Hockey: Barry Middleton must wait to break world caps record

Doncaster hockey legend Barry Middleton will have to wait until 2020 to become the world's most capped player after being left out of Great Britain's squad for the first FIH Pro League.
Barry MiddletonBarry Middleton
Barry Middleton

Middleton, 34, has chosen to take a break from international hockey for the January to June Pro League dates.

The new global league replaces the World Leagues and acts as qualification for the World Cup and Olympics.

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Middleton, a graduate of Doncaster Hockey Club, currently has 432 caps, 21 behind Dutch great Teun de Nooijer's 453.

He was set to break the record around next summer's EuroHockey championships but now, in all likelihood, it will be 2020.

Middleton has just returned from his fourth World Cup, where England finished fourth.Â