Waterloo Pool League

The Doctors Surgery - April 2012

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It’s back, by popular demand! Here are my predictions for the Interleague finals which take place at Great Yarmouth next weekend!

Group 1

Staffs A have just won the national Inter-County so clearly they are in good form, which means the defending champs, mighty Trent Trophies A, will be as hard to beat as ever! Having said that, they have a really tough opener against South Norfolk, which is a very good side indeed on its day. The third team is Yeovil – and it won’t be enjoying the experience!

Group 2

This is one of the few ‘weak’ groups (no disrespect intended) in this year’s comp, as none of the three of them have much pedigree. I’ll opt for Chelmsford ahead of Dunstable Snooker Club A with Whitbread bringing up the rear, but this could go to a three-team play-off.

Group 3

I really fancy Norwich A to cruise this group, ahead of Notts and District and Cumbria’s Kendal, who will fight it off for second spot.

Group 4

London’s Frank Smith is in action in this group and it’s earned itself a decent chance, I think, because neither of its opponents are ‘A’ teams. There’s Normans Elite B, second stringers to Rochdale’s finest, and Braintree Sportsman. I think Frank Smith will do London proud in this group.

Group 5

This is a shoot-out between Brighton A and Medway A. Brighton has the pedigree but for years now has been missing its better known players, while Medway has been weakened over the past couple of seasons by the return of Rochester. I will go for Brighton to edge it. The third team is Stapleford Cue Club.

Group 6

Leeds are perennial under-achievers but should relish this decent draw. The Leicester Lions are always involved but never contenders, while Redditch B lacks the firepower to upset the Yorkshiremen.

Group 7

Here’s the best group so far: Midland Railway from Leicester against Tolworth from Surrey will be a massive match, and I’d love to be a spectator at it. I’d also love to say Tolworth will win but I have to be fair and objective, and I think Midland Railway is just too good. The third team in the group is the St Albans Saints, no bad team either!

Group 8

Surrey’s other powerhouse, the Surrey Warriors, has an easier group, I think. I think they will win ahead of NCPLE A with New Milton last.

Group 9

My team Waterloo 2 takes on the vastly experienced Reds I from Coventry, plus Riddings from Notts. Both teams have been around the block more times than they’d care to remember so this will be very difficult for us but if we play well, we could hold our own. I think we have a decent chance against Riddings, but Reds I will be hard to call – this is a team capable of beating anyone, as they’ve shown with their decent runs to the quarters, but if we catch them on a bad day, they are vulnerable. Even so, they must start as favourites.

Group 10

In all my years of following Interleague I have never come across a team from Devon in the competition, so welcome to Plymouth Combination A. Reader beware – just because Devon has no pedigree in Interleague doesn’t make it Disneyworld, just check out the county’s record in the Inter-County finals over the years! Still, a first time team rarely threatens, and Wolverhampton Wednesday B, with all their tremendous experience and semi-finalists very recently, must fancy their chances of seeing off both Plymouth and Oxfordshire’s Witney Snooker 2. So, here’s my radical shout of the day: I’ve looked at the Plymouth team sheet and it contains the likes of Jamie and Jez Graham and more of that calibre besides, so I fancy Plymouth are going to win this group!

Group 11

This one doesn’t shout out at me, but if anything I think Cumbria’s Whitehaven is due a good run. West Yorkshire’s Bramley Globetrotters and the lads from Riley’s Rotherham will make a fight of it though.

Group 12

This is a dead cert for me: Cambridge’s ‘elite’ team, now called Mickey Flynn’s, will win this group, ahead of Cannock Chase from Staffs and Leicestershire’s Hinckley United.

Group 13

Experience tells me Walsall should win this, and they probably will, but Oxfordshire’s Witney is getting better, and will make them fight for it. I think, for all its experience, Littlehampton A will struggle in this group.

Group 14

What a great match for a neutral: an old-fashioned London vs Surrey derby! Having said that, Waterloo is London’s best while Croydon A are more irregular visitors to the finals. Still, they have some tasty cueists in their ranks so it should be good fun. I think Waterloo, semi-finalists in October, will win. The third team is The Parade, and I can’t help but think that when Waterloo gets into full flow against these lads, there’ll be a few choruses of “Don’t Rain on My Parade”!

Group 15

Dawley are back, and dangerous as ever – this is their group to win, and I think Gainsborough, a team from Lincs who used to play out of Notts, and the Stockport Demons, had both better get used to that idea.

