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Reading Hockey Club

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Reading Hockey Club
Founded1904
LeagueMen's England Hockey League
Women's England Hockey League
Based inReading, England
Home groundSonning Lane
ColoursSky Blue, Navy, Navy (H); Navy Blue, Sky, Sky (A)
PresidentGeoff Ash
ChairmanTim Hunt
Members950

Reading Hockey Club is a professional field hockey club based at Sonning Lane in the English town of Reading.[1] It is one of the most successful clubs in the United Kingdom with National League and Cup honours. The men's team have been champions of England on six occasions and the women's team on three occasions.[2][3]

The men's first team play in the Men's England Hockey League Premier Division and the Ladies 1st XI team play in the Women's England Hockey League Premier Division.[4]

RHC runs 11 men's teams, 8 ladies teams and has a flourishing junior (colts) section. It is also runs an England Hockey Talent academy. Players range from 5 to 70+ years old. RHC has over 500 senior and nearly 550 junior members and is based at a top class facility in Sonning Lane, where they have been since 1984. There are 2 pitches at the clubhouse, Sonning Lane Water and Sonning Lane Sand.[4]

History

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The origins of the club are slightly confusing despite the official formation listed as 1904. A club by the same name existed previously alongside a second club in Reading called Reading Thistles. Mentions of the Reading Hockey Club included a fixture cancellation due to Influenza in 1895[5] and a defeat to Marlborough in 1900.[6] The Athenian Hockey Club based in Earley, changed its name to Reading Hockey Club in 1903[7] but to confuse matters further, the club is listed a being re-formed in 1912 following a meeting at the Queen's Hotel and then disbanded in 1913.[8] Once the effects of World War I were out out the way, a new club was formed following a meeting at the George Hotel in September 1920, with a ground at Cintra. By the mid-1920s the club had multiple teams and played at Prospect Park.[9]

A new two-storey clubhouse was constructed and built during 1985.[10]

In 1997, Reading hosted the European Cup Winners Tournament, and more recently, Reading has hosted International matches, alongside charity matches for the Hockey For Heroes.[citation needed]

The men's team have been champions of England on six occasions (1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12) and the women's team were premier league champions in 2010-11 and 2012-13.[11][12]

In 2025, Reading won the women's 2024–25 league title[13] and the men's team won Division One South title to return to Premier Division again.

Players

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Men's First Team Squad 2024–25 season

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  • 1. Chris Wyver (GK)
  • 3. Charlie Ellison
  • 5. Alexander May
  • 6. Euan Dyer
  • 7. Sam Welsh
  • 8. Archie Vaughan
  • 9. Ben Hooper
  • 10. Tom Minall
  • 13. Gregor Hearn
  • 15. Rohit Jakhu
  • 16. Michael Chapman (captain)
  • 17. Callum Smith
  • 18. Harrison Smith
  • 19. Ben Bayley
  • 20. Toby Heywood-Bourne
  • 23. Daniel Cox
  • 25. Harry Grinham
  • 26. Johann Perera
  • 28. George Johnstone
  • 29. Owen Lloyd
  • 42. Oliver Oke
  • Jonah Pedrette
  • Zac Hartley

Women's First Team Squad 2024–25 season

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  • 1 Ruby Butterfield (GK)
  • 2. Nicki Cochrane (GK)
  • 3. Anna Crowley
  • 4. Lorna Mackenzie
  • 5. Abbie Dixon
  • 7. Emma Thomas
  • 8. Emma Findlay
  • 9. Jemima Copeman
  • 10. Lizzie Neal
  • 11. Annie Wilson
  • 12. Mia Moore
  • 13. Francesca Clements
  • 14. Sammy Petch
  • 16. Katie Partridge
  • 17. Sarah Spooner
  • 18. Anna-Rose Gabbitass
  • 19. Georgia Jones
  • 20. Caroline Spence
  • 21. Lucie Daman (captain)
  • 22. Hannah Kilpatrick
  • 25. Eliza Chippendale
  • 27. Joanne Pinner
  • 28 Georgia Howe

[14]

Major National Honours

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National Champions

National Cup Winners

National Tournaments

Notable players

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Men's internationals

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Extended content
Player Events Notes/Ref
Scotland Tommy Alexander CG (2018)
Scotland Tim Atkins
England James Bailey WC (2014)
England Tom Bertram Oly (2004)
England Nick Brothers WC (2006, 2010)
Wales James Carson CG (2018)
England Tom Carson WC (2014)
England Nicholas Catlin Oly (2012), WC (2014)
England Darren Cheesman CT (2012) [15]
Republic of Ireland Chris Cargo
England Jonty Clarke Oly (2008, 2012), CG (2006), WC (2006, 2010)
Wales Owain Dolan Gray CG (2018)
Wales Ben Francis CG (2018)
Wales Howard Hoskin CG (2002)
Wales Dale Hutchinson CG (2018)
Republic of Ireland John Jackson
EnglandHardeep Jawanda
Wales Huw Jones CG (2014)
Wales Daniel Kyriakides CG (2018)
Republic of Ireland Stuart Loughrey WC (2018)
England Iain Mackay Oly (2012), CG (2010), WC (2010)
England Richard Mantell Oly (2008), CG (2010), WC (2006, 2010)
England Simon Mantell Oly (2008), CG (2006, 2010, 2014), WC (2006, 2014)
England Simon Mason Oly (1996, 2000, 2004), CG (1998, 2002), WC (1998, 2002)
Scotland Lee Morton CG (2018)
Wales Fred Newbold
England Chris Newman
England Richard Norris 1957–1959 [16]
England Mark Pearn Oly (2000, 2004), CG (1998, 2002), WC (1998, 2002)
Scotland Duncan Riddell CG (2018)
England Liam Sanford CG (2018), WC (2018)
England Peter Scott
England Dan Shingles WC (2014)
South Africa Austin Smith Oly (2008)
England Robert Todd CG (2002), WC (2002)
England Jimmy Wallis WC (2002)
England Jon Wyatt Oly (1996, 2000), CG (1998, 2002), WC (1998, 2002)

Key

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

Women's internationals

[edit]
Extended content
Player Events Notes/Ref
England Alex Danson
Netherlands Chantal de Bruijn
England Susie Gilbert
Wales Sarah Jones
Scotland Emily Maguire
England Livy Paige
England Helen Richardson-Walsh
England Kate Richardson-Walsh
England Beth Storry
England Amy Tennant
England Susannah Townsend

Key

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

References

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  1. ^ "Reading Hockey Club". Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  2. ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). A-Z of Sport. The Bath Press. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
  3. ^ "Roll of Honour". England Hockey. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Information - Reading Hockey Club". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Sports and Pastimes". Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser. 9 March 1895. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Marlborough". Devizes and Wilts Advertiser. 18 October 1900. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Hockey". Berkshire Chronicle. 28 March 1903. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "New Hockey Club". Berkshire Chronicle. 6 September 1912. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Reading Hockey Club". Reading Observer. 18 September 1920. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Reading's New Home". Reading Evening Post. 30 October 1985. Retrieved 30 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). A-Z of Sport. The Bath Press. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
  12. ^ "Roll of Honour". England Hockey. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  13. ^ "England Hockey Finals: Reading women and Surbiton men land surprise titles". The Hockey Paper. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Men 1 squad". www.readinghockeyclub.org.uk.
  15. ^ "The Top of the D Meets: Darren Cheesman". Top of the D. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Hockey". Kentish Express. 10 January 1958. Retrieved 17 July 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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