Credited with bringing the modern game of field hockey to nearly four corners of the globe, Great Britain Field hockey has a special place in the history of the game. The men’s field hockey sport is very much alive today with a flourishing league and a wide selection of talented players.
The men’s team first won Olympic gold in 1920 at the Antwerp games but had to wait more than 60 years to emulate that achievement at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
The only Scot in the GB field hockey team, Alan Forsyth is arguably the golden boy and sharp shooter of the squad with 102 goals in 88 appearances. Playing for Surbiton, the forward’s father was coacj of the Scottish team so hockey has always been in his blood. Alan was a key player of the Scotland squad that competed at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and helped them to EuroHockey Champions II gold in 2017.
After making his debut for Scotland at 20 years old in 2012, Alan’s talent for scoring earned him a first call-up to play for Great Britain in 2015 and he straight away found the target on his debut against Argentina.
Currently, the most capped player Adam Dixon is seen as one of the best players of his generation. Dixon was appointed as captain of England and Great Britain in 2019 and is hoping to lead the latter to a first Olympic medal since Seoul ’88 when the team head to Tokyo in 2020. Adam is only one of two members (the other being Ashley Jackson) of the team that famously won European gold with England in 2009 and still playing at international level. He is know among squad players as being consistently reliable.
The men’s Great Britain field hockey eam has a Head Coach, two assistant coaches, dedicated goalkeeping coaches, a team manager, a strength & conditioning specialist and physiotherapists.Both the women’s and men’s squads share a nutritionist, doctor psychologist and interestingly a Performance Lifestyle Advisor. The men’s and women’s teams are overseen at the top level by Great Britain Hockey
Performance Director Ed Barney. Danny Kerry is Head Coach of the men’s team
Ones to Watch
Sam Ward broke into the International side in 2014 and immediately set a name for himself for his scoring prowess in the circle. Always a vital scorer from both open play and penalty corners, Sam has established himself as one of the deadliest forwards in world hockey and scored eight times in the inaugural FIH Pro League after missing the 2018 World Cup through injury. With 72 goals in 67 appearances the figures speak for themselves. The 31 year old will be hoping to add to his tally in the Tokyo Olympics.
Rhys Smith: is a talented player in the fold, known for his agile displays from midfield and highly skillful displays. At 24 years old there should be many entertaining displays from him to come at the Olympics and with the resumption of the FIH Pro League.
Men Caps GB TOT Goals GB TOT
5 David Ames Holcombe Midfielder 45 48 93 3 1 4
21 Liam Ansell East Grinstead Forward 29 14 43 6 7 13
31 Will Calnan Hampstead & Westminster Forward 16 18 34 3 2 5
22 David Condon East Grinstead Midfielder 115 61 176 17 9 26
18 Brendan Creed Surbiton Defender 45 29 74
16 Adam Dixon Beeston Defender 174 97 271 12 9 21
33 Jacob Draper Hampstead & Westminster Defender 45 8 53
7 Alan Forsyth Surbiton Forward 138 44 182 83 19 102
26 James Gall Surbiton Midfielder 44 34 78 3 1 4
2 Harry Gibson Surbiton GK 41 77
14 Mark Gleghorne Holcombe Defender 112 52 164 35 11 46
10 Chris Griffiths East Grinstead Forward 61 42 103 11 12 23
17 Ashley Jackson Old Georgians Midfielder 136 114 250 88 49 137
9 Harry Martin Hampstead & Westminster Midfielder 128 99 227 12 5 17
1 George Pinner Old Georgians GK 128 65 193
15 Phil Roper Wimbledon Midfielder 57 144 17 17 34
27 Liam Sanford Old Georgians, RAF Defender 42 18 60
11 Ian Sloan Wimbledon Midfielder 53 53 106 3 2 5
30 Rhys Smith Wimbledon Midfielder 5 6 11
29 Tom Sorsby Surbiton Midfielder 8 18 26
3 Luke Taylor Surbiton Defender 19 15 34 3 7 10
32 Zach Wallace Surbiton Midfielder 19 23 42 2 4 6
25 Jack Waller Wimbledon Defender 18 25 43
13 Sam Ward Old Georgians Forward 59 67 126 45 27 72
6 Henry Weir Wimbledon Defender 116 66 182 3 3 6
4 Ollie Willars Beeston Defender 99 39 138 2 1 3