New coach Philpott's a French revelation (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

New coach Philpott's a French revelation

9:51am Thursday 25th September 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

Hockey: Devizes Hockey Club captain Sam Gaiger is tipping new coach Matt Philpott to continue the club's success story as they prepare to start life in Premier One.

The Moonraker men, who have enjoyed ten successive promotions, got their new season off to a flying start with a 2-1 win at Westbury and United Banks in the first round of the HA Cup at the weekend.

And Gaiger believes player/coach Philpott's top flight experience will be vital this term as Devizes gear up for their home league opener against Isca on Saturday.

Gaiger said: "Matt has come back to Wiltshire after two years coaching Racing Club Paris, who are like the Manchester United of French hockey.

"He has already had a positive influence on all the players in pre-season and has been working on their technique and team tactics.

"It's a real boom to the club that he's come in, he's a great player too having played at National League level.

"Last season he scored 50 goals in half a season, which is remarkable."

But Gaiger is under no illusions of how tough this season will be after the club's decade of success.

He said: "I think we can do quite well but it's going to be very very hard to go up again as only the top team gets promoted from Premier One.

"I'm positive we won't go down, but it's a very tight competitive league."

Gaiger says the club has been inundated with new players wanting to join.

"Success breeds success and as we've got better more players have started to give us a ring," he said.

"We're now the highest level team in the county so good players are keen to play for us and we carry on improving. I don't expect the founders of the club thought it was going to turn out quite this well back in 1997."

• Print
• Email
• Share