Richard Oliver

Richard Oliver was the son of diplomat Peter Oliver, who was the deputy commissioner at Bahawalpur, India, at the time of his birth. Richard attended Felsted School where he honed his hockey skills. He went to St Edmund Hall, Oxford and became a hockey Blue in 1964 and was Oxford captain in 1966. Oliver also played rugby at both Felsted and Oxford.

Oliver later played club hockey for Hounslow and went on to win 38 England caps between 1965-72. A schoolteacher, Oliver missed the 1969-70 season because he was working in South Africa but, on his return, was selected for the England team for the 1970 European Championships.

Oliver made his England schoolboy début in 1961 and was appointed captain for both the 1962 and 1963 seasons. The month after winning his first Blue he made his England Under-23 début against Netherlands. Oliver also represented British Universities and captained the Hockey Association XI. Oliver had been a member of the Great Britain team that finished 12th (out of 16) at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and sixth at München four years later. After the 1972 Games, however, he announced that he would not be available for any international selection because of business commitments.

In 1988 Oliver guested for Old Felstedians against an International XI alongside fellow Olympians Tim Lawson and Tony Ekins, with all three having a combined aged more than 132 years. Away from hockey Oliver enjoyed sailing and water skiing.