John Conroy

John Conroy’s father died in India just four months before he was born, leaving his mother Lilian to bring up six children all under the age of 11. Conroy went on to become an excellent hockey player and was the first Anglo-Indian to play for England, representing them on 32 occasions between 1952-60. He also played for Great Britain 23 times and was regarded as one of England’s greatest-ever forwards. Conroy also won representative honours with Europe, the South of England, Middlesex, and the Army. He played his club hockey with Mid-Surrey and, later, with Lytham St. Anne’s after moving to the north-west seaside town.

Conroy occupied four different forward positions over the years, and was a key member of the 1952 and 1956 British Olympic squads. He won a bronze medal at Helsinki in the first of those years, when he scored the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Pakistan in the match for third place.

Conroy died shortly before his 57th birthday while guesting for the 3rd XI of the Liverpool club Mossley Hill, against his own team St. Anne’s, in November 1985. He collapsed on the pitch and was pronounced dead on arrival at Liverpool’s Broadgreen Hospital.