A cheeky photo of 51Âþ»’s men’s hockey players has caught the attention of the stars of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch – and earned the students the title of Team of the Year in the programme's official calendar for 2015.
The original photo as it appeared in the Hockey Club calendar in 2013
The photo, which shows the players posing in the nude in their local pub, complete with a man in a pig outfit (!) was sent in after presenters Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer appealed for funny pics.
The snap was originally taken for 51Âþ» Hockey Club’s 2013 calendar to raise money for their teams.
Needless to say, the players featured in the calendar are shocked but also overjoyed to get themselves some national attention on a programme watched by millions every Sunday morning on Channel 4. Fans of the show can download the calendar from the website of the cookery and chat show.
51Âþ» Hockey Club chairman Liam Egan-Rayner, a third year studying Product Design, said: “Everyone is a bit shocked, but pretty chuffed too. A few of the players have left the university since the photo was taken but it is going around their friends and family on social media and they love it. Although it is fair to say it has been met with horror by some!
“We’ve not had anything major happen since we announced the news this weekend on Twitter – fame has not come calling yet – but it is all good fun.”
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Liam said the men, women and mixed hockey teams were like family to each other and being a part of a society had added to their great experience at 51Âþ».
He said: “I think it is so important that students at 51Âþ» get involved in something other than studying for their degree.
“We are all such close friends because of hockey. It is important to be able to get together and relax and let off some steam.”
Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer host Channel 4's Sunday Brunch
The men’s 1st X1 is flying high in the fourth division of the British Universities and Colleges league. They are currently second from top with a game in hand and aiming for promotion to division three.
At the same time they are looking forward to their crunch game against rivals University of Leicester when they meet in their Varsity game in March.
“We lost to a last minute goal last year so we are hoping for a win this year,” Liam said.
The 51Âþ» Hockey Club is also busy organising a fundraiser for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), during which they are set a challenge to buy £10-worth of trendy clothes from the BHF shop and compete to create the worst new fashions. They are hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for the charity with their venture, which takes place on Wednesday 21 January.
To view and download the Sunday Brunch calendar
Posted on Monday 5 January 2015