Holcombe Hockey Club have confirmed the appointment of David Mathews as their Women’s 1s Head Coach.

Mathews, a former Holcombe player and Great Britain and England international, joins the club ahead of their 2025/26 season in Division One South.

The 48-year-old enjoyed two spells at Canterbury either side of a stint with Amsterdam in the Dutch Hoofdklasse.

Following his second spell at Canterbury, Mathews joined Holcombe in 2007, and remained with the club until 2010, excelling as both player and assistant coach for our Men’s 1s.

He former a key part of Holcombe’s side in the Conference East in the club’s early days in the National League, furthering his reputation as a lethal forward at the top level, including from penalty corners.

During an international career which saw him win 68 caps and score 56 goals, Mathews competed at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and 2002 World Cup in Malaysia, where he scored seven goals in nine games.

He also scored one of the fastest hat-tricks in international hockey at the 2000 Champions Trophy in Rotterdam against Korea, netting three times in five minutes and 25 seconds in a 4-3 win.

Mathews was player/assistant coach at Canterbury for nine years before spending six years as head coach at Richmond.

He became Director of Hockey at Old Cranleighan in 2021 before a stint as assistant coach at Indian Gymkhana and now returns to Holcombe as our Women’s 1s aim for a return to the Premier Division.

On returning to Holcombe, Mathews said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Holcombe Hockey Club as Head Coach of the Women’s 1st Team.

“It’s a real honour to return to a club that holds such special memories for me having spent four years here as a player and assistant coach with the Men’s 1s during my playing days.

“I’m looking forward to working with a talented group of players and helping to lead the team back to the Premier Division.

“I can’t wait to get started!”

Club President David South said: “We are delighted to welcome David Mathews back to Holcombe as our new Women’s 1s Head Coach.

“With over 60 caps for England and Great Britain and invaluable experience competing in the Hoofdklasse representing Amsterdam, David brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our club.

“Having previously worn the Holcombe shirt, David fully understands the club’s ambition and character.

“His appointment comes at an exciting time as we prepare to push forward and reclaim our position among the elite in English hockey.

“We are confident that under his guidance, the team will reach new heights and continue to build on Holcombe’s proud tradition.

“This marks the beginning of an inspiring new chapter for the club and we couldn’t be more excited about the future.”

Further updates on this season’s fixtures will be released in due course.

We are excited to welcome David back to the club and look forward to seeing him get to work!

Image supplied by Ady Kerry.