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GOLBORNE HOCKEY CLUB

FUGGLE WEB DESIGN

The Goblin Saga

A Brief History of Sporting Bacchanalia

We started the 1970-71 season, with two teams, a grass pitch on the cricket outfield, and a changing room, which consisted of what is now the garage, and a communal bucket of cold water. Despite a playing surface which quickly became a paddy field after rain, we missed remarkably few fixtures, and enjoyed 3 or 4 seasons of better than average success. At the end of our first season, the first changing rooms and showers were built, and post match drinking began to look less like a cheap production of the 'Black & White Minstrels'.

Second XI - 1971

At Crosfields there had always been a tradition of Sunday mixed (using and occasionally, abusing, the Crossfields Ladies hockey team), and occasional men's hockey. This continued at Golborne, with remarkably few unplanned pregnancies. As part of the same 'hockey for fun' policy, at the end of our first season, we sent a team to the Spring Bank Holiday hockey festival (festival rather than tournament, in that there were no winners or losers) in the Isle of Man, a tradition which carried on almost continuously into the mid-1980's.

At the peak of the Isle of Man era, during the late 1970's and early 1980's, the Goblins (our Sunday, festival, and tournament name), were one of the largest parties on the island, with 40 plus players, and simultaneously fielding 3 teams, one mixed and two men's. To be part of the Goblin invasion, players have, over the years, come from Daten, Prescot, Brooklands, Sefton, Timperley, Cheetham Hill, Oxton, Warrington and Northampton hockey clubs. It was during this period that Sunday and festival hockey reached its peak in the North West, and during which Golborne's links with many senior clubs were forged.

Isle Of Man - Festival

Around about 1975, men's hockey established its first leagues. In the North West, there were only 8 leagues, and only club 1st teams were invited, and only if they chose to be involved. There were 4 leagues for what had previously been known as 'Senior' clubs (Sefton, Brooklands etc), and 4 leagues for 'Junior' clubs (including us), and there was no movement of teams from Junior League to Senior League, or vice versa. Seeding into the appropriate league, was based on the results of the previous 3 seasons. Having enjoyed reasonable success, we found ourselves placed in Division 3 of the Junior League. Since those days, the leagues have reorganised themselves several times, with the usual result that Golborne has found itself in the lower echelons in some varied company, ranging from Carlisle in the north, to Leek in the South, and from Northop in the west, to Rossendale (Burnley) in the East.

Golborne Sports Hockey Teams 81 / 82

For more Golborne Sports Hockey Teams over the years Follow this link

During the late 1970's and early 1980's, there was a gradual move away from the 'lottery' hockey played on bad grass surfaces, to the use of the first all-weather surfaces. Initially, these were shale pitches, usually at schools or leisure centres. At this stage (circa 1978), we abandoned the grass pitch at the club, and started playing both Saturday and Sunday hockey, on the shale pitch at Golborne High (then 'Comprehensive) school. At least in the early years, this provided a better playing surface, but came with problems of its own. We had to transport our own backboards and goal posts, from the club, on car roof racks, down the main road to the school. In addition, the pitch was, and still is, open on all sides, and consequently is accessible to the public at all times. To illustrate the problem, during one memorable Sunday game, the pitch played host to a joy-rider on a motor bike. However with true Goblin improvisation, an irate Dave Hartley (then a callow beer drinking youth, now a respected and senior employee of Wigan Education Dept), decided that hockey and Motor Cross did not make good bed fellows, and proceeded to fell the offender with a flying hockey stick from 20 yards. The biker, picked himself up, rearranged his brain cell and departed muttering, while the game carried on.

After 10 years or so of constant use, the shale pitch was past its best, and, particularly as the 2nd team was by this time also involved in league hockey, alternative venues were sought. During the late 1980's, something new started to appear on the hockey scene, namely, the Astroturf surface. For a number of years, Astroturfs were few and far between, and there were none within 10 miles of Golborne. For a few seasons, up to the mid 1990's, the 1st team traveled to the nearest available one at Horwich, while the 2nd team struggled on with local shale pitches, such as that at Ashton Leisure centre. Then , in the mid 1990's Astroturf pitches sprang up like weeds, and both teams played for a couple of seasons firstly at Penketh High school, and then at Selwyn Jones school at Newton. Finally, with grants from the Lottery and the Sports Council, the club had its own pitch laid as well refurbished changing rooms.

This brings us up to the nineties and the naughties, over the years Golborne sports Hockey club has experienced mixed fortune. A successful hockey club throughout the late 1990's succeeding in league promotions over consecutive years. However, circumstances changed with the beginning of the millennium. Players moved on and the youth of the team became more mature, the decision was taken to withdraw from league hockey, so leaving division six. This did not spell the end of hockey at Golborne as the passion of those remaining at the club would not allow it. This fallow period of non-league hockey did not last for long, and so Golborne Sports Hockey club rejoined the North West Hockey League. The spirit and determination of Golborne Mens first XI, coupled with the return of players past, and influx of talent new, culminated in an outstanding success for the season 2002/03. The effort of all the players and supporters was rewarded in the crowning of Golborne Hockey First XI as division 10 CHAMPIONS.

During these times of jubilation and preparation for seasons new we must spare a moment to remember those who are no longer active at the club, their efforts through out the years will never be forgotten. A special memory must be dedicated to Dave Parkin, an original from the Crosfields era. A chap for whom many at Golborne have fond memories and the utmost respect.