The Hockey Museum is celebrating Valentine’s Day with the humorous story of Nick Green whose enthusiastic passion for the game back in 1980 found him on the wrong side of an overzealous umpire. It earned him the title of the first hockey player on record in England to get sent off for a kiss.

In January 1981 The Football Association (FA) chairman, Sir Harold Thompson, issued a statement in club programmes calling for an end to theatrical goal celebrations which had become increasingly popular. He stated that “kissing, hugging, and jumping on backs when a goal has scored should cease” and these reflections opened up discussions across other sports at the time.

Later in 1981, Nick Green, a 20-year-old law student of Liverpool Polytechnic, who was playing in midfield for St Annes Hockey Club in a Northwest League match against Knutsford Hockey Club. Nick and his fellow teammates were ecstatic about their two-goal lead and their enthusiastic goal celebrations were starting to get them in trouble with umpire John Machin who warned them not to behave like footballers!

When St Annes captain Peter Stone then scored their third goal of the game, Green tested the warning given by Machin by planting a kiss on Peter’s cheek, “just for a bit of fun and to see what the umpire would do”. Machin promptly showed Green a yellow card and sent him off for kissing! Although frustrated initially, Green admitted later that he was provoking the umpire and tensions were cooled with a good laugh over a post-game pint.

The story sparked debate in the hockey community. Colonel Dennis Eagan, secretary-general of the Hockey Association, declared that there was nothing set in the rules of the game that suggested a player should be sent off for kissing. Speaking on behalf of women’s hockey, Teresa Morris, secretary of the All England Women’s Hockey Association, said: “We don’t go around hugging and kissing each other in women’s hockey like in football matches. We just say, “well done”. The England Mixed Hockey Association were also asked for a comment on the matter. They stated that they had no real objection to kissing but they wouldn’t like it to go any further!

So, handshakes and polite congratulations only for goal celebrations this weekend please!

Wakefield Hockey Club, 1987/88 season, featuring Nick Green, standing furthest left.