This season, we're raising the bar — and it starts with FULL squads for every L1 and L2 match. Our aim is to have 16 players per team (18 if we have 2 GKs). Why? Because that's how the game is played at the elite level.

With a full bench, players can push the tempo, give it their all, and know they don't need to last the entire 70 minutes. This is a key step in driving performance and taking our game to the next level. On this we have taken the difficult decision to go down to 2 senior ladies teams following the challenges last year. We hope to reinstate the 3rd team next season.

It's not just the women — the men's teams are stepping up too.

✅ Men's 1s: 18 players
✅ Men's 2s: 16 players (Saturdays)
✅ Men's 3s: 16 players (Sundays)

And yes — ideally, all different players. No more last-minute scrambles to field a team of 10 or 11.
If we find ourselves with "too many" players and not enough spots each weekend, that's a great problem to have — and we'll reassess at the end of the season to see how best to move forward.

We're also excited to support our future stars who predominantly made up the M4 and L3 last season:
The U16 Open League is the perfect space for boys and girls not yet ready for adult hockey to develop and build confidence on the big pitch.

Building Club Culture – Together on and off the pitch

We've made some important changes to training this year to help bring members across the club closer together:
Monday sessions have now joined the Tuesday slot, giving more players the chance to train side-by-side and build that all-club atmosphere.
Plus, we're introducing a goalkeeper-specific session led by Scotland International and Men's 1s captain Stevie McIlravey — a fantastic opportunity for our GKs to get high-quality, focused training.

☕ Back to Forthill — Let's Bring Back the Social Side!

This season, we'll be encouraging all teams to head back to Forthill Sports Club after home games— whether it's for a pint, a soft drink, or just to hang out. We want to rebuild that social side of the club that brings everyone together.

We'll kick things off with a Coffee & Cake Afternoon after the Men's 1s pre-season match:

Forthill Sports Club
Saturday 16th August
⏰ 2pm–4pm

Come along to:
✔️ Chat with committee members
✔️ Complete your Scottish Hockey registration
✔️ Check your club kit
✔️ Make sure your club fees are sorted

Let's build depth, push performance, and make this season one to remember. ??

#FullSquads #StrongerTogether #OneClub #BackToForthill

Best wishes for the season ahead,

Gavin Cruickshanks
Club President and Treasurer

Gavin Byers
Club Performance Manager and M1 Coach

Luke Cranney
L1 Coach