Group 16

This group could go any way, really, but in the end I think the savvy of East Herts will see them victorious ahead of the experienced teams from Penrith and Halifax A.

Group 17

Not a classic group by any stretch of the imagination, which means the improving Mid-Sussex A will have a chance to grab it by the scruff of the neck. The team to be wary of will be Northwich B, as Northwich produces good teams. I can’t say I fancy the chances of the Sheppey Shipwreckers.

Group 18

Rochester disappointed me on their comeback in October, going out in the knock-out stages earlier than expected. They should do better this time. They will certainly smash up this unfortunate group, comprised of Shrewsbury and Riley’s Coventry.

Group 19

Preston South is still awaiting its first trophy, but it won’t have things all its own way in this group when it lines up against Braintree A from Essex. This is a tighter match than you may think, but I fancy Preston South to win it. Central Cars will be booking their taxis home early.

Group 20

Chesterfield always wins its group and this will be no exception – Nuneaton A will be second, while Dunstable Snooker Club C will be mopping the floor.

Group 21

Once again, a London team has got a decent draw, and I think SLKPA will take full advantage of the fragility of their opponents, NOPL A and the Luton Lions, both of whom has experience in bundles but fails to deliver.

Group 22

Maidenhead Elite is the new Renegade, one of the best teams from an ever-improving Berkshire set-up, and I fancy them to win this group. Kettering Town and the Stockport Aces, both steady but unspectacular, will be second and third respectively.

Group 23

Sun Valley stand out as the favourites here. They always pose a threat and have a great record at the finals, and I can’t see Derbyshire’s Long Eaton or Buckinghamshire’s Aylesbury threatening Nottinghamshire’s finest.

Group 24

Another of the favourites, PJ’s Stourbridge, lines up in this group and should win it comfortably enough, although it’s always daunting being up against a team using the Trent Trophies brand name, even if that team is the Trent Trophies Players. I’m not sure but this seems like a bit of a mix of Leek and Afford players and could do some damage, but probably won’t puncture the PJ’s armour. The Panthers from Cornwall made their debut last year and did themselves proud, but this will be too tough a challenge for them I think.

Group 25

Talk about too close to call: Wigan and Ipswich A in the same group!!!!! Wigan are always so solid, so consistent, but on the back of Suffolk’s fine run at the Inter-County finals I am going to have to go for Ipswich A, I think. The third team is Regency which, I believe, is from Lincs.

Group 26

A tight group if not a superstar one, this – my money is on Meltis Club, a decent team comprised of Bedfordshire A players, to upset the experienced City of Leicester and Cornwall’s hardy Alan Davis, a team that has been making the long journey to Yarmouth for many, many years.

Group 27

There’s always one group about which I have nothing to say, but I have no idea who the Pumas or SIP L actually are! Armed with such ignorance, I can only go for what I know, which is that Lye and Stourbridge, while no world-beaters, can be capable enough, and should win this group. Of course, they probably won’t.

Group 28

So improved are they that these days, Hammersmith A can beat just about anyone on their day. There would have been a time when a draw against Surrey’s Godalming would have been something to fear, but not any longer. Hammersmith go into this as clear favourites and they deserve to be. The third team is the Weston Bees, which, thankfully for both Hammersmith and Godalming, is NOT the same as Weston A!

Group 29

Let’s be honest, the Trent Trophies B team is really not a B team in any conventional sense! They’re easily good enough to make it to the quarter-finals, maybe beyond. So they should wrap up this group ahead of Ipswich C and the Diss Wizards, who will fight off their own East Anglia derby in the battle for second place.

Group 30

The form-book tells me that Accrington HIPL, the team from Hynburn loaded with experience, will win this group, ahead of Cambridgeshire’s St Neots and Suffolk’s Stowmarket.

Group 31

Essex teams are worth a flutter this time around, and none more so than Colchester, who occasionally put together a fine run. I think Romney Marsh A from Kent will run them close, while Eccles B will prop up the group.

Group 32

Dinnington Cue Craft are too good for the rest in this final group. They reached the final back in October after seeing off a tired Waterloo in the semi-finals, and neither Crawley A nor St Helens, both capable sides, should trouble them I think.

And the winner is ...

... probably obvious, but let’s go through the motions anyway. Here’s my nominations!

One to win: Trent Trophies A (of course!)

