ENGLAND: Barry Middleton Leaves Holcombe After 11 Years

Barry Middleton has left his function as Males’s 1s Participant-Head Coach at Holcombe Hockey Membership after 11 years with the membership having initially signed as a participant in 2013 earlier than taking on the function of Director of Hockey after which, latterly, player-head coach in 2022.

Middleton joined Holcs with the membership having spent seven seasons within the Convention East division, the then-second-tier of English Hockey, serving to the aspect acquire promotion to the top-flight for the primary time within the membership’s historical past. 

Middleton was England and Nice Britain captain when he first joined the membership with David South telling the Kent Messenger in 2013: “It’s a reasonably good signing actually!”

Nice Britain and England’s most-capped participant of all-time has helped to develop an enormous umber of gamers in his greater than decade-long Holcombe profession and his general impression can have a long-lasting impact. 

In his 11-year stint, he has reworked from an all-action midfielder to an extremely tactically-astute coach, main Holcombe to consecutive top-four common season finishes whereas additionally serving to coach in England and Nice Britain’s junior set-up.

He has additionally performed in an enormous variety of Tremendous 6s Premier Division campaigns for Holcs, after promotion from Division One within the 2016/17 marketing campaign. 

The very best of these was in January 2020 as Holcombe certified for the Tremendous 6s Finals for the one time within the membership’s historical past, ending as runners-up to Surbiton as Mark Pearn’s aspect ran out 3-2 winners on the Copperbox Area. 

Middleton stated: “I wish to say thanks to everybody at Holcombe for making me really feel such an enormous a part of the membership during the last 11 years. 

“It has been wonderful to be a part of the journey to the place the membership is now and I hope that it’ll proceed to go from energy to energy. 

“Sadly, I gained’t be again subsequent season as priorities in my life have shifted and being nearer to dwelling is a significant component in my resolution.

“Better of luck for the longer term and I sit up for seeing a number of pleasant faces once more after I return subsequent season.”

Membership President South added: “Barry has been a key a part of Holcombe’s progress and initially alongside Julian Halls enabled us to play competitively on the prime degree.

“The Membership and myself provide our because of Barry for all his time at Holcombe.”

In his first season on the membership, Holcs completed prime of the Convention East with 110 objectives in 19 video games however missed out within the promotion play-offs earlier than successful a Premier Division spot within the 2014/15 play-offs, beating Group Bathtub Buccaneers 5-1 to seal Premier Division hockey for the primary time at Holcombe Park. 

Within the 2015/16 season, a Holcombe aspect that includes the likes of George Pinner, Iain Lewers and Middleton completed prime of the Premier Division desk on the first try with 13 wins and 5 attracts in 18 matches however have been overwhelmed within the semi-final by Wimbledon at League Finals weekend regardless of a brace from Ashley Jackson. 

That did, although, safe a spot within the Euro Hockey League for the next season the place Holcs racked up their largest ever European win in a first-ever EHL match.

Having been positioned in a Spherical One group alongside Dutch giants and 2015/16 EHL champions Kampong and Polish aspect AZS AWF Poznan. Hat-tricks from Harry Trusler and Sam Ward alongside objectives from Nick Bandurak and Rob Discipline, each of whom would later function captain and vice-captain underneath Middleton, noticed Holcs beat the Poles 8-1 earlier than narrowly shedding 2-1 to Kampong having taken the lead by way of Ward. 

It was a second-placed end within the Premier Division the next season earlier than Surbiton ran out 3-2 winners within the semi-final however Holcombe did qualify for the Euro Hockey League (EHL) as soon as extra following a 7-3 win over Hampstead & Westminster within the third/fourth-place play-off.

Middleton missed a part of the 2017/18 season courtesy of an Hockey India League stint alongside Jackson at Ranchi Rays, with Holcombe ending seventh within the Premier Division.

A well-known European opponent in Actual Membership de Polo de Barcelona additionally knocked Holcs out of the EHL on the KO16 stage, with Nick Bandurak scoring twice.

Holcs completed sixth and fifth in back-to-back campaigns following that and have been fifth on the time of the league cancellation within the 2020/21 season as a result of covid pandemic.

It was one other fifth-placed end in 2021/22 earlier than Middleton formally took over as head coach, ending fourth in his first season on the finish of Part Two earlier than ending second in Pool A of Part Three to arrange a semi-final conflict with hosts Surbiton. 

A 2-1 win at Sugden Street secured EHL qualification as soon as extra for Holcombe for the 2023/24 season, with Previous Georgians having gained the opposite semi. 

Holcs completed fourth once more this season earlier than simply lacking out on League Finals weekend having been eradicated within the KO8 of the EHL by Actual Membership de Polo.

Middleton’s aggressive file as player-head coach is as follows:
Performed: 42
Gained: 25
Drawn: 3
Misplaced: 14
Targets for: 135
Targets towards: 74
Purpose distinction: 61
Win %: 60%

We wish to thank Barry for his super service to Holcombe – he’ll all the time be a welcome visitor at Holcombe Park and we want him good luck for the longer term. 

Picture: Martin Waight