Hamish Imrie jetted back to Germany to continue his career with a Hamburg-based club after helping defending champions Grange consolidate their position at the top of Scotland’s Division One.
The 22-year-old former Hibs-supporting hockey statr returns to pre-season training with Harvestehuder THC after regularly finding the net for the ambitious club before the winter shutdown.
The Edinburgh-born player is not looking forward to the tough training regime but will hit the ground running after playing in two of Grange’s games after the re-start of the Scottish domestic campaign.
Imrie, a former pupil of Fettes College, thanked Grange for the opportunity to return to action for the club where he first made his name and then gained international caps for Scotland.
He said goodbye with a polished display in a 6-0 win over city rivals Watsonians at Fettes College following a 1-1 draw with title rivals Western Wildcats in Glasgow in their previous game.
And Imrie rated it a good performance. He added: “It was especially pleasing after a poor performance against Western.
“Everybody stepped-up (against Watsonians) and the aim for the guys is to enjoy the rest of the season and see it out.
“I leave the boys, sadly, but hopefully, they can take the title.”
Imrie said he had enjoyed the experience of playing with the Stockbridge club again and added: “I have enjoyed it. David (Knipe, Grange’s coach) have made me feel at home and training is so much fun. I am in great condition going back to Germany.
“I go back into pre-season and I am not looking forward to that because of the fitness level out there but our first game is in two weeks.
“I will be ready to go and the coach out there is happy that I’ve been playing games here.
“We’re in fifth but hopefully we can make the top four as that gets us into the play-offs.”
Imrie said the standard of hockey and the intensity in Germany was higher but he added:
“I get on the ball a lot more here, but running wise it is the same.”
The Scot said he would be watching the Grange scorelines in the four league matches remaining in the regular season and he said: “I have a free weekend when the play-offs come round and I recon I will be coming back to watch the guys.”
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