrayfield and Drylaw Mains. [3]

In 1933 Frank Morris, an original member died from pneumonia. Morris played 14 times as a goalkeeper for Scotland between 1926 and 1932. [4]

In 1947, after a break due due to World War II, several former players revived the club but the issue of a home base remained, over the following decades the team had to endure multiple playing locations, including Redford Barracks, Castlebrae School, Frogston, Meadowbank, Saughton and Currie. [3] By 1958, Inverleith had four teams playing in the District Leagues but found themselves with an excess of players, which led to members helping form other clubs in the area, such as Edinburgh Civil Service Hockey Club and Broughton School FP Hockey Club. [3] During the 1960s Inverleith was considered the strongest team in Scotland but ironically Edinburgh Civil Service went on to dominate Scottish hockey. [3]

Inverleith did however win the Scottish Cup in 1968 and 1975 and represented Scotland in the European Club Championships. [3] Player Dennis Hay appeared at the 1972 Summer Olympics [5] and in 1976, Ken Dick played for Great Britain and Stewart McNulty earned 64 caps for Ireland. [3] In 1981 the men's first XI achieved their highest placing to date, finishing runner-up in National league 1, behind Edinburgh Civil Service Hockey Club during the 1980–81 season.

The men's team won National League 2 in 1986 and 1990, [6] while the women's team won National League 2 in 2012 and 2022. [7]

In 2005, Forrester Ladies Hockey Club amalgamated into the Inverleith women's section [3] and the following year there were five Inverleith players in the Scottish team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, including Stephen Dick who went to the 2008 Summer Olympics. [3]

Notable players

Men's internationals

Extended content
PlayerEventsNotes/Ref
Flag of Scotland.svg Allan Dick CG (2006)
Flag of Scotland.svg Ken DickGB caps
Flag of Scotland.svg Stephen Dick Oly (2008), CG (2006, 2010)
Flag of Scotland.svg David Forrester 2012–2013 [8]
Flag of Scotland.svg Chris Grassick 2008–2010 [9]
Flag of Scotland.svg Adam Mackenzie CG (2006)
Flag of Scotland.svg Frank Morris14 caps, 1926-32 [4]
Flag of Scotland.svg Dennis Hay Oly (1972)
Flag of Ireland.svg Stewart McNulty64 caps
Flag of Scotland.svg Graham Moodie CG (2006)
Flag of Scotland.svg Derek Salmond CG (2010) [10]

Key

  • Oly = Olympic Games
  • CG = Commonwealth Games
  • WC = World Cup
  • CT = Champions Trophy
  • EC = European Championships

References

  1. "Contact Us". Inverleith Hockey Club. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  2. "Men's Hockey For Everyone". Inverleith Hockey Club. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Ladies Hockey For Everyone". Inverleith Hockey Club. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Local Sports and Pastimes" . Berwickshire News and General Advertiser. 3 January 1933. Retrieved 1 August 2025 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  6. "National League - Men - Outdoor". Scottish Hockey Heritage. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  7. "National League - Women - Outdoor". Scottish Hockey Heritage. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  8. "David Forrester retires from international hockey". Scottish Hockey. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  9. "Chris Grassick retiring from hockey". Great Britain Hockey. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  10. "Hockey Squads Announced for Delhi". Team Scotland. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2025.