Hockey fresher loses fives, finds himself in Exeter

17:30 update (Scroll down for this morning’s story)

And so it came to pass that a fresher named Max Abbot journeyed from Edinburgh to Exeter and back again in one day.

The hockey club youngster arrived in Exeter at 14:42 today, where he was greeted by Exeter’s own hockey clubmen.

After an exchange of gifts, it was off to local student haunt The Impy for a swift round. Touchingly, Max and his Exeter fresher counterpart Ben Sully shared a game of fives in the Orangery, where it all began.

Ben Sully, left, showing Edinburgh’s Max Abbot how it’s done. Picture: EUMHC

Max’s trip south is the result of him losing last night’s game of Exeter Fives. In the return fixture to Exeter’s ‘Edinburgh Fives’ last term – which saw their fresher Ben Sully travel from Exeter to Edinburgh and back in one day – Max travelled down on the train as a forfeit for losing a game of fives.

Max is on his way home now. The Tab will bring you more pictures and video later today.

14:42 update 

He’s arrived!

Edinburgh fresher Max Abbot has pulled into St David’s station after a mammoth 7.5 hour journey from Scotland to Devon. He survived hunger, thirst and chronic boredom on the trip south to arrive on the 14:42.

There to greet him were Exeter’s hockey boys, who made a special trip to posh shopping destination Waitrose for gifts with which to welcome the intrepid traveler.

Exeter’s hockey boys welcome Edinburgh’s Max Abbot (left) at St David’s. Picture: EUMHC

In the true spirit of hockey club fraternity, Exeter will treat Max to a pint in local student boozer The Impy, before he jumps on the train to head back up to Scotland.

13:00 update (Scroll down for this morning’s story)

Fresher Max Abbot, journeying from Edinburgh to Exeter, has made it as far as Birmingham New Street station.

Stopping over for a spot of lunch, the hockey club fresher sent us this picture. There was no time for him to stop and see Birmingham’s landmarks, such as the Bullring shopping centre and the M5.

Max is due to arrive at Exeter St. David’s at 14.42. Exeter’s hockey boys will be there to meet him.

Edinburgh’s Max Abbot in Birmingham. Not long left son!

10am update

A hockey fresher is on his way to the sleepy Devon town of Exeter after losing this game of fives last night.

Freshman Max Abbott lost a tense final round to Stewart Murphy and now finds himself on a 15 hour round trip to the south coast.

The unfortunate youngster was the loser in the hockey club’s inaugural game of Exeter Fives, which marks the return fixture for Exeter’s own game of Edinburgh Fives last term.

The premise is simple. The loser in the club-wide game of fives has to catch a train to Exeter and come home again, all in one day. There’s no time for sight-seeing at the other end.

The Tab will be tracking this young man’s journey south. It’s a 7.5 hour ride down there and Max is due to arrive in Exeter around 14.42.

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