Hockey was first played at Merchant Taylors’ School in 1960 and the first matches against other schools were played in 1963. Old boys of the School, who left at this time played for a number of local clubs as there was no OMT Hockey Club.
In 1966 a small group of OMTs, including myself, approached the OMT Society Committee to seek permission to form an OMT Hockey Club. This was refused as it was felt that such a new club would conflict and compete with the OMT Football Club. The Hon Secretary of the OMT Society, Geoff Ascott, was able to get the OMT Society Committee to appoint a sub-committee to re-consider the application and he was successful in persuading this sub-committee to recommend to the full Society Committee that an Old Merchant Taylors’ Hockey Club be formed, to start with playing on Sundays only and away from Durrants, so as not to conflict with OMTFC. This proposal was accepted by the OMT Society Committee, the OMT Hockey Club was formed and Geoff Ascott became its first Chairman, a post he held for 11 years.
The first match was played against Old Cholmeleians and others followed against other local clubs, but always on Sundays and always away from Durrants.
In the late 1960s John Ward, the Head Groundsman at Durrants, produced a small sized pitch between the “Ha Ha” Wall and the first X1 cricket square and matches began to take place at Durrants on Sundays with the inaugural match being played on Sunday 15th October 1967 between OMT and Charles Hull’s X1 (Charles was the master at MTS who started hockey there and for many years was master in charge of hockey at the School). This match was lost 2-3 and was followed by a reception for both sides and distinguished OMT Society guests, generously given by Geoff Ascott.
The Club began to hold Annual Dinners at Durrants soon after this and as more OMTs joined the Club it was possible to put out 2 sides on Sundays.
However, the Club was never going to advance until it played on Saturdays and in the late 1970s permission was given by the OMT Society Committee to do this. The Club entered the Herts Intermediate League and won it in the first season. There was only one division, without opportunity for promotion, so the Club entered the Middlesex County League, which was part of the Southern Regional structure in which the club has played since and continues to play in today. In addition, Hockey continued to be played on Sundays and OMTHC called its Sunday side “The Durrants Demons.”
In 1975 the club attended its first Easter Festival at Birmingham and subsequently played in the Bournemouth Easter Festival as well as being invited to play in various local competitions as well as the Public School 6 a side competition.
Tours have since taken place to the Far East in 1989 and subsequently to South Africa as well as to Belgium (on a number of occasions), Lancashire, and Guernsey.
Prior to the advent of astro- turf pitches the small pitch at Durrants was lengthened, but not widened, and a larger full size pitch was made alongside it.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the club regularly fielded 4 sides –and on the odd occasion 5 sides-and a ladies team was started playing on Saturdays and as a mixed side on Sundays.
However, when it became a requisite to play all League Hockey on astro-turf pitches, the club was forced to hire such pitches away from Durrants, which did not have one. For some seasons Home matches were played on astro-turf pitches hired at High Wycombe and the Club had no identifiable social Headquarters near where it played.
The result was a decline in playing numbers until an astro-turf pitch was built at the School in 2000. From 2000 to 2011, when the new OMT Society War Memorial Club House at the School was opened, Home matches were played at the School and both OMT and opposition teams moved on to a local hostelry for post match socialising. This quickly had a most positive effect on playing numbers with a number of Merchant Taylors’ Masters not only playing for the club, but also introducing to the Club highly talented players from the School as well as recent leavers and university students.
The Club currently runs 5 sides in the Middlesex, Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire Divisons of the Southern Regional Structure and is flourishing with growing numbers of players –predominantly OMTs, current schoolboys and masters, and also non OMT players, who are made most welcome and contribute much to the club both on and off the field.
The club has been honoured by the award of “blues” to a small number of players who have played for Oxford University against Cambridge University (one of whom was captain) and on the award of a “purple” to one player at Durham University.
During the 1980s the Club ran a colts section on Sunday mornings at under 16 and under 18 levels, but currently no colts section is in place.
The Club has always been well served by its Chairmen, captains and officials and continues to be so. It offers an attractive combination of competitive hockey and friendly social atmosphere and opportunities. An annual dinner is held at the end of each season.
