Hockey: Havant start training after trauma: Leading clubs parade new signings as they prepare for new season

WITH the opening games in the National League next Sunday and with clubs still smarting from the Hockey Association Council's decision not to restructure the National League into three divisions of 12 clubs each playing home and away, the major clubs are busy this weekend preparing for the new campaign, writes Bill Colwill.

Following their traumatic tournament in The Hague last week, where they finished seventh out of eight, Havant, the defending champions, have opted for a training day while Hounslow and Southgate, their main rivals, have elected for match practice.

Hounslow will parade their new signings, Mark Kirkland (Slough), David Main (Hull), Martin Le Huray (Oxford University) and Ranveer Virdi (East Grinstead) when they visit Old Loughtonians tomorrow. Southgate's only new face in the line-up they take this afternoon to relegated St Albans is Ellis Thorpe from Beeston. St Albans, under the new managment team of their former goalkeeper, John Spicer, and Hounslow's Paul Bolland as coach, include Tim Ginns from Harleston Magpies.