Changes aplenty at Polo farm

Hockey

Canterbury Hockey Club will go into the 2016/17 season with a new captain, a new coach and a firm belief that their days of struggling in the National League are over, writes MARK STOKES.

One-time international and former first team favourite David Mathews has replaced the departed Kwan Browne as coach, with Australian Craig Boyne succeeding Tom Richford as skipper.

Trinidadian Browne stepped down at the end of last season to take up a new role at Hampstead and Westminster, while Richford is set to become player-coach at Old Bordenians.

Both men played a key role in helping keep Canterbury in the National League Premier Division, particularly in the past two seasons when they flirted heavily with relegation and Polo Farm chairman Gus Oates paid tribute to their contributions.

He said: “Kwan is a fantastic person, coach and ambassador but he decided he wanted a fresh challenge at Hampstead.

“It was all very amicable and we wish him every success but at the same time his decision to leave gave us the chance as a club to stand back and look at what we were doing.

“Tom captained the side in trying circumstances but New captain Craig Boyne and right, coach David Mathews

always led by example. We owe them both a debt of thanks.” Mathews coached Canterbury 2nds to the London League title last season and Oates is delighted the former GB international has seized the chance to move up in the coaching ladder.

He also revealed that the club have drawn up an ambitious six-year plan which culminates in them playing in Europe.

Oates added: “David has been at the club since he was a boy so he knows how it operates. He has his own ideas on how the game should be played and he is relishing the challenge. He knows how ambitious the club are and he shares those ambitions.”

Aussie forward Boyne made an instant impact when he signed for Canterbury halfway through the 2014-15 season, firing the goals which helped them stay up that year.

A back injury hampered him last season but he is expected to be an integral part of the side this campaign and will be joined by a couple of compatriots, one familiar and one not so.

Fellow Aussie forward Josh Pollard is returning having played at the back end of last season and he is joined by 27-year-old sweeper Kris Glass, whose brother Aaron has played at Gore Court and Ashford.

South African Brett Walraven, a 24- year- old centre- half, is another new face and the club have also recruited 22-year-old former Loughborough Students midfielder Tom Bean, who is also a drag flick specialist but Oates says they will also be looking to continue blooding as many of their talented youngsters as possible.