David Howell has become only the second umpire to reach 500 National League appointments.
Howell hit the milestone this month when officiating at Surbiton HC.
Tom Simpson, Staines HC’s Umpire Coordinator, said: “An extraordinary achievement, congratulations David and thank you for also supporting club umpiring whenever you can!
Steve Godwin added: “One of the true legends of umpiring in England. Congratulations David on your 500th. Maintained a very high performance level over so many years.
“Helped so many umpires (including me) along the way & inspired so many others including many at Staines.
National League umpire Rob Jenkins became the first to clock up 500 games at the top level in English hockey in 2021.
He said friendships and camaraderie have kept him going over the years.
In an interview with The Hockey Paper, he said: “For me, it’s not just about the actual umpiring but what you can get out of it in terms of friendships and camaraderie.
