Tribute to Tamoor Abdullah

It is with shock and profound sorrow that we say goodbye to our teammate, Tamoor Abdullah.

Tamoor was an integral part of the East Grinstead Hockey Club, captaining our Men's 3rd Team, assisting our First Teams with video analysis, and becoming a key figure within the Back to Hockey team and Summer League. He was known throughout the club, and adored by so many. It is people such as Tamoor that makes the hockey community a special place to be.

Joining the club in 2017, he made appearances for our Men's 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s - often doubling-up to ensure fixtures went ahead, and rarely missing a game. He would go on to score 128 goals for the club, 13th highest on the men's all-time list, and winning the club's Top Goal Scorer accolade in the 2022/23 season.

He took on the 3s captaincy role in 2022 and oversaw the team's best season in a number of years during the 2024/25 season. His captaincy has seen a number of junior players rise up the club pathway to our first team, ensuring they enjoyed their hockey whilst doing so. A committed and dedicated captain, he was incredibly excited for the season ahead and believed the team were set to have a special season.

He spent most of his week at the hockey club, often seen on the pitch practising his drag flicks, socialising in the clubhouse, supporting other teams, and encouraging other members of the club to get more involved. He would always head up to the clubhouse after training to chat all things hockey - you could really see how much the club meant to him.

Tamoor was not only loved by the EG Family, but also by the wider hockey community, with many people struck by how welcoming, inclusive, intelligent and passionate about the game he was.

From a personal standpoint, I was touched at how supportive he was when I took on the role, often messaging him for advice. When I suffered some personal grief of my own he checked in to see how I was doing, he was an incredibly kind and warming person, and someone who cared about everyone else. The outpouring of emotion over the last few days shows how much he meant to so many people.

At this difficult time, we express our sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, friends, and teammates. It's difficult to think that we won't see him again.

We will miss you, "T".

Michael Lewis, Men's Club Captain