Hockey teams for all abilities
Welcome to the website for Market Deeping Hockey Club (MDHC) 
MDHC now plays in the following leagues: East Div 3 NW; E Div 4NW and E Div 5NW covering all levels and abilities. Our young 3rd XI were promoted for the second year running in 2006-2007.
Our ladies, who re-formed as recently as 2004, were promoted to Cambs. League Division 1 in their first season and narrowly missed promotion last year. Our Ladies 2nd XI, launched last season, made their presence felt in a successful first season in Cambs Div. 2.
This year we will we have a junior section, with regular coaching sessions from our qualified coaches. We also welcome regular or aspiring hockey umpires at all levels. Club coaching sessions feature separate training for players, goalkeepers, the ladies and younger players.
Market Deeping is in south Lincolnshire - approximately 8 miles due north of Peterborough. Club colours are maroon shirts, white shorts, maroon socks (home); all white away. We use pitches in Deeping St James and Stamford.
Whats new
Going to Division 2 as Champions!
After the ladies' success in Cambridgeshire Div one, the men have clinched the East Div 3NW championship. They didn't exactly do it in style (see report here) but there was relief all round as the news trickled through that Cambridge University had lost. As the Evening telegraph put it "Deeping are worthy champions having scored 141 goals in 21 matches...".
Paul Tancred is probably in line for the East's Top Scorer trophy (again) and the club may well win the NE14 trophy for top scoring team in the east league.
Now the planning begins, with Division two looking challenging in lots of ways. Please get yourself to the AGM (see below - it starts at 7.30pm) and have your say about a potentially exciting future.
“Most important AGM for several years” - date set
The club has had a very successful season on the pitch but there has been loads of change off it. Next year we face huge new challenges with both the ladies and the men promoted, and getting the right leadership for the club and its teams will be crucial.
This makes the AGM on Monday April 21st at the Deeping Sports and Social Club, Outgang Road, Market Deeping absolutely vital. Many roles are up for grabs, so if you’re interested contact a committee member for a job description.
Outgang Road runs across the northern end of Deeping. Go north on the main road through Market Deeping and turn right before/at the Towngate Inn. Go past Tesco’s and the health centre towards the floodlights on the football pitch or tennis courts and the entrance is clearly signposted on the left. Alternately go north past the entrance to our astro, and keep going to the last junction on the road – the ground is visible to the left.
Don’t miss the dinner
The end of season dinner and awards night will be held at the Sibson Inn on the A1 at Stibbington (same venue as last year) on Saturday the 26th April – drinks from 7.30pm.
The price this year is a small increase at £20 per head including a two course meal (choose from chicken, lamb or vegetarian and a choice of three desserts) and disco along with the usual “entertaining speeches”, awards and silly awards.
There will be the usual raffle (donations gratefully received) and a cocktail bar in addition to the usual bar.
Fashion news
This fabulous designer T shirt has been inspired by Graham Brewer, Jason Purllant and Jerry Phipps. The message is simple and sums up their playing technique, well, to a tee...
Click on the image for a larger picture
PS: Lads (and lasses?), you can buy this shirt on www.spreadshirt.net for about £14...
Ladies are the champions
Deeping’s first team ladies were celebrating despite Bourne conceding their game on Saturday. With St Ives 2nd losing, Deeping took the necessary three points to be Cambs league Div One champions after promotion last season. They’ll hope to celebrate with a win in their last game against third placed Saffron Walden this weekend.
New Sponsor
The club is delighted to have a new three year sponsorship deal from diyessentials.com. More details will be forthcoming shortly, but thanks to Simon Taylor for arranging it. We can definitely state that it doesn’t include spare parts and cable tides for repairing the goals and the fence at the astro. Or does it?
Back to Harrogate!
Simon Taylor has got us an invitation to the 2008 Harrogate Crawfurd-Porter Veterans tournament. The event takes place from the evening of Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May, 2008. The cost of entry is £560 per team of 14 players. Up to four more people may also come at a cost of £20 per person as players or supporters.
The hotel will cost £40 per person for the Saturday night. If you book the Friday night as well you only pay £10 for the extra night The Cairn Hotel is 3 Star AA rated and is 5 minutes walk from the centre of town.
Festival shirts will be in the region of £15.
The events work out like this:
Friday night May 16 8pm onwards: Meet at the club for drinks and informal gathering. From 9pm (ish). Curry. Later: Carringtons. Apparently there are free tickets for Carringtons disco on the Friday night which we’re sure will drive our vets wild with delight.
Saturday. Hockey games to commence at 10:30am.
7pm. Cocktails at the club.
7:30pm buffet.
Late Disco.
Sunday. More hockey.
5pm prize giving
Simon needs to book our hotel rooms and pay our entry fees by March 1st.
Just for clarity our understanding is that we can field two over 35s per game and everyone else needs to be over 40. We have composed a lengthy shortlist of potential players but if you’re interested or you don’t hear from us (Simon or Steve Windsor), contact Simon on 01476 861848 or 07736250293 or simon.tgm@gmail.com. Please give us your preferred shirt size.
Subs are due now!
The nights are drawing in, the floodlit training sessions don't get any cheaper and the bills for pitches are now being charged in advance. All this means that we need your dosh. Our subs are very reasonable, and can paid be paid in instalments if necessary. If you have played four games or more it’s time to pay up.
Full Adult Membership is £70; Student/unemployed Membership is £35; Junior Membership £20. Remember membership covers your eligibility for weekly selection (don’t pay and you could be dropped. You also get free coaching once per week with the hire of pitches for training, and the training kit, balls etc.
You get a vote at club meetings, some subsidised kit, Public Liability Cover and your subs cover all our affiliations to England Hockey; Lincolnshire Hockey; the East Leagues (Men); the Cambridgeshire Leagues (Ladies); and subsidised events.
Don’t forget that one of our most successful tactics in the past has been the naming and shaming of non-payers on this website. So pay up in the next two weeks or see your name on the front page here. Think of the list of shame!
Youth hockey committee
The club has just bought 115 brand new junior sticks (at a bargain price on EBay). Now we need some "volunteers" for a Youth Hockey Committee, which will meet at the start of September. Chairperson Catherine Flitton will be running the meetings and Simon Taylor, Julie and Graham Brewer will all be involved but Catherine is very keen to get wider club participation.
In case you’re wondering, this means you!
Calling all club officials, past and present
Steve Windsor is currently conducting a kit audit on behalf of the club. This mainly concerns current and former captains but other people may have something tucked away in their garages or lofts. We want to track down all and any goalkeeping kit, however old and battered, and any team shirts, balls, training or other club kit. The best way to return them is to bring them to the next available Monday night training session and give them to Steve or Catherine Flitton.
Also will anyone requiring club hoodies please contact Steve with names and sizes.
Thank you to 'Maharanis'
The club is delighted to announce a new three year sponsorship deal with Maharani's Indian restaurant in Deeping St James. The men's first teams will wear their logo on their home shirts and we will make regular visits to the restaurant for club nights out. Please use the restaurant regularly and mention their sponsorship when you do.