Andover Diamonds

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Home Intro to AHC Our Sponsors Fixtures & Results Availability & Stats Player Profiles Directions/Maps Events Gallery Wessex Masters League Links Contact us		Alan May Position: Defender Alan is .......

		Alec Sandilands Position: Defence Large clumsy oaf who will sometimes interupt his reading to lumber about on the pitch, or, if Barry the Cat is unavailable, flounce around between the posts. Ideal position striker, at least then I have a chance of keeping up with JPC! I have been playing with the club on and off for the past 21 years (2009). A life long West Ham fan who is pleased to see that the Diamonds play their Hockey in a similar way.

		Barry Allen Position: Goalkeeper Handsome 60 year old cat - likes eating and drinking. Ex-Navy and knows all about that rum, bum and baccy, but not necessarily in that order! Has played for the Anover Vets for the past 12 years and will be sorely missed when he eventually hangs up his pads.

		Clive Burnard Position: Utility Clive Burnard is a Yorkshireman and became the minister (Pastor not 'pasta'....though he seems to have eaten plenty of that!) of Andover Baptist Church in January 2008. He plays cricket for Longparish. He is thinking of retiring from rugby at the age of 54, because "it no longer offers a physical and emotional challenge equal to playing hockey for Andover Diamonds!" He claims that his doctoral research into 'Visionary Leadership' will be enhanced by close observation of John, Andover Diamond's skipper.

		Guy Panaszczyk Position: Defender Guy is .......

		John Buckley Position: Defender/Midfielder/Forward John "I've got a good feeling about this one" Buckley has reluctantly taken on the mantle of team Captain for the second season. Having set the bar slightly high last season his focus is on the following for the forthcoming year: No cards, top goal scorer, 9 points and free from alcohol for all the games.. Not a bloody chance!

		John Priestley-Cooper Position: Forward Widely known as JPC, John enjoys his Saturday afternoons playing hockey with his favourite "comedy experience," Barry, and puzzling over what makes Neil tick. Otherwise, he relaxes in his hobby of oil-painting. Although JPC professes to being a United Supporter, he admits to having been to Tannadice only once in his life. How can that be?!

		Lance Mitchell Position: Midfielder Lance has played for Andover Vets since the 2000-2001 season. He is very proud that his company, Greenfield Research, is able to sponsor the team. His best position is wing half and he is very pleased that he has, at last, scored his first goal for Andover Vets. It came in the 2007-2008 season in the away game against Walton and Weybridge. Another first for Lance in the 07-08 season came when he played in goal against Guildford, having avoided that position for 44 years! He previously played for Newbury Hockey Club.

		Lou Walker Position: Defender (and anywhere else he's asked to play) Lou is the oldest playing member of the club having joined their only team in 1970. He has played in all the clubs teams, captaining many, and has been club chairman, junior section chairman and is currently club president, kit manager and archivist. He formed the clubs junior section in 1985 and still remains a keen and active member of it. Voted Club Member of the Year for 13 years in succession, he was made an honorary life member in 2000, after 30 years of service. Lou has been with the Vets XI since 1995, and is a strong supporter of, and player in, The Diamonds. Unfortunately its suggested that he lacks a sense of humour!

		Mike Nutley Position: Midfielder Mike is a newcomer to hockey. Why would anybody in their right mind want to start playing hockey at the age of fourty-three?! Willing to play anywhere within the boundary lines of the pitch, Mike usually finds himself somwhere near the middle. Runs arounds a lot and generally gets in the way, but is great for the Diamonds as he is more of a nuisance to the opposition than to his team-mates. Mike enjoys every minute of play and is learning fast. He has discovered that the social side of hockey with Andover Diamonds is great too.

		Neil McLaren Position: Defender Neil has been with the club since 1975 and has played for all the male teams and the mixed. He is a Manchester City supporter and lists his favourinte pastime as drinking. If he could be any animal for the day, he'd be an elephant because "they drink a lot!" Given the chance to be invisible, he would seize the opprtunity to sneak into the ladies' showers. However his teammates would say that he couldn't remain undetected for long as his ability to produce the loudest and smelliest farts ever to be heard or smelt in any showers would soon reveal his presence and identity!

		Peter Lawrence Position: Midfielder / Forward Peter is enjoys his hockey in the winter months and likes to play cricket in the summer. He declare's his earliest memory to be, "Shit, I'm flying!" This is because he firmly believes that he was delivered by a stork. In the shower, he can be heard to sing The Drugs Don'r Work by Verve. It's a shame, because they seemed to work quite well soon after he was born! His favourite comedian is Stephen Fry and his chosen epitaph would be, "Veni Vide Vice." Hmmmm! Perhaps the drugs DO work after all, Peter!

		Rick Nolan Position: Midfielder Rick is our overseas player, hailing from the Land of the Long White Cloud. As you can see, he has stepped down from his duties in his national rugby union side, and we hope that he will be able to strike fear into our opposition without having to perforn the haka!

		Richard Hulmes Position: Midfielder Richard has been playing hockey in the Army and Civilian clubs for over 50 years and after a layoff of some years joined Andover HC 5 years ago to coach the U14s and subsequently played in the 3rds but has decided that the Diamonds is now the team to play out his hockey shoes. He always believed that his speed was part of his hockey skill but now accepts that cunning, guile and just getting in the way is now part of the game plan!

		Sam Spratt Position: Midfielder Sam joined this season after much (2 years) badgering by Lou Walker, taking up the stick after 15 years of indolence and Saturday afternoons in front of the box. He has remembered which end of the stick to hold but can’t remember his body hurting this much after a match. He has also set a personal record for the earliest in a season that he has ended up in hospital being sewn back together!

		Tim May Position: Defender Tim is .......