Newry is still Freddie's home club after 55 years

Freddie had a long and illustrious school, club and international hockey career, playing for Ulster and Irish Schools and Newry Olympic in the 1960’s and early 70’s, winning all Senior Hockey trophies in Ulster and Ireland with Cliftonville in the mid-70’s and gaining English and European hockey honours in the late 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s, as a player and coach with Hounslow in London. In tandem with his club achievements, Freddie earned 24 Senior Ireland caps plus 19 Indoor Ireland caps between 1974 and 1981. His full international debut was at the 1974 European Cup in Madrid. The highlights of his career being a silver medal with Ireland in the Inter-Continental Cup in Rome in 1977 and playing in the first Ireland team to play in a World Cup in Buenos Aires 1978.

Freddie and his wife Jennifer divide their time between Bangor Co Down and Chorleywood Herts outside London, where his daughters and granddaughters live. “We kept our home in Chorleywood to remain close to family ” Freddie told us. “It was from where I commuted into the City of London till my retirement in 2009."

EARLY YEARS AND FOOTBALL LINKS

Like most past members, Freddie’s hockey career began at Newry Grammar/High School before progressing to play club hockey at Newry Olympic. In Freddie’s case however, he also finished his playing days at Newry Olympic, all-be-it after a 45-year gap from when he first started!

Freddie recounted, “I last played in what was the club’s centenary game at the club in 2011 and decided as my first club game was for Newry Olympic in 1966 aged 16, I would make that my last game of hockey aged 61.”  “Newry remains 'my club'"

Freddie continued, “At Newry Grammar School we weren't allowed to play for Newry Olympic until we were over 15. I played for the club from 1965/66 up to 1968 while at school. I left school in 1968 and gave up hockey to play football, having a trial with Hibs FC in Edinburgh, before joining Irish League club Glenavon."

“After two seasons, in 1970 I decided to return to play hockey and re-joined Olympic where I played for two more years. By that time, I was married with two daughters, living and working in Belfast. It was difficult to attend training at Newry and I was hitching rides sometimes with opponents or getting the bus to home games. I can't even recall how I got to away matches, but it became such a chore it was no longer enjoyable.”

“Near the end of the 71/72 season, at an Ulster trial in Belfast, David Begg, brother of my Newry Olympic colleague Johnny, introduced me to the Cliftonville chairman, who invited me to join. I discussed this at length with my wife and made the logical decision to join Cliftonville to solve my travel issues.

“These days it won't seem a problem with motorway and dual carriageway all the way, but in the early 70’s it was very different. The journey from Belfast to Newry was much slower and arduous. 

LONDON CALLING

“I played at Cliftonville from 1972-76, winning 3 Senior league titles and back-to-back Irish Senior Cups. I was offered a new job in the 'City' and in May 1976 moved to London. My journey from home in Hampstead to Hounslow HC was at least simpler, as there was underground most of way, or a lift from a teammate who worked in nearby Highgate.”

“I spent the rest of my career at Hounslow playing 1st team hockey until I was 36. I also played for several years for Middlesex winning the County Championship. In mid 80's I was invited to coach the South of England U21 side and we succeeded in winning two Divisional titles in 4 years. In 1988 the National League was formed and I was asked by the Hounslow 1st team to coach, which I did until 1995. During that time we won 2 National League titles and 4 Hockey Association (HA) Cups. We also qualified for Europe every year winning Gold in 1990, 2 Silver medals and 2 semi-finals.  I have been captain, coach, club captain, chairman and finally director at Hounslow Hockey Club which sadly, had to fold in 2006 when the men's team merged with Richmond HC and the ladies with Ealing HC. I was also honoured to be chosen by the HA to become the first Chair of The Hockey Internationals Club GB in 2011, prior to the London Olympics. A position I held till handing over to Rob Clift in 2017. We tracked down all living GB Olympians who paraded at the London Olympic test event."

NEWRY'S BRIGHT FUTURE

“It's because of my experiences at Hounslow, I appreciate clubs like Newry, who not only have local identity, but have willing volunteers to ensure the smooth running of the club. I’m sure there have been rocky moments over the years, but it’s thanks to the efforts of the committees and the management teams, that past members such as myself will continue to look on with pride on 'our club'.”

“I try to keep in touch via Facebook to see how Newry Olympic are going. The new website is also a great help to keep track of results and fixtures, but with no family now in Newry I haven't been to watch a game for a long time.”

“I really hope the club continues to prosper. I see Newry High School has reintroduced hockey, which is good news. With recently formed links to other schools, the future looks bright!”

Acknowledgement:

• Newry Grammar School and Ireland hockey photographs courtesy of the 'Irish Hockey Archive'