Macleod and Watton called up to England Hockey squad for Champions Trophy
Hannah Macleod and Ellie Watton have been called up to the England squad. Picture: Chris Hobson - Credit: Archant
Hannah Macleod and Ellie Watton have been called up to the England squad that will travel to Argentina in November to take on the world’s top seven teams in the Champions Trophy.
Macleod, who is the St Albans Hockey Club’s women’s head coach, has 108 international caps and 10 medals, including Olympic bronze at the London 2012 Olympics and silver at the 2012 Champions Trophy.
Fellow forward Ellie Watton, who is the club’s hockey development officer, played her first international in 2013 and won silver at last year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Both players represented England in the 2014 World Cup in The Hague, before returning to coach local youngsters on St Albans Hockey Holiday Camps organised by Watton at Oaklands College.
Macleod said: “I’m both relieved and excited about representing England again. It’s been a very tough few months since the World Cup and I’ve very much valued the support I’ve had from everyone at St Albans Hockey Club.
“My passion and love for the game has returned since working with a fantastic group of players and staff and this has played a big part in providing the necessary drive and determination to return to form and compete for selection with England.”
On the management side the Tangerines are also well represented. The England Women’s team manager in Argentina is St Albans HC legend and goalkeeping coach John Hurst.
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Heading in the opposite direction, the men’s 1sts’ head coach, Andy Halliday, is the England team manager for the men’s Champions Trophy, which takes place in India in December. Both Hurst and Halliday are former St Albans players who for many years and represented England and Great Britain in international hockey.
