Allan Mayo celebrates with the Over 65s Masters World Cup which England won in 2018 in Barcelona.

27.07.1949 – 23.11.2022

By Avtar Bhurji OLY

Allan Mayo, a very good friend for the last 45 years is no more.

I met Allan in Belgium in 1973. After our first meeting we connected like lost brothers; we stayed in touch until his last day.

Allan Mayo was a great hockey player, even better was his personality and as a person.

My journey started with Allan in 1973. We became very close when I was elected captain of London Indians Hockey Club. London Indians was famous for its brand of Asian-style hockey. Allan fitted into the Asian style of hockey very well; he was deceptive on the pitch, quick hands, silky skills and very humble on and off the pitch. His name used to be the first on my team sheet. London Indians played against the Counties, England and Great Britain, and toured abroad.

He was well liked by everyone who met him.

At his peak Allan played for Teddington Hockey Club and Hampshire County. Allan was a very good indoor player; he was the captain of Teddington Hockey Club in 1976 when they played against my team, Blackheath Hockey Club in the National Indoor Championship. We narrowly defeated them.

Allan was capped 4 times for England at indoor hockey. He later coached England indoor Under 21s, winning a silver medal at the European Cup in Orense.

Allan Mayo started playing for Spencer Hockey Club Veterans team about 4 years ago.

Allan represented England over 70s and he was due for trials on Wednesday 23 November 2022 for the next season. He went to sleep early on Tuesday night to wake up fresh for the trails. He never got up, passed in his sleep.

We travelled abroad many times together; I have many sweet memories of Allan. If I was invited by a team to travel abroad, I made sure he was included.

One thing is for sure: I will never see him again, never feel him, never touch or share any banter with him.

Not knowing this would be our last quip, a few weeks ago when he told me he may not be able to play well the coming Saturday as he was recovering form celebrating England’s victory over India (in cricket), I told him “You were never a good player so I don’t expect anything from you.”

I never expected Allan Mayo to go so soon. He was a very fit, brilliant player and an even better human being.

He leaves behind his widow Nancy Mayo, his son, daughter and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by the hockey world.

May God bless his soul. Rest in peace my good friend.

First published on Fieldhockey.com: RIP, my friend (fieldhockey.com)

Allan Mayo (left) with Avtar Singh Bhurji, his friend of 45 years and fellow London Indian. Image courtesy of Avtar Bhurji.

By Tochi Panesar

I have known Allan Mayo since mid 1970s, initially as a formidable opponent playing for Teddington HC and then as a teammate as a London Indians player. Over the last five years I knew Allan as a fine player and as a friend in our Spencer HC masters team.

Alan was a gentleman whose silky and highly effective hockey skills split defences. On the Saturday before he passed away, I was complimenting him on the defence-splitting trademark passes in the game he had just played.

Allan will be missed at Spencer and all across the hockey world where he was very well respected.

By Katie Dodd

I first met Allan back in the early 1980s when he was recommended by colleagues at Teddington HC as a possible indoor coach for Ealing Ladies Hockey Club. It was the early days in the development of indoor hockey in the women’s games and what a difference he made. Allan wasn’t the first man to find coaching a women’s team a ‘challenge’, but his indoor skills were fantastic and his enthusiasm infectious. His own hockey commitments meant that his tenure as our coach was short, but he certainly put the club on the road to what would be an era of indoor success. Our friendship didn’t end there as many of us kept in touch with Allan over the years and have enjoyed many ocassions in his company, notably at the Hockey Writers Club lunches – such an interesting and interested person. His friends at Ealing LHC will miss him.