Congratulations to Vice President Martin Gotheridge
Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Hockey. supported by DCS Europe
Martin Gotheridge
Martin Gotheridge was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Services for Hockey. To date, Martin’s distinguished career in hockey has spanned 53 years and taken him from his first club in Nottinghamshire to the top positions in English and European Hockey.
With a CV described by EHB Executive Chairman Philip Kimberley as “simply glittering”, Martin first started playing at West Bridgford, going on to captain the 1st XI before becoming Secretary and President. In between, he enjoyed a playing stint at University College London while studying law.
Eight years as Secretary of Nottinghamshire County Hockey Association and an incredible 32 years on the Midlands league committee followed before national appointments, including as Chairman of the old Hockey Association’s competitions committee, where he oversaw the introduction of the National League.
When not serving hockey through his work on committees, Martin took up umpiring and officiated at National League level. As a Technical Official and Tournament Director, he was appointed to major international tournaments across the world between 1990 and 2003. He served the European Hockey Federation’s club championship committee in the late 1980s and moved on the European Competitions Committee, which he chaired from 1998. He became a member of the European Federation’s Executive Board in 1993 and joined the International Hockey Federation’s competitions committee in 1999.
Of all his achievements in hockey, undoubtedly his most significant came following the bankruptcy of the old English Hockey Association in 2002. Martin was heavily involved in the drafting of the constitution to set up the new national governing body, work that enabled the EHB to become what it is today. In its new guise, Martin chaired the governing body’s Regional Consultative Committee from 2003-2005 and became President of England Hockey in 2005 before standing down in 2009.
During this time Martin served as Vice President of the European Hockey Federation (EHF) before becoming the first ever British President of the EHF, serving between 2008 and 2011. This summer, Martin will continue to support the international federation on the Jury of Appeal at the Olympic Games in London.