Tom Keelan has been in sole charge at Winchcombe Hockey Club only for a few months but he is already hatching a succession plan.

The 24-year-old shared the captaincy duties with Barney Wakeford last season, taking over from Darren Sharpe, but after Wakeford moved to Bristol, Keelan assumed full responsibility.

It’s a job he enjoys but he admits that he wouldn’t be averse to handing over the reins to one of the younger players coming through at the GoCrea8 League The Marches 2 Club.

He even has an idea on who that person should be.

“Fred Cook,” he said. “He’s 20 and he plays in the centre of midfield. I’d quite like one of the younger lads to take on the responsibility and it would allow me to develop the players coming into the first team, working on the coaching side and improving the commitment to the club.”

Winchcombe born and bred Keelan – “It’s full of pubs and hairdressers,” he laughed – already does plenty for a club that he has been associated with on and off, mostly on, for the best part of two decades.

He helps James Markwick run the thriving Monday night sessions for all age groups and is certainly one of the main men at the one-team club.

“I first got involved when I was seven,” he said. “Sam Harrell, my friend Jacob’s dad, set up a junior section and I’ve been with the club since then, apart from when I was at Swansea University and a spell with Cheltenham.

“I joined Cheltenham’s junior section – I was part of the Badgers team – and I also played a bit for the senior section.”

These days he has eyes only for Winchcombe who he describes as a social side even though they are riding high in their division.

When the former Winchcombe School and Balcarras Sixth Form pupil spoke to The Local Answer, the club were third, just below one of the two promotion places up for grabs.

“Every year we talk about pushing for promotion,” said Keelan, “but it’s become a bit of a standing joke in the club because not all the members want to go up. Some of them are worried about the extra travelling and really don’t want it, so we joke that third place is our glory spot.”

Having fun is a big part of the make-up at Winchcombe Hockey Club, with 25 to 30 players on their books.

Keelan is primarily a central midfielder, but a knee problem has meant he has been playing up front in recent times.

So how is he getting on in his new role?

”I’m not scoring enough goals and I’m getting a lot of stick,” he laughed. “Mark Billingham is one of our more experienced players and he’s always on at me!”

And a role up front isn’t the only position Keelan has had to adapt to.

“We haven’t got a proper goalie and it can be quite comical at times,” Keelan said. “I’ve been in goal and I wasn’t very good at it. Josh Armstrong has become our main goalie but he used to be an outfield player.”

And while Armstrong’s role is obviously an important one, there are others who certainly give their all for a club that are a big part of the town’s life even though they play their home games at Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham.

“Graham Morrison is our longest-serving player and Tim Young is our chairman and still plays at centre-back,” said Keelan. “Fraser Wardlaw is our most improved player. He plays in centre midfield and is a good listener. He’s very keen, has lots of charisma and likes to be involved.”

Being involved is something that Keelan clearly enjoys and he admits that one of his ambitions is to re-form the club’s mixed team. “That would be great to get that going again,” he said.

He is also keeping a very close eye on developments at Cleeve School where there has been talk of putting in an artificial pitch.

Cleevillians, a hockey club based in Bishop’s Cleeve who play their home games at Oxstalls Tennis Centre, are also keeping a watching brief.

“It would be good for both clubs if it happened,” said Keelan.