Relations have always been excellent with the various Masters in charge of Hockey at the School and continue to be so and with Hockey now so well established as a major sport at all ages at The School and with the expert coaching of technical skills a major priority, the future prospects for the Club are good.
In 2006 the Club celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special Dinner held at Sandy Lodge Golf Club that was attended by a very large number of current and past players and officials, including nearly every captain and also every Chairman in the history of the club except Geoff Ascott, who was unable to attend because of ill health.
However, he sent a message of congratulations and good wishes to the Club that was read by Tony Wright, the OMT Society Chairman, when he proposed the health of the Club.
The OMT Society gave a 40th anniversary present to the Club of a Birthday Cake, “decorated” in OMT Colours with a match being played on a “pastry” hockey pitch. Throughout the Dinner, a video was played, showing photographs and film of matches and events during the Club’s 40 year history.
In 2008 Joe Cowan, a National Coach, was appointed master in charge of hockey at the School, and since then further advances in the excellent relationship with the School have been made. In early 2009 as part of the OMT relocated War Memorial Sports Ground Facilities at the School a second, water based, astroturf pitch was built and in March 2009, as the climax of a series of a series of opening celebration activities, the School 1st X1 played OMT 1st X1 on this pitch in a match won 3-2 by OMT and watched by a large crowd of OMT Society officials and members, MT Company representatives, past and present School Masters , and parents.
This match was played for a new trophy, the OMT Cup, donated by OMTHC, and continues to be played annually, with the winners retaining the OMT Cup for a year until the next match. Whenever possible OMT 2nd X1 play against the School 2nd X1 at the School annually on the same day. In 2010 2 matches were played, both won by OMT, and in 2011 one was played, again won by OMT, who are thus the current holders of the OMT Cup.
All these matches played have been closely contested, and with the standard of hockey at the School continuing to rise significantly, it cannot be long before the School becomes the holder of the OMT Cup. The matches have all been watched by a large crowd from the School, OMT Society, Parents, and the Club, and after each match a reception is held to which all playing and watching are invited. This reception is hosted in alternate years by the School and the Club.
Since the summer of 2009 a side comprised of OMTs, Masters at the School and current Schoolboys has played in a Summer League, and continues to do so. In the autumn of 2009 Joe Cowan began weekly training sessions at the School on a mid week evening attended by OMTs, Masters at the School, and current schoolboys. These training sessions are now very well attended and are a very important feature of the Club Teams’ preparation for their weekly matches in season.
He also plays regularly for, and coaches, the OMT 1st X1, and a number of current schoolboys also play in the Club 1st and other X1s.
At the end of the 2009-2010 season the Club’s 1st X1 were promoted, and at the end of the 2010-2011 season both the Club’s 1st and 2nd X1 achieved promotion, so that both sides are now playing at their highest level in the Club’s history.
In 2010-11 the Club entered the England Hockey Board National Vase KO competition and reached the quarter finals in which it was defeated. In 2011-12 the Club’s 1st and 2nd X1s have entered the England Hockey Board National Trophy KO competitions for their respective levels.
In April 2011 the new OMT Society War Memorial Club House, adjacent to the 2 pitches on which the Club plays its home matches, was opened, and wef the 2011-2012 season the Club is able to play 2 home matches simultaneously with both OMT teams and their opponents as well as supporters being able to socialise together in the Club House after the matches are concluded. The provision of such high class facilities-arguably the best in the locality, and for many miles around it-, means that the Club is attracting a significant number of new players, who are enhancing the Club’s strength on and off the field, and the Club is now one of very few in the country to play on 2 astroturf facilities located alongside its Club House.
The Club also has an excellent relationship with the School Parent Hockey Support Group, The Strikers. The OMTHC Club Captain currently sits on the Strikers Committee and the Club actively supports the Strikers and its activities.
The opportunities for recruitment from the School and elsewhere, and its prospects, are now better than ever as the Club enters the next exciting chapter in its history.
PHILIP NEWFIELD.
OCTOBER 2011.