Two to match them: Preston South and Rochester

Two that should match them but might slip up: Midland Railway and PJ’s Stourbridge

Two to progress solidly while other fancied teams fall away: Sun Valley and Dawley

Two that nobody saw coming: Plymouth Combination A and Mickey Flynn’s

London’s chances? Decent, with Waterloo, who made the semi-finals in October, leading the charge, and Frank Smith, the current London champions, more than capable of putting in a good run.

Of course, London teams haven’t done well at Interleague since the glory days of Imperial, so few pundits will be considering us as potential winners, which is fine.

SLKPA can string some good results together and if they stay focused and get a decent draw they could be in action in the later stages as well. The team which has the toughest draw out of the London quartet is actually Waterloo 2. Bloody typical!

Oh well, nine of us will be going up there, cues in hand, with nothing to lose, so bring it on!

The Doctor

March 2012

Group 5 is another that fails to inspire. Witney Snooker B and Rugby Rileys are relative newcomers although Rugby may be a development of the earlier, more successful Rugby team, in which case they would have to start as favourites ahead of Witney B and old-hands Central Cars.
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One of the traditional competitors, Nuneaton A, plays in Group 9, and with Redditch B and COBHPL B (aka Brighton B) in its group, it should fancy its chances of progressing, with good reason.
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Neutrals should try and watch some of the game between the Surrey Warriors and South Norfolk in Group 13. There’s not much to call between these two talented sides. If pushed I will go for South Norfolk to squeeze it, as these days they are frequent visitors to the latter stages. Both teams should see off Worthing LA.
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Teams from Dunstable are rather like London buses. You wait years for one to compete, and then two do at once. Having said that, Dunstable SC C hardly seem like group winners. I think Notts Supreme will have the edge on City of Leicester in Group 15.
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Group 19 is also a two-horse race. Wigan are steady, reliable contenders, always there or thereabouts, while Reds I have talent in abundance. I fancy the Lancastrian side to edge this, leaving Diss Wizards looking to find some magic in the bar afterwards.
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CLHPL A is in fact Crewe, and that should be enough to make it favourite for Group 21. Bracknell and Ascot A will make a match of it with them, but Dawley B look to be out of their depth. But all three teams are packed with experience, so it should be fun to follow this group.
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Group 24 should see another Nottinghamshire team progress, Nottingham A, but with Ilkeston United and NEPL as its opponents, this won’t be as exciting a group as the one next door. I quite like NEPL and often think they should do better, but I can’t see it this time.
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Will Battersea A finally get the result they deserve in Group 28? I think they have a good chance against the Taunton Gardeners, but I fear East Leeds have too much experience and too much savvy for them. Sorry.
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Chesterfield are runaway favourites for Group 29. Portsmouth Shearer will be second, ahead of the Leicester Lions, who usually make the journey here but rarely escape the groups.
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Someone in Group 30 is going to be punching above its weight, because I have no recollection of a St Helens team playing before, I have no idea who The Parade are, and Vale of Belvoir came here last year and finished last in their group on their only appearance. It’s lucky dip time, and the winner is, St Helens. Why? Because teams from the north-west are usually a bit feisty.
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Godalming hasn’t done much in a while, but with Group 31 also featuring the Leicester Bulls and newcomers New Milton, this might be when that streak ends. Of course, it might not. Whatever happens, don’t expect the winner of the whole comp to be playing on this table!
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Finally, to Group 32, where the question we all ask every Yarmouth has to be asked again: which Barking Phoenix will turn up? The one capable of beating anyone? Or the one capable of playing like a dog’s dinner? Up against Halifax A (although perhaps less so against outsiders Ashford B) they will have to be on their best form. But yes, I think they will do it. Surely you agree ... Maybe not!
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Which means the following teams will be in the last thirty-two on Saturday afternoon:
·         Trent Trophies A
·         Clitheroe
·         North-East Norfolk
·         Waterloo 2
·         Rugby Rileys
·         PJ’s Stourbridge
·         Leeds Legends
·         Lye and Stourbridge
·         Nuneaton A
·         Midland Railway
·         Preston South
·         Wolverhampton Wednesday B
·         South Norfolk
·         COBHPL A
·         Notts Supreme
·         Waterloo
·         Norwich A
·         East Herts
·         Wigan
·         Milton Keynes A
·         CLHPL A
·         Liverleague
·         Sun Valley
·         Nottingham A
·         Rochester
·         Frank Smith
·         Tolworth
·         East Leeds
·         Chesterfield
·         St Helens
·         Godalming
·         Barking Phoenix
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I’ve got my five to watch and it doesn’t include PJ’s Stourbridge (surprisingly, perhaps). I think you should never count out Sun Valley. I also think Preston South is due a big win, and this could be their year. I have a strong suspicion Midland Railway will be an even-stronger team this time around, which would make them one of the favourites by any reckoning. I genuinely think Rochester are dangerous and could mark their return to the big stage with a big trophy. But all these teams first have to get past Trent Trophies A. And that, as they say, is never an easy thing to do.
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Next weekend is Yarmouth weekend, and Waterloo and Waterloo II are both in action. Both have tough groups (don’t we always?).
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Waterloo plays in Group 23 against Nottingham’s Sun Valley and Kent’s Folkestone A. Naturally, Sun Valley, twice winners at Yarmouth and among the country’s top teams, will start as favourites, but Waterloo boasts the best of London and the best of London have just won the national inter-county championship, so why worry?
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Defending champs PJ’s Stourbridge look to be dead certs to win Group 1. Cannock Chase from Staffs should have enough to see off Dawley B from Shropshire for second place.
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My money for Group 2 is on Northwich A. The north-westerners have been slowly establishing themselves and should see off Dorking and Bracknell and Ascot B, in that order.
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In Group 4, I am sticking my neck out for City of Leicester to squeeze past Rugby Riley’s and Kendal, but this is not an easy one.
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I fancy Phil Harrison’s Ely to win Group 5. They often under-achieve but this time they have got a decent draw, although Barnsley Monday are hard to beat, and even Andover have some serious firepower.
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Chesterfield are nailed on for Group 6. Long Eaton and Penwith are both regular visitors but inconsistent.
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In Group 7, my instinct is for Essex’s Braintree A, who should field Rob Hill. They will finish ahead of NCPLE A from Northants and Lowestoft Town in that order, but all teams have pedigree.
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South Norfolk haven’t set the world alight but every time I see them I am impressed, so I go for them to finish ahead of Cornwall’s Alan Davis and Suffolk’s Ipswich B in Group 8.
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Derbyshire’s Corn Exchange have shown themselves to be genuine contenders. Last time they took out Waterloo in the group stages thanks in no small part to their recruitment of the Chambers brothers, and I can’t see either Bracknell and Ascot A or Weston D troubling them in Group 9. The Berks team should seal second place easily enough.
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Group 10 is the group containing one of this year’s favourites – the brilliant Preston South. Watch Hibbott and Clough and their boys smash this group up, ahead of Central Cars and North-East Norfolk PL.
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In Group 11, my feeling is for a win for Accrington HIPL (Hyndburn Independent Pool League, for those who need to know). Witney from Oxfordshire might squeeze out Lye and Stourbridge for second place, but this is a group with plenty of decent pedigree.
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Can Barking Phoenix show their mettle in Group 12? I fancy so, but they are a damned unpredictable side. Worthing should edge Whitecliffs Dover to second place.
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The Surrey Warriors are always last-sixteen material and the draw has not exactly made me think they won’t get there again this year in Group 13. Driffield are old campaigners, but don’t have the power to match the Surrey boys, while Riley’s Coventry are as yet unproven.
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Here’s a call I am sticking my neck on. I have been increasingly impressed with London’s SLKPA and I think they now have the experience to post some decent results at this level. They’ve been blessed with a winnable group, and while I will never call Nottinghamshire’s Calverton & Arnold or Cambridgeshire’s St Neots pushovers, their records needn’t overly concern London’s third team, and I fancy a win for the SLK boys in Group 14.
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For me, Group 15 is one of those tight ones which we so enjoy when it comes to Yarmouth. The form team is Derbyshire’s Dinnington, semi-finalists a couple of years back, while Penrith are decent, but for me, this group belongs to Kent’s Medway A, a team waiting to show itself off.
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Group 16 is a one-horse race. That horse is former champs Norman’s Elite from Rochdale. Precisely who the Dunstable Demons and Midland Railway are I don’t know, nor do I care, because they’ll have to be damned special to stop Norman’s Elite from progressing.
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Group 18 doesn’t excite me. I have no idea who the Panthers are, so I am discounting them, and Leicester Lions are a team of journeymen and journeywomen, so I’m tipping my hat to the experienced players lining up for Bradford’s Bull’s Head St. They come and go, and use different names, but a lot of the players in this West Yorks outfit have winning experience.
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Group 19 is a bit of a damp squib, unfortunately. None of the teams are world-beaters. For me, Lord Nelson A, the former Netherthorpe and Punchbowl, containing some ex-Sheffield boys, should do the business here, ahead of Taunton LVA and Bramley Globetrotters.
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Group 20 should be won by Walsall, ahead of Shrewsbury B and Barnard Castle, whoever they are.
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In Group 21, my instinct goes for CLHPL A, better known as Colchester, although I wouldn’t be surprised if Worcester Fox pulls a surprise. Leek A are the outsiders.
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While I love the name of one of the teams in Group 22, Shoulder of Mutton, I have to feel they will end up more like lambs to the slaughter when they line up against two top drawer teams in Leicester and Wolverhampton Wednesday B. It’s Leicester for me, by the way.
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In Group 25, our friends from Hammersmith and Districts A should wrap up victory against NOPL A and ATPL. I don’t actually know who ATPL are, in fact.
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In Group 26, I fancy Nuneaton A to squeeze through on a tight one with Trent Trophies B. Marlow is the third team.
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Clacton have some decent players and so does Reds I, from Coventry. The Reds boys either blow hot or cold, never lukewarm, so it depends which team turns up. I think they should have enough to win this group, with Glossop third.
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For me, Leeds will be happy enough with Group 28. They will win ahead of Easington and then Luton Elite once again failing to live up to the Elite tag.
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I really don’t know what’s going on in Group 29. Every team seems to have changed its name. It makes it hard to know which team is which. I fancy Notts Supreme to be the former Nottingham A, and if they are, they should see off Bilston Superleague, a West Midlands team with some young talent in it. That leaves Diss Wizards looking less than magical.
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Group 30 is weak, by the standards of others. Riverside might be the team to beat. The Herts boys should see off Brighton B, while Stowmarket are newcomers to this arena, and to be honest, they should think themselves lucky to get a group like this.
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Group 31 is very tight. Ultimately, I think Lancaster has the form to win it, but Bedford’s A team, Meltis Club, are decent, and who can ever rule out Hertfordshire’s EHPL?
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Finally, Group 32 boasts Wigan, who should win the group, ahead of Witney Snooker B and Medway B.
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I don’t know if it’s just me, but maybe we are seeing the end of the era of ‘super-teams’, because for once, I can’t list the usual half-dozen to ten teams that actually have a chance. I can only name three (and Leicester isn’t one of them!). The defending champs, PJ’s Stourbridge, can never be discounted, but my gut tells me they won’t keep the trophy. It’s between the mighty Trent Trophies and the sublime Preston South, who are so desperate to get over that nearly-man tag. Given how difficult Trent Trophies’s group is, and thus the percentage chance of them getting through, I would, if I were a betting man, have to put my money on Preston South to lift the Interleague trophy for 2011. But don’t quote me on that!
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The Doctor's Surgery - October 2010
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Here it is – the moment all you pool fans have been waiting for! It’s been all of six months since the last Doctor’s Surgery, and if you’ve been suffering from withdrawal symptoms since then, you really need to get a life.
But with Yarmouth upon us shortly, duty and tradition dictate that I once again embarrass myself by making my predictions for the forthcoming Interleague Knockout Cup. Bear in mind, both Waterloo teams are in action having finished first and third in the London Cup, and skippers Jerry T and myself probably both feel that we are going up there armed with our strongest teams ever. Both teams could go a long way, so, as if to make us work hard for the glory, we have both been given tough draws in the group stages.
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Waterloo begins its efforts to improve on the excellent result of getting to the last-sixteen (and losing only 10-8 to Leicester) in April in Group 25, in the company of Derbyshire’s Corn Exchange and Lye and Stourbridge from the West Midlands. This group is a two-horse race. Lye and Stourbridge have been turning up for years, but it has been over a decade since they did anything of note. Previously solid quarter-final material, they may have suffered from the successes of neighbours such as PJ’s and have struggled to get out of the groups in recent campaigns. Corn Exchange, by contrast, are on the up – Waterloo played them once before, when they were called McCluskey’s, but both teams have improved dramatically since then. Corn Exchange boasts the best of Derbyshire A. I still think Waterloo will win the group but it won’t be easy.
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I wish I could be confident about Waterloo 2’s chances – and I am, in my own way – but I have to be objective here and to be fair, Preston South start as runaway favourites to win Group 3. They have finished runner-up in two of the last three Yarmouth events, both times losing out on play-offs (to Sun Valley and Trent Trophies A). They have international superstars like Gareth Hibbott and Lee Clough. But Big Willy has already laid down the marker with his recent comment that the Blackpool Tower (Clough) is going to come unstuck against the Tower of London! That’s the spirit. Fortunately we will have the chance to watch our opponents play each other in the group opener – that’s the Preston superstars and another decent team, NCPLE A from Northants (formerly known as Northants County and Pocket Rockets B). Don’t rule these guys out – they got to the quarter-finals in April. By any reckoning, we have the least pedigree in the group, but we also have one helluva squad, so there’s no way we’re cannon fodder. If the boys take their chances we could cause a real upset in this group.
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What about the rest of the room?
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Group 1 sees defending champs Sun Valley of Nottinghamshire in action against perennial contenders Wigan. Wigan is no pushover, but Sun Valley is a champion team and should win. Whoever the Cambridge Bruvs are (I have totally lost track of which Cambridge team is which – there have been so many different ones over the years), I suspect they will be outclassed.
