LOCAL AUTHORITY TO REWARD HEROES OF KNOCKOUT COMPETITION
TEAM MANAGER WANTS TO SEE PLAYERS RECOGNISED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE PITCH
ATHERSTONE Hockey Club are to honoured by the town for their cup heroics.
The England Hockey Tier 3 champions will receive a sports award from Atherstone Town Council.
And the authority confirmed their achievements in the knockout finals last weekend could also lead to a "favoured" grant to help with future development of the sport in North Warwickshire.
Town councillor Brian Henney raised the issue of their "fantastic" achievement in beating Southport 2-1 at the monthly meeting..
Councllor Henney – former chairman of Atherstone Town Community Football Club – told Nub News: "What the Adders Men's Firsts have achieved is nothing short of fantastic for our town.
"It's no mean feat to get this recognition and the Adders hockey team have become an important part of the sports scene and calendar for Atherstone, and deserve to be congratulated by our civic signatories for this great win."
For Atherstone, the clash with Southport – who put paid to defending champions University of Nottingham in this year's semis – was a moment for redemption.
Adders, who took out Lewes 4-0 in their last four encounter, were returning for their second successive knockout final – having been well beaten 4-1 by Nottingham last year.
The chance to go one step further and make sporting history for the town beckoned – and the Men's Firsts did not disappoint in winning the coveted title.
Adders team manager Mick Thomas said of the news: "I think we should be honouring the people who did the work on the pitch, first .
"We must recognise the individuals."
As for a possible grant, he added: "That's for the future."
Atherstone photographic legend Graham Beale has followed the hockey club for some years and Nub news has put together his top ten shots from the past few seasons as a mark of acknowledgement of their cup victory.
Share:
