Yarmouth is upon us again and as usual, it falls to me to present my predictions of how the event is likely to go. All the big guns are there in an exciting looking line-up – there’s Trent Trophies A,Leicester, PJ’s Stourbridge, Sun Valley, Dawley A, Preston South, Tolworth, Ipswich, and of course surprise defending champions Norman’s Elite. Of course, both Waterloo teams will be in action and I know everyone out there will be wishing us the best of luck(!).
We’ve had mixed fortunes in the draw, it has to be said. Waterloo I has been given some tough groups over the years but this time round they seem to have been given a group, playing over on Table 19, which should present them with little to fear. I mean no disrespect to Witney, a team from Oxfordshire who have been coming here for years, or indeed to Leyland, about whom I know nothing, but I would be surprised if Waterloo didn’t start as firm favourites to progress.
Waterloo II, meanwhile, has a more difficult challenge ahead, faced as it is with Leeds and South Norfolk. Playing in Group 12, they should expect no quarter from either opponent. Leeds has been blessed with a fair few star names over the years, and though it is doubtful that Darren Appleton will be lining up for them this time, there’s no reason to presume that Andy Richardson and Rob Wilson won’t be. South Norfolk may have fewer stars but their consistency has been far better than that of Leeds in recent years and this team comprised of Norfolk A players will probably be slight favourites to win the group. So on behalf of Waterloo II, I can proudly cry, “bring ‘em on”!
OK then, what about the rest of the groups? As usual the defending champions begin in Group 1 and this year that honour goes to Norman’s Elite from Rochdale. Last year they came through as a total surprise package to win the tournament at the expense of Dawley in the semi-finals and Ipswich in the final. This year they will have higher expectations placed upon them and might find the going tough, but even so I expect them to take control of their group. Lowestoft Town Select are hardy veterans but hardly world-beaters and Widnes are an unknown quantity to me.
Group 2 won’t set too many hearts racing but it should provide Yorkshire’s Dinnington with the chance for a welcome return to form. Penrith are capable but in a modest way, while Mid-Sussex will struggle in this group.
Ipswich line up on Table 3, hoping to go one better than they did last year. Whitehaven, from Cumbria, will give them a tough time of it, though. The third team in this group is Luton Elite which, to be fair, has never really done anything to earn that ‘elite’ tag.
Group 4 is one of those groups which the draw throws up each year, the kind of draw which leaves other teams begging for a piece of the action. Long Eaton, Eccles and Littlehampton A hardly strike fear in anyone. Long Eaton, from Derbyshire, will be my pick to win this group. They used to play pretty well here but seem to have been irregular visitors in recent years. This may be the year they bounce back.
All eyes, though, will be on Table 5, where the mighty Trent Trophies will be beginning their campaign against Premier Pool League and Riverside. Trent Trophies went without a trophy last year, and will be itching to end that bad run. They should cruise through this group, with Premier pipping Riverside for second, although the lads from Neil Toms’s club will want to prove me wrong.
Our friends from SLK make their Yarmouth debut on Table 6. They’re here because Barnet pulled out but will want to show they deserve the honour. Sadly for them I think they will find the going tough. They have Clacton, from Essex, and Dawley B in their group. They might give Dawley B a decent game, but I think Clacton will be beyond them.
Group 7 features Nuneaton A, Norwich B and Croydon B. I don’t know who is in Croydon B but I know enough about the other two teams to know they are very capable. Nuneaton A has the bigger pedigree and I think they will wrap this group up.
Two teams stand out as contesting Group 8 – Chesterfield and Reds I. Reds I always give a good account of themselves but over the years they have had some rotten draws and been pipped at the post by teams of the calibre of Leicester. Chesterfield is no Leicester but they are one of the most experienced and consistent teams going. I think Chesterfield will win and Reds I will be cursing their luck again. CWPLA are unknown to me so I can only assume they will be the bottom team here.
Tolworth has, in the past, been my pick for the whole tournament. Last year I fancied they would do well on the back of Surrey’s win in the national inter-county finals. They didn’t perform as well as I expected, but they are still a decent dark horse. Having said that, they are drawn into a group with Wolverhampton B, a team which always performs well and is more than used to playing on the Sunday. Theirs should be a good crack, leaving City of Leicester, a decent team, off the pace in this difficult Group 9.
Our friends from JFK’s begin their last ever trip to Yarmouth by taking on Bilston and NOCPLE in Group 10. This should be an absolute cake-walk for them. They are brimming with confidence after winning the inter-county championships as London A (most of them). Expect great things from Jack Pople, Neil Toms, Dean Wisher and the rest of the boys. Bilston should take second spot.
Preston South are playing in Group 11 and they must be desperate to get their names on a trophy after finishing runner-up in the October Interleague Cup finals for the past two years. But Punchbowl from South Yorkshire will be no punching bags, they have a fair few big names and veteran stars of their own. Folkestone A, no bad team by any stretch of the imagination, will be out of their depth here.
Group 13 should go to the impressive Norwich A. Easington will be second, with Hammersmith B coming in third, but neither team will pose a real threat to the Norfolk team.
In October, Sun Valley from Nottingham won the Knockout Cup for the second time. With all their experience they should be favourites to win Group 14 but they won’t relish having to take on Accrington, a team made up of various ex-All’oas and other big names from the north-west, who might very well pull off a surprise. Central Cornwall won’t have the firepower to match either team.
Group 15 is another group with no real stars or contenders. While Amersham have been here before I am not sure they have the experience to mount a real challenge, so it is between the Luton Lions and Cornwall’s Alan Davis. Alan Davis used to be regular visitors to Yarmouth but they don’t seem to have been that regular of late so I am going to plump for Luton, just.
There is, though, a clear winner in Group 16 – the mighty Leicester. They’ve drifted off the pace in recent years, from that time when it looked like they and Trent Trophies would be contesting every major final going. Whether or not Mark Selby makes the trip, the team should still have enough firepower to see off Crawley and Taunton LVA B. Incidentally, when I first drew up my orders I had Taunton ahead of Crawley, because having seen them in action I fancied them to be a decent side, but then I noticed this was Taunton’s B team, so I reversed my decision.
Group 17 is an enigma to me. On the one hand, there is Howden, a team with a vast amount of experience. Then, there is Cambridge WMC. Now, teams from Cambridge come and go quicker than Alex Lawrence at the bar, so I have no way of knowing whether the WMC includes any ‘elite’ players (Cambridgeshire has plenty of them, they used to play for Cambridge Elitie) or just journeymen (a la Cambridge SC, Cambridge KSR etc). So I will opt for Howden, just. Stockport Demons are clear underdogs.
In Group 18, Lye and Stourbridge, a regular group winner and medium-ranked team, have the edge for me, although Meltis Club have been here before and might have improved. I can’t see Dorking finishing any higher than third in this group.
Group 20 presents us with two seasoned veterans in Leicester City and Northampton’s NVPL A, plus one new team in Davy Lamp A. As I know nothing about the Davy Lamps (who sound like they should come from Cornwall!) I will leave them out and concentrate on the other two. I always think NVPL A will do better than they actually do so this year I won’t bother, Leicester City is Leicester’s second best team and that makes them as good as the best teams from many a major city.
In Group 21 I think the Surrey Warriors will come through at the expense of Trent Trophies B, but it will be a tough encounter between the two teams. Weston C will be last.
Another Trent Trophies feeder team, Afford, lines up in Group 22 along with Regency and Shrewsbury B. There’s no obvious winner here but I am opting for Shrewsbury B, who are a capable side, to edge out Afford, with Regency last.
East Yorkshire’s veterans Driffield are my tip for Group 23, ahead of Raywood and Shildon respectively. I can’t see the tournament winner coming from this group though.
Table 24 presents us with an interesting clash between East Leeds and Northwich, two teams who have punched above their weight in recent years. Northwich have been the more consistent but I fancy East Leeds to find the strength to pull this one out of the bag. Leicester Bulls are not one of the stronger Leicester teams and will come last.
Bracknell and Ascot A is my pick for Group 25. The Berkshire outfit has some decent young players. Bicester Select, though, is Oxfordshire’s finest so they will make it tough. The third team here is Bull’s Head ST, about whom I know nothing.
Table 26 sees PJ’s Stourbridge bouncing into action. Still waiting for their first ever tournament win in the Interleague or Knockout Cup, they’ll be hoping this is their team, and if they bring the big guns – Mick Hill, Rob Chilton and so on – they will be in with a shout. Pity Kendal and the Stockport Aces who will be playing bridesmaid in this group.
Kettering are old hands and will be favourites for Group 27, but I wouldn’t rule out Barnsley’s Miscues who have some decent players from the halcyon days of South Yorkshire pool. Herne Bay A are first-timers and will struggle in this group.
In Group 28, Weston A starts its challenge. For years a genuine contender, Weston has somewhat disappointed its supporters but it is by no means past its best. Having said that, they won’t be happy at being drawn in a group of death with Wigan, another great name in the game, and a team of roughly equal standing to Weston. I think Weston will squeeze this but it will be tight. Alsager will be last in the group.
Group 29 is another one of those uneventful groups. There’s the St Albans Saints, a team which always comes and rarely stays long, plus Bramley, a team no doubt made up of capable West Yorkshire folk, and Calverton and Arnold, a team from Nottinghamshire who used to do really well at Yarmouth but then seemed to stop coming. Well, given that they are back, I will plump for Calverton and Arnold in this group.
Of the three teams in Group 30, one takes my eye very sharply. That team is Peterborough, which boasts current English national champion John Roe plus a bunch of other top tour players. I think they will win this group easily. That would leave Barking Phoenix, one of the better known names in the game, a distant second. Barking Phoenix no longer shine as brightly as they once did, but they should have enough in them to see off first timers Inter-Pub (an interesting name for a team, but it tells me nothing about who they are or where they come from!).
Any long-time fan of Interleague would look at Group 31 and smile, because it contains three of the biggest names in the history of the competition. There’s Dawley A, ever-present, former champions, last year’s semi-finalists (despite only squeezing out of their group after a 9-9 draw with Waterloo II), and always there or thereabouts. But then there’s Ollerton, Nottinghamshire’s other great team which made a fair few finals back in the day. And to cap it off, there’s Morley International. OK, it’s Morley International B. And given how poorly Morley International A performed last year (you’d think that name would have been given special protected status, in honour of the team that became Triangle), I can’t imagine the B team is much to shout about. And to be fair, I can’t see Ollerton achieving much either, as it has been a while since they were contenders. Over to you, Dawley …
And finally, Group 32. Here we have Corn Exchange, from Derbyshire, Romney Marsh, from Kent, and the Stockport Sharks, who I think are Stockport’s number one team. Well, Corn Exchange always do well and this should be no exception. I fancy them to win the group which will be tough for Romney Marsh who usually acquit themselves respectably. That leaves the Sharks sitting at the bottom of the ocean.
So, who do I think will win the whole thing, assuming neither Waterloo team does? Will it be another surprise winner, like last year when Norman’s Elite shocked the big guns and denied Ipswich their first major trophy? Would you like me to name a similar dark horse, just in case the usual suspects fall on banana skins? OK, I will – two come to mind: Norwich A, and, especially, Peterborough. Watch out for both of them. In fact I think I will end this by giving you my top ten picks for the title, in reverse order, just for a bit of fun. In truth any one of these can win it, but only one of them will.
10:Weston A (always contenders, capable of a good run) 9: Dawley A (semi-final almost guaranteed, but have they still got what it takes to win?) 8: Tolworth (Surrey’s finest are due a win and one has to come eventually) 7: Peterborough (more than just dark horses in my eyes) 6: Leicester (sixth would have been unthinkable a couple of years back, but have they lost their winning ways?) 5: Sun Valley (proved they are more than one-win wonders in October, but have they got it in them to win two on the spin?) 4: PJ’s Stourbridge (every year I call them to win or to be in the top three, but I’ve seen them under-achieve, crack under pressure at the business end, too many times) 3: Trent Trophies A (only third, that’s a tough call, I agree, but even though they remain the best team in the history of Yarmouth, getting back into winning ways doesn’t come by magic) 2: Preston South (twice runners-up in October, they are really due a bit of luck to help them become champions, and they will certainly have the fire in their bellies for it) 1: JFK’s (as Frank Smith and JFK’s they have excelled over the years reaching many semi-finals, and at the moment, after that inter-county success, they are playing better as a team, man for man, than anyone else in the country – this will be their last Yarmouth as the team has now disbanded, but what a way to go by winning the trophy!)
Am I right? Time will tell.
The Doctor
-
The Doctor’s Surgery
October 2009
The Doctor himself is under medical care at the moment, so the best laid plans to present another detailed pre-Yarmouth report with predictions over the weekend have had to be shelved – the best I can do is give you my quick thoughts on group order, which I hope Webmaster Alan is able to get up in time for the main event. You’ll know that Waterloo is drawn in a group with Dawley, one of the country’s top teams and semi-finalists back in April. It will be hard and Dawley will be firm favourites (especially if they bring out the big guns, as feared) but bear in mind Waterloo II took them to a 9-9 draw back in April in the group stages, after leading 9-7, so if Waterloo hits them early and gets them worried, they could spring a surprise. Both teams should beat Luton Elite, which despite being a capable side has yet to live up to that ‘elite’ tag. As for the other groups, bearing in mind that there are plenty of new teams playing this year, and no doubt some new names for old teams making them tough to call, here goes: Group 1 A clear favourite here, but the battle for second place will be interesting: 1. Trent Trophies A 2. Cherry Tree 3. Bicester Select Group 2 This one has three evenly matched teams, so it is a tough call but I will go for the Surridge connection: 1. Worcester Fox U 2. Halifax A 3. Pocket Rockets B Group 3 This group has one known good team, a dark horse, and two lesser known outfits: 1. South Norfolk 2. Halifax B 3. Hull Group 4 A tight battle for top spot, leaving the Surrey side in the cold: 1. Norwich A 2. East Leeds 3. Premier Pool League Group 5 Not a strong group, and Northampton’s best might squeeze it, but the Sharks could surprise: 1. NVPL A 2. Stockport Sharks 3. Hinckley Group 6 If Barnsley have ex-Sheffield and Misfits players they should have enough to qualify: 1. Barnsley 2. Andover 3. Beverley A Group 7 Wigan will be delighted with this group: 1. Wigan 2. Ipswich B 3. Thurmaston Group 8 One team has a stronger pedigree than another, the third has none at all: 1. Nuneaton Lions 2. Gosport B 3. Meltis Club Group 9 Q Club had a great run on their debut, and now they play two debutants: 1. Q Club 2. Mid-Sussex 3. Belle Vue Group 10 Reds Elite should end their miserable spell of recent group defeats and under-achievements: 1. Reds Elite 2. Bognor Regis 3. Leyland Group 11 A very tight group, which the Warriors might just edge: 1. Surrey Warriors 2. Medway 3. Penrith Group 12 Rob Hill’s Essex team should win, while Ollerton, once giants, are back after years in the wilderness: 1. Braintree 2. EHPL 3. Ollerton Group 13 Tight group, but Wednesday’s recent form suggests they start as favourites against perennial underachievers Renegade: 1. Wolverhampton Wednesday B 2. Renegade A 3. Workington Group 14 Another very tight group, and Reds I deserve a win (they aren’t drawn against Leicester this time, so good luck to Roger Charles’s hard workers); Mind you, Ely boast the current world champion, a certain Mr Farmer Phil: 1. Reds I 2. Ely 3. Lowestoft Town Select Group 15 The North Londoners do well at Yarmouth, and should continue to do so in this winnable group: 1. Barnet 2. Bracknell and Ascot A 3. Brighton M Group 16 The Derbyshire dark horses have the edge in this group for me: 1. Corn Exchange 2. Worcester Dream Team 3. Folkestone A Group 17 The group of death; Ipswich reached the final back in April, but may go out in the group stages this time if Tolworth bring their best game; Poor Romney Marsh are no bad side at all: 1. Tolworth 2. Ipswich 3. Romney Marsh Group 18 No problems, touch wood, for London’s number one team, formerly Frank Smith: 1. JFK’s 2. Brighton B 3. Witney Group 19 A straightforward start for Nottingham’s former champions: 1. Sun Valley 2. Gosport A 3. Milton Keynes C Group 20 Not a terrific group on paper, but it might be one of those good, tight, occasionally scrappy ones to watch, and Eccles may have enough grit to win it: 1. Eccles 2. Leicester City 3. Nottingham Group 21 This all depends on which of the many Cambridge teams is currently calling itself Mickey Flynn’s – if it is the Elite team, the result will be very different: 1. Trent Trophies B 2. Hammersmith 3. Cambridge Mickey Flynn’s Group 22 Never rule out Preston South, who should win this group easily: 1. Preston South 2.Dawley B 3.Maidenhead B Group 23 Toss a coin to decide which team will win this evenly balanced group: 1. Barking Phoenix 2. St Albans Saints 3. Luton Lions Group 24 Back after a while, Peterborough might be surprisingly good: 1. Peterborough 2. Deal A 3. Fritchley Group 25 Of these teams, only Dinnington have any pedigree to speak about: 1. Dinnington 2. St Neots 3. Kirkstead Group 26 is Waterloo, Dawley and Luton Elite - See Top Group 27 A good group, which could go all the way: 1. Milton Keynes A 2. Afford A 3. Walsall A Group 28 PJ’s will win but the opposition this time is very tough: 1. PJ’s Stourbridge 2. Godalming A 3.Netherthorpe Group 29 Leicester will be very, very pleased with such an easy group: 1. Leicester 2. Shrewsbury B 3. Skegness Group 30 Sorry Battersea, but you’ve once again drawn a nightmare group, as Darren Collison’s Clacton and veterans Kettering both have reasons to be confident: 1. Clacton 2. Kettering 3. Battersea Group 31 This group is both relatively weak and quite evenly balanced: 1. Clitheroe 2. MHPL 3. Felixstowe Group 32 Nuneaton and Whitehaven will contest this one down to the wire: 1. Nuneaton A 2. Whitehaven 3. Weston B Champions? Predicting Interleague pool is like predicting golf. You can’t not say Tiger Woods will start as favourite, of course he will, in every tournament, even though the odds should be against him winning given the size of the field. So, you find yourself saying that while Tiger is the clear favourite, the fun is in picking the player who might win if he doesn’t. The same applies to Trent Trophies A, who by the way have the pleasure of knowing that their banana skins Colchester A are not present to stop them. They should win, but if they slip up, as they have done occasionally in the past, who will rise to the challenge? Normans Elite were surprise winners back in April, but the Rochdale boys are missing from this tournament (as are Brighton A, and Weston A, to name just two). So, who’s my tip for the title this time, bearing in mind I acknowledge that Trent Trophies are clear Tiger-style favourites? My money would be on PJ’s Stourbridge. They have never won a Yarmouth trophy, but are one of the handful of truly great teams in the country. They have seen teams with lesser reputations lift the silverware, and they must be absolute committed to tasting that glory themselves. Leicester, JFK’s, Preston South and Tolworth are all in with a shot, in this Doctor’s view. Having said that, Normans Elite showed us that it is possible for an unheralded side to claim a championship, in their case at the expense of Ipswich, whose pedigree suggested they were more ‘due’ the win back in April. Will we see such a surprise win again? I can’t imagine so, but the game really is getting a lot more open than it was a few years back when I sent in my first Doctor’s Surgery. Good luck to the magnificent nine of Jerry, Frank, Alex, Ian, Ian, Joe, Tony, Michael and Will! Yours in pool The Doctor
-
National Interleague at Great Yarmouth - 4th & 5th April 2009:
The Dr's Surgery is open!!
It’s great that both Waterloo teams will be back in action at the Big One in April. The teams have both improved a lot over the years so there’s no doubting our potential, what we are lacking of course is a pedigree in these competitions, the kind of pedigree exhibited by superstar teams like Trent Trophies A, Leicester, PJ’s Stourbridge, Imperial / Frank Smith, Brighton, Sheffield and Dawley. Waterloo 1 begins its campaign this year in a fantastically exciting group. That’s Group 9, and it also involves Medway and Barking Phoenix. From an outsider’s point of view, this is a truly interesting set-up – I imagine each rival captain read the draw and said the same thing: “If we play the way we know we can, we can win this group, but if we don’t, so can either of the other teams.” There is little to split the three of them. Pedigree goes with Barking Phoenix, but they have a tendency to underachieve, and have lived for too long in the shadow of their defunct offspring, the Elite. Medway, meanwhile, are the custodians of the Rochester legacy, but Rochester is no more and some of their top players have opted to return to the host team. Having said that, not all of them have, which makes things unpredictable … You’d have to prize this group open with a knife, but hopefully that will give Waterloo 1 that extra bit of drive to come out and win the group.
If that group is the epitome of equilibrium, Group 2, which includes Waterloo 2, is a masterclass in polarisation, at least on paper. After all, Dawley A are former champions (and I remember us playing them before, back when there was just the one Waterloo team, God they are a noisy bunch!). By contrast I have never heard of Fritchley, no idea where they come from, and have no way of really rating them. On paper they are underdogs (damned paper), while Waterloo 2 sits in the middle of these two on the form charts.
So much for us, what about the rest? Let’s take a walk around the tables and see what the action is like.
Group 1, which always contains the defending champion, is this year’s group of death, the only real superstar group of the draw. The unbeatable Trent Trophies A should win it, but both Leeds and Colchester A can hold their own. If Leeds have their star players, like Daz Appleton and Rob Wilson and Andy Richardson, they could shock the Stoke potters, which would make life difficult for Colchester A. But it wasn’t too long ago that Colchester beat Trent Trophies A in the group stages and Leicester in the semi-finals on their way to a Yarmouth final, which they lost to Sun Valley. They’ve not scaled those heights since, but they are good, and the noise from Table 1 (we were playing close by the last time Colchester played Trent Trophies, and they knew how to cheer on their boys, that’s for sure!) might prove distracting to the Waterloo 2 boys playing next door. In any case, Trent Trophies remain the team of the moment. Gareth Potts, Adam Davis, Lee Kendall, Darren Shone and the others really do enjoy Yarmouth, and it’s not necessarily because of the strippers on Saturday night! Group 3 has no such glamour. Gravesham A, Milton Keynes C and Witney have nothing to call between them. I opt for Gravesham A to squeeze this one ahead of Witney, with the Bucks boys coming in last. Group 4 features our London colleagues Barnet, and I expect them to win the group. Neither Leek B nor Gloucester has the firepower to match them. Leek should pip Gloucester for second place. Beverley A are not a tremendous side but they should win Group 5 ahead of Dover and Bideford. Nuneaton A should squeeze Group 6 ahead of City of Leicester, and then Halifax A. Back in October, Reds Elite from Coventry lost to both PJ’s Stourbridge and Waterloo. The former was expected, the latter wasn’t. Even so, they should bounce back to hammer their opponents in Group 7. Wolverhampton Wednesday B and Central Cornwall. Wednesday should draw on their vast experience in the comp to come second ahead of the Cornishmen who are new to the event. Twice champs Leicester will cruise Group 8. Tommy Donlon, Tom Ford, Vinny Allen, oh, and Mark Selby … Coventry’s Reds I ran Leicester close in a group match last year, and they will fancy another shot at the big boys, but the best they can legitimately hope for is second, ahead of Leek A, a decent team, in third. Tolworth, with Steve Petty and Frank Strivens among the stars, are one of the best teams going. They form the backbone of the Surrey A and B sides which dominated the recent inter-county finals, and they are runaway favourites for Group 10, which leaves dark horses Crewe – previous giant-killers here – out in the cold. Against such opposition perennial hopefuls Leicester City have no chance. Wigan and Dinnington contest Group 11. I think Wigan will win but Dinnington’s form recently has been top drawer and a semi-final last year was no fluke. Walsall A also has a top pedigree in this competition, but I can’t see them making any dents in either Wigan or Dinnington this year. Then, in Group 12, I think and hope the under-achieving Milton Keynes A will win the group, with the Luton Lions beating Hammersmith for second spot. Sun Valley have a top record and are among the country’s best teams. With Baydon Jackson and Clint I’Anson in their line-up they have earned that accolade. The Nottingham outfit should ease past Cambridge WMC and Shrewsbury B in Group 13, with Cambridge my tip for second place because there are many decent players in Cambridge even if this isn’t the elite team from that city. Group 14 gives one of the great under-achievers, Croydon, a chance to shine. They could and should have enough to beat Cornwall’s Allan Davis, but I think the Cornishmen will be able to see off Biggleswade for second place. There’s a name in Group 15 which should scare everyone – Morley International. Now, this may or may not be the same team that became Triangle and briefly dominated Interleague pool, but let’s be honest, no team bearing that name can be ignored. So, for me, it’s Morley ahead of Cumbria’s Whitehaven, and newcomers Easington easily last. One of my dark horses every year is Renegade A from Berkshire, but they rarely show their full potential. I still think they should win Group 16 but they cannot afford to be below par as Chorlton, from Greater Manchester, is a decent team. It will pounce on any bad performances from Renegade so they will need to be on form. Burnley are the outsiders in this group. Preston South finally made a final, and what a final, last October, so at last they can be legitimately ranked among the country’s elite. Make no mistake, they are contenders, with Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough playing so bloody well, which makes veteran campaigners Lye and Stourbridge, plus underdogs Medway B, cannon fodder in Group 17. Brighton A are a top team, with Morray Dolan and all that, but they have a tough draw in Derby’s Corn Exchange. This could be a cracker, as Corn Exchange are past masters at upsetting ‘better’ teams. I’ll go for Brighton, of course – how couldn’t I? – but it will be close. Riverside, which plays from Neil Toms’s club in Ware but doesn’t boast that kind of professional talent in its team, will struggle in this company. This is Group 18. I’ll go for Kettering in Group 19, ahead of the Leicester Lions and then Premier Pool League. Kettering aren’t as strong as they used to be but experience should see them through here. Oxfordshire’s Bicester Select are my tip for Group 20. It’s not a great group but I think they have the ammo to beat St Albans Saints into second place, and Eccles into third. Group 21 is a real underdog cracker, with three good if unspectacular teams battling it out, in the form of Bracknell and Ascot A, St Johns and Romney Marsh. Sheer grittiness means I am going for Romney, never a team of superstars but always good group performers. St Johns (the Surridge family) should get second ahead of Bracknell. Ipswich have lost some players recently but they should still win Group 22, ahead of Dawley B and Folkestone A in that order. Weston-super-Mare is a surprisingly good breeding ground for pool players and Weston A have established themselves as a top team, so they should win Group 23. I don’t know how to call second place, with Lowestoft Town Select battling it out with Norman’s Elite, so a toss of the coin gives it to Lowestoft. Chesterfield will win Group 24. Brighton B are good, and so are Stafford A, but I predict the group to end up in that order. Group 25 is almost impossible to call. Pocket Rockets B are not a B team at all but some of Northamptonshire’s finest, Andover could be any one of two teams bearing that name, and Worcester Fox are unknown to me. Hmm – let’s go for Andover, ahead of the Rockets. In Group 26, we see Trent Trophies’ feeder league, Afford, staking its own claim, and I think it will do a decent job if it. Northampton Village Pool League A has been coming to Yarmouth for years and shouting out to observers that it has dark horse potential, but it always lacks the killer bite, and for me Afford have too much experience. I think Afford with outdo NVPL A. Regency have not been at the finals for years. How good are they? I don’t know. Group 27 also contains an excellent line-up. These are mainly near-but-not-near-enough teams. Ely have the best pedigree, with Phil the Farmer in the team. Clacton A, though, have some stars of their own, not least Darren Collison. Then there are the Surrey Warriors, one of the top 30 teams in the country. Surrey will be mightily unlucky to come in last in this tight group. Yorkshire’s Punchbowl are worth a look as they are one of the Sheffield offspring. This team should field Terry Hunt, John Waller and Phil Cartwright so I fancy them to beat Taunton LVA in Group 28, with Tolworth II trailing in third place. In Group 29 we have another offspring of a famous parent in the form of Accrington, whose team is comprised largely of former All’oas. I fancy the Lancastrians to beat the White Rose OAPs in a good old fashioned War of the Roses, with Derby likely to be last in this group. Birmingham’s vastly experienced Small Heath, perennial campaigners and always a threat, will win Group 30, with the Nuneaton Lions finishing above Crawley in second spot. Braintree A is another Essex team with a secret weapon – Rob Hill. Will he be playing? That might prove to be the decisive factor in Group 31, as they face an intriguing clash with the impressive South Norfolk. Let’s assume he will be and go with Braintree. Calverton and Arnold, another old hand, is the weak link here. Finally, there’s Group 32, and this is where PJ’s Stourbridge comes in to the equation. This is actually a bloody good group. I have a real fondness for Gosport A (old times on the Region 7 tour and all that) but I fear they will finish last behind the mighty PJ’s and the talented Norwich A.
So, who will win the competition? Trent Trophies A will win. This is the weakest Interleague line-up for years, at least on paper. I can’t see how it can be anything other than business as usual for the big guns. Leicester are as usual the only serious threat to the Trophies. PJ’s are brilliant but will probably implode at the semi-final stage. Preston South will be buoyed by their recent successes but not have the strength in depth to go so far again. Brighton A may reach the semi-finals. Morley International? Ah, memories, but nothing more, sadly. In fact, the only team in the country, except Leicester, that I think has the depth and the confidence to trouble the Stoke boys is London’s Frank Smith, and they are not even here. If I am going to call a dark horse this year, then it is going to have to be Tolworth. They are itching for success after being such a solid team for so many years. Surrey’s recent dominance of the inter-county set-up must be a factor in their confidence as Tolworth contributed to that success in a big way. Their players may have just come of age, but even so, they have to be a 33/1 shot in this company, where Trent Trophies are such overwhelming favourites. Indeed, the most difficult challenge for Trent Trophies might very well be getting out of the groups. If they achieve that OK, they will as always just get better and better as the weekend progresses. No doubt I will be wrong on all counts. I leave you with the following call to arms: COME ON THE ‘LOO! Darren ‘The Doctor’ O’Byrne
-
THE DOCTOR’S SURGERY - Yarmouth October 2008
I’m a bit late this year in posting my twice-yearly predictions of who might do well at Yarmouth, so apologies for that. Back in April we saw the dream final, with Trent Trophies beating Leicester in a battle of the two biggest guns in the armoury. Few people would bet against them meeting up again, provided the draw works out that way, in another final – but Yarmouth can do funny things to people! It’s disappointing that Waterloo 2 is not involved this time. We failed to qualify and were not lucky enough to get one of the ‘lucky loser’ spaces in the draw. Waterloo 1 is there of course, but it has a monster of a group … But more on that later! This will be the first October Yarmouth I have missed since Waterloo first made it to the finals, so I’ll be rather at a loss that weekend. But good luck to the rest of the guys! So, who do I think will do what?
Defending champions Trent Trophies A start off in Group 1 and look pretty safe to come through. Our London comrades Barnet, mistakenly registered as Finchley, are also in this group and will run them close, but not close enough. Barnet should beat Buckingham for second spot. Group 2 contains no real superstar teams but it will be a decent slog between journeymen Leek A and Crawley, with the Staffs outfit squeezing it I think. I do not know anything about newcomers Raywood. Group 3 is a pretty weak group, and although they have no track record as such, I am going to stick my neck out for Renegade B, because the Berkshire set-up is getting better each year. Hinckley from Leicestershire should see off Worcestershire’s Reddith A in the other game. Group 4 is a no-brainer – perennial semi-finalists Brighton A will cruise this group, ahead of Penrith from Cumbria, which is a decent side, and Cambridge KSR. Group 5 includes Dinnington, who were surprise semi-finalists in April. They should still be on a roll so I expect the South Yorkshire mob to clean up here, ahead of Medway. Having said that, Medway are benefitting from a number of ex-Rochester players switching sides (Rochester has dissolved) so they could be more dangerous than usual. This could be a really interesting game to watch. I know nothing about Normans Elite so I tip them for the wooden spoon. Leicester will win Group 6, of course. Bicester Select from Oxfordshire is good enough for second, and Littlehampton Select from Sussex has a decent record, but neither can match Steve Robertshaw’s world-beaters. Group 7 throws up another curve-ball – who in the name of Hades are Snooks? We’ll find out in due course, but in the meantime, let’s go with who we know, and tip Derbyshire’s Long Eaton to squeeze past Luton Lions and win this weak group. Group 8 is one of the best groups in the draw. Two teams in this group are top-drawer. Birmingham’s Small Heath has a terrific track record, one of the best in the country, but I fancy them to lose out to in-form Preston South, which boasts Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough among others. Biggleswade, making their second visit to the finals, can only sit and watch. Group 9 contains no real contenders but I fancy veterans Holderness to progress. The Leicester Bulls may be a new name for one of the many established Leicester sides, while Hammersmith has only appeared once before and has no real stars in its line-up. I will opt for Yorkshire grit! In Group 10, I am plumping for Essex’s Braintree A. They have no track record whatsoever but I have heard rumours that this year they have signed up a certain Rob Hill! If so that could make all the difference and inspire the rest of the team to victory. Andover (there are two teams with this name, of course, so I might be mistaken) are a decent side and will start as favourites but I am going for an upset here. Cumbria’s Whitehaven will give it a go. Group 11 is a nightmare! There’s Ely, perpetual journeymen and underachievers with Phil Harrison in the side, plus Godalming A, the Surrey outfit capable of beating anyone, and then there’s a team called Q Club. Q Club is new to the finals, but I am guessing it is really just a new name for the old Chester-le-Street team that has made it to national semi-finals before, and contains guys like Stu Green and Marc Farnsworth. They played out of the Q Club in Chester-le-Street so if I am right I am nudging towards them. If I am wrong, I think Godalming will win. One of the top sides in the country is Weston A from Somerset and they should clean up in Group 12. South Norfolk A and Northampton’s NVPL B will be left a ways behind. On the neighbouring table, Weston B could make it a family double, as they are in the very weak Group 13 against Dorking and the Stockport Sharks. Groups like that make one yearn to be there! Group 14 is a toss-up between Chesterfield and Chorlton. Although the Manchester boys are in form I think Chesterfield has the experience and should squeeze it. Wallingford are out of their depth. In Group 15, Kent’s Romney Marsh will start favourites, over Dawley B from Shropshire and Witney from Oxfordshire. Sun Valley from Nottingham have plenty of championship experience and will win Group 16 easily enough. Both Lowestoft Town Select and Lancaster are capable sides but the former champions are better. Group 17 gives my perennial outside bet, the wholly under-achieving Renegade A from Berkshire, a chance to shine. The team skippered by England manager Rob Uzzell really does need to establish itself in this competition after years of threatening to do so. They should have enough strength in depth to beat High Wycombe and Riverside from Hertfordshire. I think Norwich B will just beat Shrewsbury A to win Group 18. I saw them thrash Waterloo I last April. Cornwall’s Camborne and Redruth have not been here for a while. Group 19 sees the return of East Herts, although I am guessing that this is actually EHPL renaming itself in the guise of its more successful league neighbour. If so, I think they will flatter to deceive but I think they might still win the group, ahead of Gosport A and Cherry Tree from Nottingham, both of which are decent teams. Speaking of comebacks, what about this – Barking Elite is back at the Interleague in Group 20! That’s great news for fans of the game’s history, although this team probably won’t contain the megastars who combined to win the 2001 Interleague. Event so, any team with that name is worth supporting, and I fancy them to beat the strong Wigan side and I feel really sorry for hapless Brighton M being drawn in this group. Group 21 is very hard to call. Coventry’s Reds I can beat anyone on their day, with their blend of youth and experience, while South Norfolk have shown how good they can be on their day as well, but I am edging towards Accrington mainly because this team, which used to be called Hyndburn, contains a number of ex-All’oas and includes some of Lancashire’s best. Clacton will win Group 22. Just as one former Barking Elite man, Rob Hill, now lines up for Braintree, so does another, Darren Collison, for Clacton, which will mean anyone watching this table will get to see a true legend in action. Leek B and Punchbowl, about whom I know nothing, are in for a treat, of sorts, as well. In Group 23 I fancy Cambridge Elite, and I think they could be a real dark horse for the competition as well. The battle for second place between Trent Trophies B and Pocket Rockets B will be tight, but I will go for the Staffs team edging out the Northants outfit. Group 24 looks on paper to be pretty weak. Neither Shrewsbury B nor Ipswich B strike fear into anyone’s hearts, and who, one might ask, are White Rose OAPs? New name, for sure, but I am gambling on a guess that this is not a new team. I am guessing they are from Yorkshire and have plenty of experience, and given that neither Leeds nor the ex-Sheffield (Mexborough-Railway) teams are in action, this could very well prove to be a cunning deception. Refusing to be deceived, I am going for the White Rose old-timers. Group 25 should belong to Dawley A and I hope it does but Norwich A are more than capable of surprising them. Driffield come here every year and enjoy the trip, but rarely get very far in the competition. The Surrey Warriors should win Group 26, but they have to first get past Derbyshire’s men-in-pink, Corn Exchange, which is no easy thing. Luton Elite have once again drawn a tough group and will therefore have to wait another year before they justify that ‘elite’ tag. Our friends from Frank Smith are in Group 27, which is a winnable group but not an easy one. Both Nuneaton A and Wolverhampton Wednesday B are decent teams, quarter-finalists, so they won’t be intimidated by the Londoners. I think Leicester’s second team, Leicester City, will win Group 28, ahead of the St Albans Saints and Bracknell and Ascot A. In Group 29 I am going for Marcus Lannie and the Worcester Dream Team. Essex’s Barking Phoenix often promise more than they deliver, while Nottingham are not in the same class. One of the best teams in the county is Surrey’s Tolworth and they will show that when they win Group 30, seeing off Surridge-driven St Johns from Worcestershire and Cornwall’s Truro. Group 31 is the group of death. It certainly seems that way for our own Waterloo 1 boys. They have been drawn in with not one but two potential champions. Not only do they draw former semi-finalists Reds Elite from Coventry, which is a real all-star team, but then they also draw top-four team PJ’s Stourbridge from the West Midlands, complete with Mick Hill, Rob Chilton and Neil Raybone. Whatever they do, the Waterloo lads will have a ball and give it their best, and who knows, anything is possible, but I have to say in all honesty I cannot see my squad-mates winning either of their matches in this horrific group. The group is likely to be decided in the opening fixture, as Reds Elite take on PJ’s. I would not be at all surprised if the Coventry team pulls itself together to cause a big upset here, but my reason tells me it probably will be the mighty PJ’s that comes through, just. Ipswich may be weakened from various departures but they should still win Group 32, ahead of East Leeds, a decent side, and Northampton’s NVPL A, who have been coming for years and not achieving anything of note.
So, who might win the whole thing? To be honest, I think there are four teams in it – the ‘big four’: Frank Smith, Leicester, PJ’s Stourbridge, and Trent Trophies A. If I was to name a fifth team capable of pulling a surprise, it would be Preston South, who have so many first-rate and in-form players. But it is hard to look beyond the big guns. This year, I am going to do something unusual and pick my champion by rating each player who is likely (based on previous tournaments) to be in the starting line-up for each of these teams. I might be way off, some of these guys may not be actually playing, or the line-ups may change, but I can’t know that for sure, so I will base it on what I can surmise. So, in alphabetical order …
FRANK SMITH (London) Sean Halligan Experienced campaigner unlikely to be phased by anyone 8/10 John Kelly IPA pro returning to some form after a poor spell 7/10 Rob McKay Former World Championship semi-finalist but team form is inconsistent 7/10 Danny Miller High-flying professional of whom much is expected 8/10 Jack Pople Youngest starter is also the team’s most reliable frame-winner 8/10 Rob Southey Capable enough but not playing at his best 6/10 Mark Thrussell Good attitude to the game makes him a safe bet 8/10 Neil Toms Fantastic record for county and team and expected to open well 9/10 Dean Wisher Model captain whose commitment is beyond reproach and who always pulls it out for the team 9/10 Likely reserves Ramesh Gokhul Missed a lot of the qualifying campaign, so unlikely to be given a starting spot John Runghen Reliable in qualifying, likely to be brought on as a substitute Adam Toms Junior player unlikely to be used in important matches TOTAL: 70/90
LEICESTER (Leicestershire) Vinny Allen Leicester anchorman, solid as a rock 8/10 Steve Chambers Proven tournament winner with indifferent record in finals 8/10 Tommy Donlon Nine-ball commitments detract, but always a dangerous opponent 9/10 Tom Ford Snooker pro capable of beating anyone 9/10 Gavin Lomax Another snooker pro with plenty of experience 8/10 Steve Morris There are no actual weak links in the Leicester side 7/10 Steve Robertshaw The ultimate captain and consummate team player 9/10 Mark Selby Former World Champ and all-round cue maestro 10/10 Colin Treadwell Often plays in opening three and rarely disappoints 8/10 Likely reserves Andy Lee Snooker pro outstanding when drafted in to fill some significant gaps in 2007 Interleague, but probably back on the bench this time Harry Patel Reliable reserve for the Leicester team Lee Ross Often gets a starting place but probably not if the team is at full-strength TOTAL: 76/90
P.J.’S STOURBRIDGE (West Midlands) Wayne Bedford Unheralded player with final experience 6/10 Rob Chilton Vastly experienced pro star 10/10 Paul Dunkey Reliable ex-captain with plenty of matchplay experience 8/10 Ritchie Foxall Always strong in competitions, individual and team 8/10 Mick Hill Many still rate him as the finest player of all time 10/10 Hitan Patel Climbing fast up the professional rankings 8/10 Neil Raybone One of the in-form players in the world at the moment 9/10 Ben Swinnerton Rising star yet to establish his full credentials 7/10 Pat Ward Experienced captain will need to raise his game 7/10 Likely reserves Ty Bradley Likely first reserve, played in recent final but lost Rob Clark Probably not in contention any more Jarrod Griffiths Probably not in contention any more either TOTAL: 73/90
TRENT TROPHIES A (Staffordshire) Mark Blackshaw Experienced player but has poor record in finals 6/10 Steve Bridgewood Plays outstanding for county but not so well at Interleague, so will need to be on his best form 7/10 Jamie Croxton Very talented cue sportsman is having a terrific season 9/10 Adam Davis The most reliable player in the team, its opener, and the world number four 10/10 Lee Kendall England captain, former world finalist, and one of the best players of all time 10/10 Daz Lightfoot Vastly experienced and rock-solid former England International 8/10 Gareth Potts World Champion for a third time – ‘nuff said? 10/10 Darren Shone May not have celebrity status but has performed outstandingly for his team in recent years 9/10 Liam White Talented youngster with indifferent record in finals 8/10 Likely reserves Phil Cummins Played in qualifying but unlikely to get on to the main stage Jamie Latham Also unlikely to see any main action Steve Prince First reserve, having won Staffordshire Open title TOTAL: 77/90
So, there you have it – Trent Trophies A to win, AGAIN! Come on all the other teams, prove me wrong! And COME ON WATERLOO! The Doctor 29.9.08
-
THE DOCTOR’S SURGERY - Yarmouth April 2008
Hello to everyone! Unless you’ve been away on holiday to the ends of the Earth, you will know by now that the draw for the EPA Interleague finals at Great Yarmouth next weekend has been made, so both Waterloo teams now know who their opposition will be when they hit the baize on the morning of Saturday 5th April. Historically, when the draw is made, it falls to me to run through my predictions, group by group, based on my (admittedly, superficial) knowledge of the teams, their track records at Yarmouth, and their current squads. So, here goes …
Table 1 Table 1 is the table reserved for the defending champion and so usually quite an easy table to predict. The defending champion is usually a team of considerable talent and achievement, and the odds of such a team being drawn against an even stronger team are, well, long to say the least. This year is no exception, as the mighty Leicester begin their campaign for a third consecutive Interleague title. In the group trying to stop them will be Warwickshire’s talented Reds I and Somerset’s Taunton LVA. The best these teams can really hope for is an honourable second place. Taunton is a decent side, and did for Waterloo in the last 32 of this event last year, but the draw has been cruel to them this time round so they are my tip for the wooden spoon here. Reds I should be able to see them off easily enough. But neither team will touch Leicester. This event clashes, of course, with snooker’s China Open but even without the services of regular superstar squad members Mark Selby and Tom Ford, both away on snooker duty, Leicester won it last year. That says something about how good this team really is. The Doctor’s Pick: Leicester Table 2 This is a more difficult group to call, as all three teams are solid if unspectacular. Local boys Great Yarmouth are Norfolk champions but whether they are relishing a visit to the local caravan park is uncertain. Warwickshire’s Nuneaton Lions have some experienced players, while Wolverhampton Wednesday B from the West Midlands come every year carrying with them the proud name of one of the greatest teams ever to grace the Interleague finals. I’ll plump for them, I think, ahead of Nuneaton and then the local lads. The Doctor’s Pick: Wolverhampton Wednesday B Table 3 This group brings together two heavyweights in the form of Kent’s Rochester and Durham’s Chester-le-Street. Last year, these two teams met in the semi-finals, and although Rochester won, the boys from Durham had more than earned their stripes, making it all the way to the semis on their Yarmouth debut. Having Mark Farnsworth in the team was a plus, of course. But then again, Rochester has its share of top guns and professionals, which is why it is one of the most consistent teams in the event. So it’s Rochester for me, and an early exit for Chester-le-Street, although I can’t see either team struggling against the poor third team in the group, Manchester’s Chorlton. The Doctor’s Pick:Rochester Table 4 Again, there’s no obvious winner in the group that features Crewe from Cheshire, Evesham from Worcestershire, and Romney Marsh from Kent. While the Kent outfit has the most experience, Crewe did well last year and I suspect will do so again, so I am plumping for them. The Doctor’s Pick: Crewe Table 5 This group contains our own Waterloo, ably captained by Jerry Tickell himself with the usual suspects lining up for a piece of the action. Waterloo has steadily established itself as a decent campaigner worthy of respect and just waiting for that big breakthrough, so will that be this year? Standing in the way are Milton Keynes A from Buckinghamshire and Norwich B from Norfolk. To be honest, I cannot in all honesty say I think Waterloo will win this group. Milton Keynes A is a tough outfit, albeit an under-achiever. There are some tasty professionals wearing MK colours, and I think strength in depth is on their side. Waterloo should certainly see off Norwich B though, who will be the wooden-spooners in this group. Sorry Jerry! The Doctor’s Pick:Milton Keynes A Table 6 Finally, a group with a runaway winner! Lancashire’s Preston South are head and shoulders above the others in this group, boasting as they do the likes of Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough. East Yorkshire’s Driffield come here every year, sometimes under the pseudonym North Wolds, and do OK, so I fancy them to take second place ahead of Shropshire’s Shrewsbury B. But Preston South is a team worth watching. The Doctor’s Pick:Preston South Table 7 On paper this is an easy one, because Surrey’s Godalming is one of the most consistent teams in the competition – never actually champions, but always hard to beat. Hertfordshire’s St Albans Saints are a class below, if history is any guide, and as for West Yorkshire’s Pilky’s, well, they’ve never been to Yarmouth before, so they should be the bottom team. But then, if you look a little more closely, you might recognise some of the names lining up for the Keighley-based team, and in particular, a certain Chris Melling. Yup – Melling is back, for the first time since the demise of Triangle, to lead the way for Pilky’s, and that makes them dangerous. Dangerous enough to beat Godalming? It’s a hard call. Probably not, although clearly it depends on who else is playing well in the team. I would not be at all surprised if Pilky’s show they are more than a one-man outfit and come through this group. The Doctor’s Pick: Godalming Table 8 Ever heard of PJ’s Stourbridge? No? Why not?! Do the names Rob Chilton, Neil Raybone, Hitan Patel, and a certain Mick Hill mean anything to you? Last October I tipped the West Midlands team to win the whole Knockout Cup, party because the addition of ex-Triangle player Hill strengthened an already superb team, and although they didn’t go all the way, don’t expect them to fall early come April. They will romp through this group with room to spare, leaving Cheshire’s Northwich and East Yorkshire’s Howden to scramble for second place. The Doctor’s Pick:PJ’s Stourbridge Table 9 This group is another where I think one team will dominate, and that team will be Northamptonshire’s veterans from Kettering. There’s just too much depth there for them to be troubled by the likes of Glossop from Derbyshire or Miscues from South Yorkshire. I notice that there is no ‘new Sheffield’ this year (over the past few years, players from the once mighty Sheffield team have reappeared at Yarmouth in various guises) so Miscues may represent a fragment of that shattered diamond, but probably still not enough to trouble Kettering. The Doctor’s Pick:Kettering Table 10 This is a tough one to call, because it contains three teams that, on their day, could cause trouble for anyone, and have bags of experience on the big stage. I’m going to opt for Cambridgeshire’s historical under-achievers Ely, complete with in-form Phil Harrison, to see off Northamptonshire’s Northampton Village PLA and Berkshire’s Bracknell and Ascot A, who I suspect may finish in that order. The Doctor’s Pick:Ely Table 11 There are two new teams on this table – Accrington from Lancashire and Biggleswade from the West Midlands – and that leaves Staffordshire’s Afford in the unusual position of being group favourites. Afford is best known for being a feeder league to the mighty Trent Trophies, but it has some capable players of its own. Having said that, Accrington might spoil the party, because they appear to have a few ex-All’oasin their line-up. If that’s the case, whatever name they’re going under, they are going to be pretty tough to beat. This is a hard call, between these two sides. The Doctor’s Pick:Accrington Table 12 My tip here, in this close group of three experienced teams, is Warwickshire’s Nuneaton to finish ahead of Essex’s Barking Elite and Sussex’s Littlehampton Select, but any one of these three teams could win it on the day. The Doctor’s Pick:Nuneaton Table 13 No disrespect intended, but it’s a pretty weak group if Bedfordshire’s Luton Elite start as runaway favourites. They’ve hardly earned that elite tag over the years. This year they have a great chance to do so by progressing through to the later rounds at the expense of Leicestershire’s City of Leicester and Hampshire’s Gosport B, neither of which are earth-movers. The Doctor’s Pick: Luton Elite Table 14 Trent Trophies B should dominate this group – hey, Trent Trophies Z would dominate many a group! The Staffordshire outfit will have enough fire-power to see off two hit and miss teams in Oxfordshire’s Witney and West Yorkshire’s Macmillan, in a relatively weak group. The Doctor’s Pick: Trent Trophies B Table 15 This is another tough one to call, as Dinnington from South Yorkshire, Deal A from Kent and Leicester City are all capable of beating each other. I’m throwing the die here and it’s coming up Dinnington … The Doctor’s Pick:Dinnington Table 16 No such crisis of confidence here, as I comfortably predict Worcestershire’s talented St John’s to romp home in this group, ahead of Cumbria’s Whitehaven and the Leicester Lions, in that order. The Doctor’s Pick:St John’s Table 17 London’s top team Frank Smith made it to the semi-finals in October and plans to go further this time round. This is the revamped Imperial team, full of stars like Dean Wisher, Andy Breen, Neil Toms, Rob McKay, Sean Halligan … well, you know the rest. So they should have no problems at all winning this group, which is unfortunate for Derbyshire’s Corn Exchange, which is a decent side and a nice bunch of lads. I feel a tad sorry for Manchester’s Stockport. The Doctor’s Pick:Frank Smith Table 18 The veterans from Wigan, one of the tournament’s true campaigners, are in action on this table. Wigan has a solid record in the event and should be strong enough to win this group, ahead of Kent’s Folkestone and Nottinghamshire’s Nottingham. The Doctor’s Pick:Wigan Table 19 Most of us know a fair few of the Croydon players, so it can’t have been pleasant seeing the draw, and realising who they are up against! Nottinghamshire’s Sun Valley is one of the elite six or seven teams active at the moment and Croydon, who could have been favourites in many other groups, will be left to lick their wounds after Sun Valley pull out the magic they are capable of. Both teams should beat Cumbria’s Kendal easily enough. The Doctor’s Pick:Sun Valley Table 20 When I saw the draw, I admit, I wasn’t entirely displeased. Both Clitheroe from Lancashire and Ilkeston from Derbyshire have been to Yarmouth before, but they are neither of them hardy veterans, chalking up less than a handful of visits in recent years, with Ilkeston’s last-sixteen appearance three years’ back the crowning achievement of either team. Of course, their captains would have been saying the same thing about us when they saw the draw – Waterloo 2, who are they and what can they bring to the party? I won’t underestimate opponents but at the same time I won’t play down the strength we have with the likes of Joe Prince and Jamie Fay, and that man Micky Clayton on dazzling form right now … I won’t go on to name everyone, suffice to say as a team I think we are strong enough to come through this group if we focus and win those key games. The Doctor’s Pick:Waterloo 2 Table 21 The big story in this group is the heavyweight contest between Birmingham Small Heath and Tolworth from Surrey. Tolworth made it to the semis in October so confidence should be high, but the West Midlands champions always play well whatever they call themselves. Expect a real battle royale! Oxfordshire’s Bicester Select are no slouches by any stretch of the imagination, but you have to feel for them being drawn in this group. The Doctor’s Pick:Tolworth Table 22 The obvious pick here is Hertfordshire’s EHPL but this is not the same as the East Herts team that used to rattle a few sabres in the past, and to be frank, EHPL may have outlived that other team but it has yet to match it on the table. So, while they will be favourites, they will also be vulnerable, and the other two teams in the group, Gravesham from Kent and Horden from Durham will be itching to knock them down. Horden is an odd side, which does well when it turns up, which is infrequently, while Gravesham is steady and not to be under-rated. The Doctor’s Pick:Horden Table 23 Leedsfrom West Yorkshire used to be an OK side, never one to challenge the big guns, always in the shadow of local rivals Triangle, until Triangle broke up, and Leeds benefited by signing up Darren Appleton, Andy Richardson, Kev Barton, and now Rob Wilson. So now, watch them go! They should be genuinely among the pre-tournament favourites for this event, and getting out of a group that contains those dogged campaigners Dawley B from Shropshire and Medway from Kent should be easy enough for them. The Doctor’s Pick:Leeds Table 24 My money here is on Berkshire’s Renegade A, a team I have for some time now been saying is ready to establish itself in the big time, but tends to under-perform. I am staying with them, though, to win this group ahead of the West Midlands team Lye and Stourbridge and Suffolk’s Ipswich B, both of which have some capable players in their squads. The Doctor’s Pick:Renegade A Table 25 Whatever happened to Coventry? These days there is no Coventry, there’s just … Reds! And here, on this table, are the Reds Elite, Warwickshire’s finest who’ll be expecting a decent run in the competition. They’ve not got an easy group to start with. Both Hampshire’s Gosport A and Suffolk’s Lowestoft Town Select have been around the block a few times. Personally, I’d be hoping for a Gosport win, top guys that they are, but Reds Elite are just, well, a class above. The Doctor’s Pick:Reds Elite Table 26 When I first saw this draw, I was tempted to call a major upset – I was going to opt for Cambridge Elite to pull a rabbit out of the hat and catch Shropshire’s ever loud and lively Dawley A while they’re still waking up … But at the risk of drowning in more clichés, suffice to say that I’ve had a change of heart, come to my senses, and I’m going to be a bit predictable and go with Dawley, Craig Reynolds and all. Make no mistake, though, Cambridge Elite is a top side and Cambridge has a proud record in national finals. They should finish off poor Hammersmith, representing Berkshire for the first time, with room to spare. The Doctor’s Pick:Dawley A Table 27 On this table, two of the country’s second-tier teams – always strong without achieving glorious championship wins – slug it out, and my feeling, as it often is, is with Suffolk’s tough Ipswich A to see off the challenge of the Surrey Warriors. Worcestershire’s Redditch are in for a long, unrewarding day. The Doctor’s Pick:Ipswich A Table 28 I know nothing about West Midlands’s Darlaston as they are playing here for the first time but the team sheet includes some names familiar to pool players from other teams in the area, so they shouldn’t be overawed by the occasion. Sussex’s Crawley are also experienced, albeit unspectacular, and Dorset’s Wessex A have a fair few top players in their line-up, so this is not an easy group to call. Much will depend on how good Darlaston is, I think. The Doctor’s Pick:Wessex A Table 29 Essex’s Colchester A have been to the final before, seeing off Trent Trophies A and Leicester along the way, so they should win this group, ahead, I think, of Buckinghamshire’s High Wycombe and Staffordshire’s Alsager. The Doctor’s Pick: Colchester A Table 30 The odd thing about Chesterfield is that although the city is in Derbyshire, the team plays out of Nottinghamshire. And while you are digesting that geographical titbit, here’s some more news: they ain’t bad. But though they will start as favourites in this group, they shouldn’t expect it to be plain sailing when they face West Yorkshire’s East Leeds who had an impressive debut back in October. The third team in this group is Renegade B from Berkshire which is also more than capable of pulling out a win, so it’ll be a decent one to watch. The Doctor’s Pick:Chesterfield Table 31 For me, this is the group of death. Somerset’s Weston, runner-up in the Knockout Cup in October, takes on Sussex’s Brighton A in a real heavyweight clash. There is literally nothing separating these teams. You’ve got Russell Burgess on one side, but then again you’ve got Moray Dolan on the other … it goes on like that as you work your way down the team sheets. This will be one hell of a match! You have to feel sorry for East Yorkshire’s Holderness, a team that comes here twice a year every year and always does well enough, a dangerous middle-ranked floater, rarely bottom of a group. They’ll certainly experience that this time round. Brighton or Weston? Weston or Brighton? The Doctor’s Pick:Brighton A Table 32 And finally … Table 32 plays host to Andover from Hampshire and Cambridge KSR (which stands, by the way, for King Street Run) from Cambridgeshire. Let’s hope these two teams enjoy themselves and play their best when they take each other on because neither will be seeing much of the table in their other game, which will be against a certain Trent Trophies A. Gareth Potts, Adam Davis, Carl Morris, Lee Kendall, Daz Henshall, Darren Lightfoot … This is the dream team of Interleague pool, and after winning so comprehensively in October, they will be fired up to add the Interleague title to their Knockout Cup. Would YOU bet against them? The Doctor’s Pick:Trent Trophies A
SO, CAN I PICK A WINNER? Probably not, is the answer! But I’ll have a go. Below, in order, is my top ten picks of teams to watch …Not counting Waterloo 2, of course! Trent Trophies A – Just a powerhouse through and through, who can stop them? Leicester – Minus Selby, but the defending champions have already shown us that they have far more strength in depth than any other team going, almost PJ’s Stourbridge – If Mr Hill has settled in, it could be time for PJ’s to come good Frank Smith – My faith in our friends from London is well-earned Leeds – Ready to establish themselves as the New Triangle, in more ways than one Dawley A – No team has a better spirit, Dawley represent that kind of good, unfashionable, local-league, team-based approach to the game and are all the better for it Rochester – Are they ready to graduate from bridesmaid to bride? Preston South – A dark horse, beyond any shadow of a doubt Brighton A – If they get past Weston, here’s a team quite used to playing in the latter stages, but they probably don’t have enough fire-power to win it Sun Valley – Nottinghamshire’s finest probably won’t be lifting the trophy on Sunday
Yours, in the true spirit of the game Darren ‘The Doctor’ O’Byrne
-
THE DOCTOR’S SURGERY - Yarmouth October 2007
Yarmouth is nearly upon us, and this time, Waterloo will be represented by two teams, both itching to get out of the group stages and into the latter stages of the tournament. But as ever, navigating the way out of the groups is the toughest challenge. On Table 27, Waterloo I find themselves in a tricky group with two experienced teams – Cherry Tree from Nottinghamshire, and North Wolds from East Yorkshire. While I think Waterloo has the firepower to come through this group, it certainly won’t be a stroll in the park. Meanwhile, on Table 22, Waterloo II makes its debut as a team in the competition against two other debutant teams, but this is going to be an equally tricky group. Trent Trophies Tuesday carry the Trent Trophies name – the A team from that league boasts world champion Gareth Potts in its line-up – so clearly they are going to be capable enough players, not to be taken lightly, while Norwich A may be playing for the first time, but we are told that the team contains a number of Norfolk county stars so there’s plenty of quality there.
I won’t speculate on our chances further. Instead I’ll turn my attention to the other tables, and offer my predictions for the tournament as a whole. First, on Table 1, defending champions Sun Valley from Nottingham should have enough strength and experience to progress from a group that also features Cambridge Elite, and Tolworth II. Cambridge Elite will run them close, but the Notts boys, with Baydon Jackson leading the way, should do enough.
On Table 2, there’s a really tight group featuring three teams – Lye & Stourbridge from the West Midlands, Grove Elite from West Yorkshire, and Bracknell & Ascot B from Berkshire – who all have talent, even if none of them is likely to be holding the trophy aloft on Sunday. I’ll opt for Lye & Stourbridge to shade this group.
Similarly, on Table 3, none of the teams are pushovers, but Cambridgeshire’s Ely have real strength – especially if Phil ‘Farmer’ Harrison is on call – and are beginning to shake off the under-achiever tag. They should come out on top ahead of Bracknell & Ascot A, and Oxfordshire’s Bicester Select, but all the teams have the ability to progress.
Table 4 features three largely untested teams, so anything could happen. I’ll take pot luck and go for Cambridge Snooker Club to win ahead of Derbyshire’s Glossop, and West Yorkshire’s Macmillan.
Table 5 is another one that’s on paper too close to call. EHPL from Hertfordshire, and Pocket Rockets B from Northamptonshire, have both flattered to deceive, while Portsmouth’s return to the big stage after some years may end in disappointment. I’m opting for the greater experience of EHPL – just.
On Table 6, Bedfordshire’s Luton Elite have yet to live up to that elite tag, so could this be their year? I can’t seem them being troubled by Kent’s Folkestone or Cheshire’s Northwich, but Northwich went to the Interleague finals in March as first-timers and promptly won their group, so watch out.
Our friends Battersea A line up on Table 7. Poor Battersea, they have been handed a nightmare of a group, against two veteran teams – Coventry Reds, and Barking Phoenix. Coventry usually has enough firepower to progress, while Barking know a thing or two about the big stage. Our best wishes will be with Battersea …
Table 8 features one of the weaker groups. Harlow’s Riverside Elite are tough, but I’m sticking my neck out for Hampshire’s Andover in this one. Leek B, I think, will be the wooden-spooners.
Another relatively weak group lines up on Table 9, with Derby, East Leeds and Brighton M all some way down in the rankings. Brighton M return to Yarmouth, after receiving two 17-1 drubbings earlier in the year at the Interleague finals. Hopefully, they’ll do a little better. I’m going for Derby to win this group.
This year’s Interleague runner-up, the mighty Rochester – home to the two Ians, Kettel and Hubbard, plus Jordan Church and Dean Cole and numerous others – should wrap up the group on Table 10 easily enough. That’s a shame for Northamptonshire’s NVPLA, who are fast-improving. The third team is Lancashire’s Preston City.
On Table 11, I’m going for Brighton B to win, ahead of Penrith, and finally Leek A. I don’t fancy the overall chances of any of these teams, but Brighton’s second team might have enough to take them through.
Table 12 will see a shoot-out between two very good sides in Chesterfield and Surrey Warriors. I fancy Chesterfield to come out on top. Pity poor High Wycombe, newcomers and cannon-fodder.
Did I say cannon-fodder? Better whisper that term around folks from Redditch, who have been drawn on Table 13 (unlucky for some) in the group from Hell! Two teams full of superstars, genuine title contenders, slugging it out, and there’s Redditch, looking meekly on! The other two teams in this group are London’s Frank Smith, formerly Imperial, boasting our sparring partners Andy Breen, Dean Wisher, Rob McKay, Ramesh Gokhul, J.J. Faul, Sean Halligan, Neil Toms, Mark Thrussell, Rob Southey, Jack Pople, and Johnny Kelly himself, and Preston South, who boast the likes of Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough in their team. There’s will be a classic encounter, and the winner genuinely has a chance of winning the title. I think Frank Smith have enough strength in depth to come through, and recapture that old Imperial winning habit. Come on boys!
Another contender is Brighton A – led from the front by Moray Dolan. The Sussex outfit has a pretty easy group this year – I can’t see Leicester Lions or Clitheroe giving them any trouble at all on Table 14.
Table 15 features a cracking group, really. Three evenly matched teams will be fighting for supremacy, in Ipswich, Kettering, and Gosport A. Earlier this year, at the Interleague finals, Ipswich got drawn in a similar group (with Sun Valley and Godalming) and ended up bottom! This time I think they will stamp their authority on the group and make it through.
Godalming A is in action on Table 16. At the Interleague finals, this team beat Sun Valley, so seeing off Leicestershire’s Hinckley and local boys Great Yarmouth (making their debut, curiously) really shouldn’t be too much trouble for the Surrey outfit.
Another top Surrey side is playing on Table 17 – Tolworth I. They have a tight group which also involves Derbyshire’s finest, Corn Exchange. I think Tolworth has just about enough to squeeze it. St Johns from Worcestershire will be propping up the group.
Last year’s surprise runner-up Colchester should have no problem winning on Table 18, against Nottinghamshire’s Newbold and Sussex’s Brighton S.
Old hands Weston A, from Somerset, with Russell Burgess in the side, should clean up on Table 19. Neither City of Leicester or Gravesham A are world-beaters.
Shropshire’s Dawley A certainly is a world-beater. The vociferous team that boasts top pro Craig Reynolds in its line-up will be hoping to cruise through its group as usual. But wait a minute – Leeds, another team in this group, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, but all that could change this year, now that they have gone into the transfer market and picked up a couple of ex-Triangles, former national champion Andy Richardson, and, hmm, some fellow named Darren Appleton – world number one or something. Expect fireworks! Even so, I can’t see Leeds stopping Dawley A from winning the group. Gosport B is there to make up the numbers (but Chrystal Sedman and her team will certainly not see it that way!).
On Table 21, Trent Trophies enters the arena. Yes, that’s Gareth “I’ve just won my second world championship in three years” Potts, Carl “I’ve been a world champion too you know” Morris, and numerous other heavyweights of the game. Reds I, from the impressive Coventry Reds stable, will be keen to make a fight of it, but Trent Trophies should wrap this up easily enough, ahead of Reds I, and Berkshire’s Renegade B.
Over on Table 23, I think Shrewsbury B – which in recent years has made it through to the finals when the A team hasn’t – will finish ahead of Ipswich B and Manchester’s Chorton.
Table 24 sees another veteran contender, Walsall, start as favourites, but South Yorkshire’s Shakespeare could be a handful, given that Terry Hunt is in the side. The other team, Medway, also has a well-known winner in Barbara Taylor. I still think Walsall will edge it though.
Berkshire’s Renegade A is my tip for Table 25. Crewe A and the Worcester Hotshots don’t seem to have the strength in depth to worry the team that’s captained by England manager Rob Uzzell. Renegade are serious under-achievers and I really think a good run is due.
Over on Table 26, veterans Holderness and newcomers Riverside can’t have been happy knowing they were drawn to play the mighty P.J.’s Stourbridge, with Rob ‘Gravy’ Chilton and Neil ‘Razor’ Raybone heading its all-star line-up. Imagine how they felt when they learned that Stourbridge had recruited a new member to the team – a certain Mr Mick Hill, former world champion. This should be a breeze for the West Midlands giants.
On Table 28, expect another good battle between Wigan and Wolverhampton Wednesday B. Wolverhampton Wednesday is, of course, one of those truly famous names in Interleague circles – ranking right up there with now defunct giants such as Sheffield, Barking Elite, Triangle, Imperial, All’oas, and contemporary ones such as Trent Trophies and Leicester. But the glory days are long since over, and the A team has folded, leaving a new crop of players to try to recapture the glory. This is a good side, but I think Wigan will be too strong and win this group comfortably. Littlehampton will be left propping up the table.
Table 29 features the third, and strongest, of the three Coventry Reds teams – Reds Elite. They are up against Railway from South Yorkshire, and Braintree, from Essex. I’m ruling out Braintree, but Railway interest me, because they are in all but name the Mexborough team (minus Terry Hunt), which itself emerged from the ashes of that Sheffield side of years past. Railway will be no slouches, but I think on balance Reds Elite should win this interesting group.
Table 30 brings us slightly down to earth with a relatively weaker line up, but still an interesting one. I fancy Lowestoft Town Select to edge this group, ahead of Somerset’s Weston B, and Manchester’s Heywood.
The mighty Leicester are almost unstoppable at the moment. Last year they were surprisingly beaten in the semi-finals here by Colchester, but aside from that blip, Leicester players are current holders of the Knockout Cup (twice running), the County and Champion of Champions trophies. Phew. But then again, when you can call on the services of former world champion and top snooker pro Mark Selby, plus Tom Ford, Tommy Donlon and so on, it’s hardly a surprise. Nuneaton A have a good pedigree at the finals, so they will be cursing their luck at drawing Leicester, while Surrey’s Premier Pool League will be cursing more than that after the drubbings they could easily receive at the hands of these two experienced teams.
Finally, on to Table 32, where Dawley B, Milton Keynes A, and newcomers South Norfolk, are fighting to be top dog. This is a tough one to call, but I am leaning towards Milton Keynes A, who have some talented professionals and tour players in their ranks, to win through.
So, that’s the scout around the tables. Who has a chance of actually winning, in my humble opinion? Well, the usual suspects do come to mind, some with more of a chance than others. Sun Valley had their moment last year, and I can’t see them repeating the feat. Brighton A is a fair each way bet, although possibly not a win-only option. The same can be said for the ultra-consistent Rochester, who have made two major finals in recent years but lost out to stronger teams on both occasions. Preston South has the talent to do well, provided they make it out of the group, which will be no easy feat. Wigan are due a good run, so maybe they make a good dark horse for a semi-final spot. Naturally, Dawley A are always going to be in with a shout, and make no mistake, if other heavyweights start to fall around them, Dawley will be looking to take advantage. And you can never rule out Trent Trophies A, the all-star team with the best record of all the Yarmouth sides, but somehow, of late, they have slipped up on unexpected banana skins, and this event might provide another one. So, this basically leaves, in my view, three possible winners. First, you can never rule out Leicester, the dominant side of the moment. If a bookmaker was placing odds, make no mistake that Leicester would be firm favourites. Second, I have every confidence in the Frank Smith side, with its cream of London players, to be genuine contenders, just as their previous incarnation, Imperial, always was. If the mood is right, we could be celebrating a London win on Sunday. But there’s one other team that just seems to be ready for it in a big way, as if to say that the time is finally right for the big win, and that team, unsurprisingly, is P.J.’s Stourbridge. Maybe Mick Hill will add even more class to an outfit already oozing class, but it’s more than just the addition of Mr Hill that makes me feel that this year may be P.J.’s year. We’ll find out on Sunday.
