Duncan Riddell retires from international hockey

After 73 caps and five goals for Scotland, as well as two Commonwealth Games appearances, Duncan Riddell has announced his retirement from international hockey.

He said: “I’ve had such a great time playing for Scotland and it has been the greatest honour. My wife and I are expecting our first child and I’ve recently started a new job with Living With The Lions, a company which organises sports tours for schools and clubs. On that basis, it felt like the right time to step aside and enjoy the new challenges ahead.”

Duncan had been playing for Scotland U21s when he was first called up to the senior squad, but as a 19-year-old student he didn’t fully appreciate the demands required to start an international sporting career. He left the programme and a couple of years later had the chance to return. His then club coach, Chris Anderson, was the driving force behind that and Derek Forsyth welcomed him back and gave him his first cap.

Duncan recalls: “My first game was at a 4 Nations in Poland and it’s one of my best moments playing hockey. It was a sparse crowd, but it was such a massive honour and we ended up winning the tournament which set me off on a really good journey.”

He went on to play every game for Scotland in that first year with the squad, including appearing in Glasgow at World League 1. The successes came thick and fast and 2017 was a year of exceptional achievement for the Scotland men’s squad. The high point was EuroHockey Championship II in Glasgow where after so many years of coming close, Scotland men finally gained qualification to the A Division.

Duncan said: “I chipped my elbow in the semi-final, so missed the final, but it was when I first began to feel like I was a key part of the squad. Winning the tournament was amazing but it was a bit different for me. I wasn’t long in the squad and some of the boys had been through all the years of not qualifying from B Division. I sort of expected we’d do it, but I could see the emotion on the guys who had been through it before. Winning that tournament was actually a really big deal.”

The Euro success in Glasgow was soon followed up by another huge tournament: The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Gold Coast was the highlight of Duncan’s career. He recalled: “I’d moved to Reading to gain exposure to as high a level of hockey as possible, hoping it would help get me selected for the Games. I lived with Lee Morton while I was down there and we were playing in a very good Reading side.

“When the Games squad was announced it was emotional to see my name there. I burst into tears on the phone to my dad; it was the proudest moment for me. The experience that was to follow was the best thing I ever got to do.”

At Gold Coast the Blue Sticks took on South Africa; Canada; Australia; New Zealand, before a playoff match against Malaysia. The Scots finished sixth, the highest place finish for Scotland men at a Commonwealth Games.

Duncan recalled: “We played Australia in the group and went 3-0 down in about two minutes. With Australia being the home nation the crowd was unbelievably loud. I was thinking, oh my God, we’re going to lose 20-0. Fortunately, we rallied and it ended up 5-2 but that was amazing to be part of. Beating South Africa with some sensational goals was also a real highlight. It was a very special experience and the camaraderie is the thing I remember most.”

The Blue Sticks then took to the stage at A Division in Antwerp and it was a tournament that saw Duncan earn his 50th cap for Scotland in the match against The Netherlands. The Scots went up against Germany; Ireland; the Netherlands; Wales; and England, with the cruelty of goal difference seeing the team relegated.

Duncan said, “It was the highest level and quality of hockey I ever experienced. It was pretty cool to get my 50th cap in the game against the Dutch, playing against the best players in the world. My parents were there, which was really nice.”

He then made his second Commonwealth Games appearance at Birmingham 2022. A quite incredible opening match saw the Scots draw 5-5 with New Zealand, before Scotland faced Australia; South Africa; Pakistan; and Ghana.

He said: “We had really good crowds almost like it was a home games. The New Zealand match was unreal and I never experienced an atmosphere like that – it was raucous.

“I was one of the older guys so I focussed a lot in making sure I was in the best shape possible. I expected to be selected but there’s always a bit of self-doubt, and I was so proud to be part of it as a senior player.”

Duncan would make two further tournament appearances for Scotland; a EuroHockey qualifier at Uddingston, and EuroHockey Championship II in Dublin. Again, it was a time of change. Jonny Caren took over as head coach and following retirements there was an influx of young players into the squad.

Duncan reflected: “There were only four players aged 30 or over so there was a lot of responsibility on us. I tried to set a positive example and be someone the young players could talk to. It felt like a restart, but the squad, although very young, was clearly very good and we’re definitely starting to see that now in the performances.”

When you have a career like Duncan’s there are so many people to thank for their contributions and support down the years. He said: “My biggest influence was Mike Leonard. He was my school coach and really got me into hockey. I loved it from the word go and went to him for all sorts of advice, even which club to join. This all helped me progress to the top level, playing for Scotland. He was an incredible first coach and had such a passion for the sport.

“Derek Forsyth is another massive one for me. He gave me my first cap and I loved him as a coach – I will be forever thankful for everything he did for me as a player and a man. There are so many guys in the squad over the years I’d like to thank. Craig Falconer was best man at my wedding; Lee Morton, Alan Forsyth and Michael Bremner set expectations and held up high standards – they were big influences in the squad. Chris Grassick was a few years ahead of me at school and was one I always looked up to, so to be given the opportunity to play with him in a Scotland shirt was amazing. Cammy Fraser was another great captain, clubmate and a good friend of mine. Numerous others, too many to mention helped me over the years.

“I also want to thank my family. My parents took me everywhere and my wife has supported me so much to be a hockey player. Their backing has been so important to me over the years.”

A huge congratulations from all at Scottish Hockey to Duncan Riddell on a fantastic Scotland career.

 

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