It is with great sadness that the we have learned that Dave Jenney, past player and club chairman passed away on Boxing day. Dave was a great servant to the club, whose membership stretched back to its days as Wolverton HC. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his wife Barbara and his family

Obituary:

All voluntary organisations need people like David Jenney - those who are prepared to get stuck in and help with the messy business of making the organisation run properly and efficiently for the benefit of all of the members. Such people seek no reward for themselves other than the quiet satisfaction of a job well done and seeing the collective enterprise prosper.

David was one of the group of people who were around when the club moved from the home that it had shared with Wolverton Cricket Club to its enduring ground at Woughton on the Green in the late 1970s. He served the club as both Secretary and Chairman from the early 1980s right through to the start of the millennium. He also had the sad task of managing the winding up of MK Sports Club a few years later and then launching MKHC as an independent club.

On the playing side he was a sturdy full back, in the days when the ability to wallop the ball upfield was a key requirement from a 16 yard hit and, when he played for the Second XI, he was also known for his fearsome strike at goal at short corners.

Rather than drop down through the teams as his on-field skills waned David decided to take up umpiring and joined the regional circuit, thus helping to promote the club to a wider audience. Those of us who were umpired by him will recall his enthusiastic use of the whistle and cards, alongside which he was a valued mentor and assessor to new umpires on the circuit.

Professionally, as a quantity surveyor, he was part of the project team for the highly successful National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes.

Having given up hockey, David devoted his considerable talents to local politics becoming Mayor of Rushden and latterly serving as a Councillor on North Northamptonshire Council. The flag on the Rushden War Memorial has been lowered as a mark of respect – probably the first time that a member of the club has been so honoured.

David was a great “Club Man”, with all that that involves. It is a sad loss.

Thanks to Tim Skelton and Doug for writing this tribute on behalf of the Club