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Group 2 has three evenly matched teams in Surrey’s Premier, Oxfordshire’s Witney and Derbyshire’s Glossop. No superstars here but all experienced teams – my money is on Witney, which has a little more firepower.
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Group 4 should be easy pickings for Ipswich A. Always nearly there, they don’t have the look of champions but they do have enough to see off Beverley Town and the inappropriately named Luton Elite which usually struggles to finish anything but last in its groups.
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Group 5 sees the debut of Newport (IoW), the first team from the Isle of Wight I can ever remember playing at Yarmouth (the county will be joining Region 7 next year so we’ll get to know these guys). Good luck to them but I doubt they will get out of the groups. Having said that, neither Milton Keynes C nor Chelmsford are world-beaters. This is a pretty low-status group, to be fair. On a toss of the coin I will go for Chelmsford.
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Group 6 doesn’t throw up any big guns either. I fancy Lancaster to win, ahead of Maidenhead C and Notts and District.
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Group 7 contains more pedigree. Lancashire’s Accrington (formerly Hyndburn) is the obvious pick, but on its day Surrey’s Croydon A can do some damage, and both Waterloo teams have been on the losing end of matches against Norwich B, so this is a tight one indeed.
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Kent’s Medway still benefits from the break-up of mighty Rochester and that should see them home in Group 8, where their opposition is provided by Cambridgeshire journeymen St Neots and Shropshire’s Shrewsbury B.
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Group 9 features Warwickshire’s all-star Reds Elite team. In recent years they have posted some disastrous results but they have a decent group this time so I fancy them to see off Oxfordshire’s Bicester Select and Cumbria’s Workington. But it really depends on what kind of mood they are in!
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In Group 10 there are two teams who I know nothing about – they may be new names or they may be new teams altogether. There’s Liverleague (presumably from Liverpool?) and NOPL A. Given that I know nothing about them I will opt for Gravesham to squeeze this unimpressive group.
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My tip for Group 11 is Kent’s steady Romney Marsh A side, although both Mid-Sussex and Derbyshire’s Fritchley have shown us in recent years that they have potential. It’s just that Romney Marsh rarely lose out in groups they should win.
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Group 12 contains one of the big names in the draw – East Herts. Of course, this new East Herts team is the former Riverside Elite, and I suspect it also contains some names from the old East Herts glory days, probably including a handful of familiar ex-London players now housed back in Hertfordshire and playing out of Neil’s club. That’s all I need to know about this group. East Herts all the way – which is a shame for Afford who did well last time out and are starting to break out of the shadow of their neighbour Trent Trophies. Witney Snooker A, from Oxfordshire, is new to this set-up and will struggle in this interesting group.
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Group 13 gives us a tight one between Chesterfield and the Surrey Warriors. There’s nothing to call between these teams, and that leaves Brighton B out in the cold. I will put my money on Chesterfield who are just that little bit more solid.
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Group 14 is not that impressive, as it contains Oldham B, Bull’s Head (I think a Bradford team) and Portsmouth Shearer (who have not been here for many years). In the absence of any real contender I will be bullish about the chances of Bull’s Head.
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Another hard one to call is Group 15. The Stockport Sharks are up against Nottingham and Ipswich B. I think the Sharks will win this, as Nottingham tends to struggle and Ipswich’s second team can’t match anything like the quality of its first team.
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No question about Group 16 though – the mighty Trent Trophies A, about whom I can run out of superlatives, should make mincemeat of the decent EHPL from Hertfordshire and Kettering Town from Northants.
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Our good friends in Battersea may think they have been given a good draw in Group 17, where their opponents are CWPL and Northwich B. I do think they have the firepower to see off Northwich B (assuming they field enough players!), but CWPL should not be taken lightly. For those not in the know, this team used to be known as Colchester. Yes, that’s it – Colchester, the very loud team in grey which has twice knocked Trent Trophies out of the group stages and once reached a Yarmouth final. Objectively, they have to start as firm favourites. Good luck to Battersea though!
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Another Stockport team, the Aces, lines up in Group 18 against Cannock Chase and Dinnington. I don’t know whether the Aces are better or worse than the Sharks, nor do I know whether Cannock Chase has anything to do with twice former Yarmouth champions (albeit a long long time ago) Cannock, but I do know that the underassuming Derbyshire team Dinnington got to the semi-finals a couple of years’ back and are always there or thereabouts. Their experience should see them through.
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On to Group 19, where PJ’s Stourbridge stand head and shoulders above the competition. PJ’s used to be the best team never to have won a title, until April when they finished off old rivals Trent Trophies in the final to make the big breakthrough. Could that be the start of a glorious era for them? Yes or no, the fact is they won’t be too afraid of perennial tryers City of Leicester and unknowns Whitecliffs Dover.
