Welcome to the home of the 2010 National Champions - London A and London B.

London A 21 - 23 Surrey A

Disappointing not to get at least a draw out of this game, having thrown a few frames away (but don't dwell on them... one always remembers those frames better than the ones which were thrown the other way).

Having said that, for a new team, playing against a Surrey side which is still very strong despite the loss of the likes of Norris, Strivens, and Richard Lambert, this was a very encouraging result and performance.

London got off to a cracking start, taking 5 of the first 6 frames, but Surrey rallied well to win the next 5. It was
nip and tuck from then on, with Surrey finally stretching to a 22-18 lead leaving us needing the last 4 frames for a draw. The next 3 to play hadn't had the best of days, but Kyle Merrigan and Rupert Ward both managed to finish well to win their second of the match before Michael Brown pulled off a great finish under a lot of pressure (it being his first win of the match as well as a potentially match-saving one). That left Jerry Tickell under the spotlight again, and he was on for a break-and-dish when he lost position... ending up too close to one of his 3 remaining balls. Half an inch either way and it would have been simple, but while he managed to pot it had become too hard to retain position, and Jason Retter took his chance to nick the win for Surrey.

We started with 5 players from last year (all of whom finished in the region's top 20):

Jack Pople 3/4 (Man of the Match)
Sean Halligan 2/4
Joe Prince 1/4 (one of his losses being a B&D)
Rupert Ward 2/4
Jerry Tickell 2/4

4 coming up from the B team:

Rob Chalmers 3/4
Paul McHale 2/4
Kyle Merrigan 2/4
Michael Brown 1/4

and 2 former National Champions returning to the side:

Andrew Breen 2/4
Nigel Smith 1/4

London A squad members Jamie Fay, Chris Snyman, and Darren Baker had to play in the Bs this time, but their chance will come. It was hard to choose who to play in this match, and I can see that being a theme of the year, particularly as I'm hopeful that we'll have fewer absences than over the last couple of years. But with a bit of patience and understanding, and enthusiasm for playing for the county whichever team we have to play in, I'm sure that we'll be building a very solid team from this squad. It's also worth mentioning that the atmosphere around the A and B tables was one of the best I can remember at JFK's, so good work on that front to everyone.

The team is definitely up for it, and more than capable of winning the region despite this early (but minor) set-back.

Wow! I couldn't be more pleased with the guys than I am after our tremendous comeback win yesterday. It's such a shame we can't all celebrate an overall win for London against our arch rivals but let's hope we can do that when we visit them at their place. Meanwhile, hats off to the new look C team.

It was always going to be difficult starting this season given all the changes that have taken place to the squads in the closed season. At the trials we recruited more new players than I can ever recall due to all the retirements (not by C players I should add!). Such was their commitment to the cause that yesterday even without any players down from the Bs we would have had more than we could have started with (according to my calculations 16 C team players turned up yesterday, without those in the B squad). Given that we then received a record breaking 7 B players, there was real pressure on places and I had to make some very difficult choices. Sorry if I didn't bring you in yesterday, I hope the result vindicates my omission and please rest assured that I do intend on spreading the glory as much as I can across this very large squad.

Everyone was in good spirits for the new season, all having the same attitude as we finished last season. We were fighting fit and ready to go. The first leg we went 6 - 2 behind and brought it back to 6 - 5, then all legs were just as close, the new players settled in great and played well. No one really played to their full potential so for us to get a draw was a fantastic result.

It will go to show that when we are all playing on top form we will be a team to beat. The player of the month was Corinne Grattan who won 3/4 and played really well throughout. Congratulations Corinne.

The Premier Division for 2010 will run from 11 February to 29 April on Thursdays from 7pm onwards @ J.F.K’S Pool Club. Entry is £150 with all matches being best of 10 frames.

Prize Money (Subject to 11 runners):-

First Place - £500

Second Place - £375

Third Place - £250

Winner of Play-Off £150

Runner up of Play-Off £100

Please confirm entry by 7th February 2010. Players must be registered with GLCPA. All matches played to World Rules.

J.F.K’s Pool Club 188 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4NF.

Saturday 13th February 2010

£20 Entry

All matches best of 13 frames

Tables on Free Play

Played to World Rules

12:30 Registration for a 1pm Start

1 entry for every 16 runners. Winner receives entry and 2 nights accommodation at the 2nd IPA tour event in Hinckley from 2nd - 5th April 2010.

For further details contact Jerry Tickell on 07773373045.

The deadline for entering the 2010 tour is approaching please visit Region 7 Tour for further information, application forms etc.

A new 4 event u21 tour played to the swiss system (3 lives).

Open to first 64 PAID entries. (AMATEUR ONLY).

