Mark Pearn has announced his retirement from top level hockey, admitting he could not have envisaged the golden period he enjoyed with East Grinstead.

The former Olympian was 28 and had just retired from international hockey when he joined the Sussex club as player-coach in the summer of 2005.

At the time Grinstead were emerging from a dark period in the club’s history and had just been promoted back to the premier division of English hockey.

Ten years on they have become the most respected club in the English men’s game, with a string of successes both indoors and outdoors domestically and in Europe.

Among them are a record-breaking seven indoor championship titles in a row, two European indoor medals and two national outdoor titles as well as finishing top of the premier division in four of the last five seasons, only to lose in the play-off final.

As player-coach and then just as a player for the last two seasons, Pearn has been integral to those successes and his own form persuaded him to come out of international retirement in 2011, only to miss out on a third Olympics when he was cut from the squad at the final stage ahead of London 2012.

Now 38, he feels the time is right to step down to spend more time with his family, although he may still play some veterans hockey.

However, he goes away proud of the role he has played in one of the greatest periods in East Grinstead’s long history.

Pearn told the The Argus: “I feel very fortunate to have been part of this club at this time. To look at where we were and where we have come to, it really does reflect on a fantastic ten years overall.

“When I was asked to join we had an idea of where we would like to get to. For me, it was just trying to change the general outlook. The squad that was there, I don’t think it would be a disservice to say, was a squad who enjoyed their hockey and enjoyed their social life. It was a combination of the two.

“I knew I had to get a far more professional attitude across the group if we were going to be as successful as we have been. Obviously, success indoors helped us push on to attract players for the outdoor squad and it slowly built from there.

“Regardless of whether you have the ambition, at the time Reading and Cannock were dominating the league and I knew it was going to be tough to break into the top two. If you had asked me ten years ago would we win all those indoor titles, be challenging for the outdoor title, be playing in Europe as many times as we have, I would be very surprised.

“There have been many highlights but for me it has been two things – the first title outdoors in 2009 and the way we have carried on dominating the indoor scene, winning it seven years in a row.

“There are regrets too. I would to have loved to have pushed on in Europe and I feel we are a couple of outdoor titles short. You can have regrets in any sport but you can’t let it eat you up.”

Pearn spent nine years with Reading and a year in Barcelona with Real Club de Polo before heading to Sussex.

He admits East Grinstead will always hold a special place in his heart.

The midfielder said: “I always saw myself as a Reading man. To come somewhere else and have a longer career is special. I look back very fondly at my time at Reading but East Grinstead equally now.

“I remember when I first went there and being welcomed by someone saying this is the person who is going to restore East Grinstead to where we used to be. That was quite a daunting challenge. I have made some lifelong friends and feel very fortunate to have gone to the club at that time. It feels like the right time to bow out.”