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Tolworth, Surrey’s best, always feature in my selection of possible winners, but they have yet to taste that kind of glory. This might be their year, and they should start off by making light work in Group 20 of Worthing from Sussex and Riley’s Coventry, although this latter team is new to me and its relationship to other Coventry teams is not clear.
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Somerset’s Weston A is another top team with a fine pedigree. It is hard to bet against them in Group 21, although they are occasionally known to slip on an early banana skin. Will that banana skin be Hammersmith and District A? Possibly. Or might it be Alsager, from Staffordshire? Unlikely. The smart money is on the Weston boys.
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Leicester, along with Trent Trophies and PJ’s the other one of the big three, is usually nailed on favourite to win its group, but what a draw it has been given this time in Group 22 – Norman’s Elite, who shocked everyone a couple of years’ back by winning in its first Yarmouth final. Then, the Rochdale team upset Dawley and Ipswich in the final two rounds, and in doing so established itself as one of the leading teams in the competition, although it hasn’t looked like a potential champ since then. On its day though it can beat anyone, as has been proved. My gut tells me to stick with Leicester for the group win though. Meltis Club, the team formerly known as Bedford A, have been here a few times before, and will be cursing their luck with this horrible draw.
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Dawley start as favourites in Group 23. They may struggle against Waterloo teams but the Shropshire outfit nearly always gets to the latter stages and remains one of the top teams in the country. Having said that, East Leeds has been to the latter stages as well and could catch Dawley, which is notoriously slow out of the starting gate, napping. Portsmouth probably don’t have the calibre to keep up with these two teams.
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In Group 24, we have two teams who can do very well indeed but for different reasons usually don’t. There’s Milton Keynes A, which has an absolute plethora of talent but has somehow underachieved to record proportions. Then there’s Coventry’s Reds I, which has plenty of attitude but usually gets drawn in a group with the likes of Leicester. This time round both teams will fancy their chances, and both will be quick to dismiss the Vale of Belvoir about whom I know nothing. I have a feeling that Reds I will emerge victorious in this group.
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Group 26 doesn’t make me salivate with excitement, so the best I can say is that Nuneaton A has a wealth of experience at this level and should use that to good advantage in seeing off Thurmaston and CLHPL A (a team I don’t recognise under this name).
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Norwich A are one of those teams I think, given a good draw and a few upsets for the big names, could go all the way. Make no mistake, they are a tasty outfit. I am confident they will win Group 27 ahead of perennial journeymen Howden and making-up-the-numbers Dawley B.
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In Group 28 another London team, Frank Smith PL, makes its return to Yarmouth. Now, as we all know, this is not the same Frank Smith team that used to contain London’s very best – that team folded. This is a team representing the actual Frank Smith league and I don’t recall this league being represented since the end of the last millennium. They have actually been given a decent draw as well – Walsall are nowhere near as potent as their wealth of experience might suggest, and Barnsley Monday are unknown to me. I think Frank Smith can win this group if they apply themselves, but in the name of objectivity I will say that the favourite is Walsall.
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There are no big guns in Group 29 although Surrey’s Godalming usually have a decent run. That’s why I fancy them to win this group, ahead of Halifax A and Weston B. I might sneak a look at this group and chat to some of the Halifax players – they may need a good new player and I might have just the man for them (Sick Note, now relocated to the Halifax area).
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There’s a mouth-watering encounter in Group 30 – Wolverhampton Wednesday B, who can never be ruled out and have more than established themselves as a team in their own right since the dissolution many years ago of their ‘A’ team (most of whom joined PJ’s), take on Leeds. We got to see Leeds up close in April and they were OK, but they couldn’t pull it together enough to win the group then so there are doubts about their consistency. While I will rule out Lowestoft Town, who are no bad team, I’m not sure who the favourites here should be – but I will go for Leeds.
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In Group 31 - Brighton A return to Yarmouth after a brief absence. This is another of the great teams, but they have yet to emerge as champions despite some terrific performances. They are up against South Norfolk, a very tasty team, and Renegade A, Berkshire’s finest. Now this is what I call a group of death! For years I have been picking Renegade as a dark horse, and they always let me down, but this year I can only predict a fruitless Yarmouth, given the quality of the opposition. It was South Norfolk who won the group Waterloo II was in back in April, seeing us off 10-8 and then beating Leeds. In my two frames against them I got one shot – a dry break in the first frame. After that I got dished up and then in my second frame broke-dished by Carl Clack. South Norfolk oozes talent and Brighton can’t afford to take them lightly. This group is so worth watching if you are a neutral – there are many big names on show, and the quality of pool should be first rate. I’ll go for Brighton A but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if South Norfolk did the business.
