From humble beginnings…

After having played for many years in an ad-hoc arrangement against other local companies, Symingtons (now Market Harborough Hockey Club) joined the Leicestershire Mixed Hockey League in its inaugural season of 1949 for the 1949/50 season. Along with three other teams, Coalville Rangers, South Wigston and Nomads, they still play hockey today and remain one of four clubs who have played every season in the Leicestershire Mixed league.

In 1970, the Symingtons company team changed it’s name to Market Harborough Mixed Hockey Club. In 1985 the club added a second team, so had two teams in the Leicestershire league, Market Harborough A, and the newly formed Market Harborough B. 

Market Harborough Mixed Hockey Club was at that time operating from the Symingtons Recreation Ground, not far from the factory in the town, along with the Bowls and Rugby clubs. In (date tbc) the original and bumpy grass pitch was re-layed at 90 degrees to the old pitch and brand new brick changing rooms were finally built to replace the collapsing wooden changing rooms which had been used for very many years. Unfortunately the new arrangement proved too much and with the idea of being closer to younger potential hockey players, the following year the club moved to the newly opened Astro Turf Pitch at Welland Park Academy, then called Welland Park Community College, for the start of the 1991/92 season. Like most of the other teams at the time, it had left behind the grass pitches at their former home forever.

With the recruitment of so many people which the College offered, another two mixed teams were added, the Mixed B team in 1994 and the Mixed C team in 1999. In 2010 the club started a new all men’s team shortly followed another team in 2012. In addition, an all ladies team was formed in 2012 who successfully won promotion from Division One and the Leicestershire Cup in their very first season.

The history of the Leicestershire & Rutland Mixed Hockey Association (LMHA)

Thank you to Mick Morgan for the information and the MHHC FB group for the images.