John Pestell Retires after 50 year appointed Umpiring

On Sunday 5th January John Pestell retired from taking neutral Umpiring Appointments after 50 years. John also had a 27 year hockey playing career. Below is his thoughts on starting to slow down a little.

"I started playing mixed hockey at 18 with Midland Bank in Nottingham although in those days my Saturdays were spent playing club rugby.

I moved into adult hockey a year or so later as a goalkeeper at Lowestoft Festival for Carlton HC. I qualified not as a goalkeeper but as a beer drinker. I was surprised to find I was good at both!

I was invited to join Nottinghamshire HUA a few years later but decided to keep playing.  My first appointed match was Mansfield M1 v Worksop M1 on a grass (ish) pitch situated in a quarry. A far more interesting venue than some of the modern astroturfs even if the surface was considerably less than flat, As a bank clerk/Manager, i moved around the Midlands playing for Carlton HC, Belper HC and for many years Aldridge HC.  I never aspired, as an outfield player, to anything higher than Aldridge 3rds. As a former rugby player, grass hockey suited me - I never had the skills required for astroturf hockey. 

In 1997 we moved to East Anglia and I joined Harleston Magpies HC. After playing for a season for the Veterans, mainly on astroturf, I moved into full time neutral umpiring and joined the Norfolk HUA pool. I had a couple of seasons as their Appointments Secretary 

As one gets older, East Anglia becomes too remote and in 2017 we moved to Buckingham to be midway between our 2 sons in West London and Leicester.  I obviously joined Bucks HUA.

Now aged 75, time has caught up with me.  Some 5 years ago I had a health scare with slowed me down considerably.  Now is the time to retire from the neutral pool although I will continue to umpire a much lower level of hockey at club level.