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The tournament ends with Group 32, and this is another quite group. For me, Whitehaven, which I believe is from Cumbria, has the edge on its rivals. The Leicester Bulls are another decent team from that hot-bed of pool which usually fields so many teams, while Lord Nelson A are totally new to me.
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So, now I have to pick a winner. There are some teams here I think might well cause some surprises, not least Norwich A and Tolworth, while defending champs Sun Valley and newly re-empowered East Herts can’t be ruled out, and – if they are fortunate enough to get out of the group stages – Preston South must be among the real contenders, but if you are a picking a winner, you’d be unlikely to look outside the big three. Can PJ’s repeat their magnificent achievement from April? Can Leicester get themselves back on the winner’s podium? Can Trent Trophies A out the disappointment of letting the final slip away from them six months ago?
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To be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that they are playing us in the group I might be tempted to pick Preston South to finally win a final at its third time of asking, and certainly I would currently rate them ahead of Leicester, but I just can’t bring myself to do that. You can’t blame me for that! So there’s only one winner for me: Trent Trophies A.
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Boring prediction? Yes, I know – but I rarely opt for them, and it is worth remembering that the tournament isn’t usually that ‘open’ to outsiders (Normans Elite notwithstanding). They rarely go a year without winning one of the Yarmouths, so I don’t see why this year should be an exception.
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Last words – best of luck to all London teams! The draw has not been supremely kind to us, but we know we have the talent, so let’s show it!
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Game on!

The Doctor

September 27th 2010
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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(!).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!).
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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 …
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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.
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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.
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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!)
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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.
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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, onTable 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.
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On Table 2, there’s a really tight group featuring three teams – Lye & Stourbridge from the West Midlands, Grove Elite from West Yorkshire, andBracknell & 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.
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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.
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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’sGlossop, and West Yorkshire’s Macmillan.
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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.
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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’sFolkestone or Cheshire’s Northwich, but Northwich went to the Interleague finals in March as first-timers and promptly won their group, so watch out.
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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, andBarking 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 …
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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.
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Another relatively weak group lines up on Table 9, with Derby, East Leeds andBrighton 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.
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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.
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On Table 11, I’m going for Brighton B to win, ahead of Penrith, and finallyLeek 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.
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Table 12 will see a shoot-out between two very good sides in Chesterfield andSurrey Warriors. I fancy Chesterfield to come out on top. Pity poor High Wycombe, newcomers and cannon-fodder.
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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, andPreston 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!
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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 orClitheroe giving them any trouble at all on Table 14.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Last year’s surprise runner-up Colchester should have no problem winning onTable 18, against Nottinghamshire’s Newbold and Sussex’s Brighton S.
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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.
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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!).
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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.
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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 Chorlton.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.