EASTERN Blades Hockey Club stalwart Ian Goldspink played his 950th game for the club on August 16.

Goldspink started his playing career with the club in 1961 as an U15, when the club was known as the Bassendean Hockey Club out of the old Bassendean Improvement Centre

(BIC) and he has been an integral part of the club at every ground change, name change and uniform change.

Not one for missing an opportunity, the club said Goldspink’s on-field prowess was matched by his off-field commitment to the club which included 27 consecutive years on the club’s committee including roles as secretary, vice president, junior coach, minkey coordinator, committee member and delegate to the association.

His dedication and commitment to the club saw him rewarded with life membership in 1980.

Another demonstration of Goldspink’s commitment and dedication to the club and to the sport in general (which ensured that the club could celebrate significant milestones such as this) was the significant body of work as the club’s volunteer historian.

This saw him spending hundreds and hundreds of hours poring through game records in the belly of the Perth Hockey Stadium, the dungeons of Battye Library to develop the system the club uses today to record games played and the implementation of the club’s yearbook and club history which is still in use to this day.

At Goldspink’s 950th game current and past players, family and friends turned up to cheer on their friend and honour a truly great champion of the club and sport and to celebrate in the clubrooms after the game.

At his post-game celebration Goldspink said while his love of the game had not diminished, it was the camaraderie and mateship that was the highlight each week and was an integral part of his continued enjoyment.

He also took time to acknowledge the achievements of some of his team mates who shared milestone achievements with him on the day – Roy Hodgson (300 games) and Richard Leake (150 games) as well as Paul (Beard) Writer who had recently celebrated 700 games and Craig (Trotty) Trott who was hot on Goldspink’s heels and likely to celebrate his 950th in early 2026.