£100 entry

Event 1 - Saturday 5th June, Riverside Pool Club, Riverside House, Amwell End, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 3HS

Event 2 - Saturday 31st July, Club 147, 171 Wilton Street, Belgrave Gate, Leicester, LE1 3HS

Event 3 - Saturday 4th September, Players Pool and Snooker Lounge, 10 Queens Parade, Newcastle-Under-Lyme ST5 1RW

Event 4 - Saturday 27th Novermber, Riverside Pool Club, Riverside House, Amwell End, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 3HS

Swiss System to be played until only 16 players remain in the competition.
Swiss System stage best of 7.
Last 16 onwards to be Knockout best of 11.

The trials for the 2010 squad will be held on Sunday 17th January 2010. 11.30 registration for a 12 noon start. All trials will be run using a swiss system and World Rules will apply.

The Men's trials will be at J.F.K’s Pool Club 188 Rye Lane London SE15 4NF with tables on free play. Entry fee is £10 with £5 being deducted from the affiliation fee if successful).

For further details contact either Ian Chapman on 07723099225, Debbie Pople 07824701791 or Jerry Tickell on 07773373045.

In a change for 2010 the Ladies and Junior Pool Team Trials will be held at Rileys, Southfields 227/229 Wimbledon Park Road Southfields London SW18 5RJ. Tables will be on free play for triallists and any existing squad members who would like to come down for practice. Entry for the trials is £5 which will be deducted from the affiliation fee of any successful triallist).

For further details contact either Gill Buckingham on 07824471333, Debbie Pople on 07824701791 or Jerry Tickell on 07773373045.

Good luck to all attending.

LONDON C 22 – SURREY C 22

We ended the season with a real cracker of a game on Sunday, a match which swung one way and then the other (no jokes please) and finally ended in a draw. On paper this was probably a fair result although I think a few of us will be kicking ourselves for missed chances. There were a few games where we were on the black first and failed to finish, and there were also those games, mainly on JFK’s table of death, Table 8, where some outrageous luck went against us, and Danny, Will and Mark are among those who have every right to look to the heavens and wonder what is going on. But having said that these things tend to even themselves out and no doubt the Surrey boys are also focusing on missed chances in the games they lost, so let us all settle for an amicable draw. It does mean we don’t get to finish third, and it just about prevents us from having a balanced season in terms of wins and losses, but on the positive side it means we finish unbeaten during the home stretch of the season and look forward to starting 2010’s campaign with renewed vigour.

Yes , we bloody well did .
We went the whole season undefeated.
We beat the National Champions home and away.
We amassed more points than other other team before us.
We won the first Region 7 title for the B's since 1994.

We are , The Champions.

Another class performance seen us see off Surrey with a comfortable 25-19 win. And 25 against Surrey is a very very good score , especially with 3 of our players only getting 2 out of a possible 12 frames between them .
We still havent had a match where all of us have been firing throughout, so i'm hoping that time comes in the first weekend in March when we go to Yarmouth to play the National Finals.
One comforting thing is that my two main underachievers as of late , Ian Clarke and Adam Coppen, have both in the past performed on the big stage that is yarmouth, with Ian winning Flyers at will and also having a Champions of Champions title to his name and with Adam qualifying with ease into the England U21 team and a couple of weeks ago was in a team with Dean Wisher, Andy Breen, Rob Taylor etc and was the best player the whole weekend and didnt go out until the C of C semi finals.
We were also missing two of our 13 strong squad that is going to Yarmouth for this last match of the season v Surrey , who were VC Stephen Wallace and Kyle Merrigan who if he had not missed 3 matches in the season , i think would of certrainly been challenging for honours.
Some players have fallen by the wayside during our campaign and wont be part of the squad for the Nationals, Jamie Fay, Chris Yates , Alex Lawrence, Joe Cunningham and Etienne Wagner.
I would also like to thank Mark Eldridge who twice gave up his chance to be C team player of the season to help us out , and help us out he did , with two great performances guaranteeing him a place in the 2010 B team.
Well done to you all, thankyou for contributing and dont forget , that even though you may not be in the 13 going to the National Finals, you are part of a Region 7 title winning team.

Back to the match in question , we started of every section strongly , gaining a nice lead and then finished each set very weak and letting Surrey get back into the Match, was this due to my team selection ? Was it down to the players at the back end underachieving ? A bit of both i think , something we will have to remedy by March.

On an Individual level

As i said , three people underachieved with only 2 frames out of a possible 12 , who were Ian Clarke, Adam Coppen and Robbie Robb. Although Adam and Robbie did win their last frames of the day which were vital in ensuring we had a comfortable win. If they had lost them 2 frames aswell, things could of been a lot more edgy closing out the match. so well done to them for not crumbling under the pressure of possibly getting nil out of 4 for the day.

Myself , Tony Bailey, Bri Chudasama, Darren Baker and Chris Snyman all put in fairly solid performances.
Well done to Michael Brown, 3/4 for the day ensuring he finishes top of the stats for the B team for at least the 2nd time in his County career. And Michael, if the County fuck up again and dont get you a trophy , i'll get it myself .
Paul Mchale used all his experience and didnt try to smash anyone to pieces but instead just controled each frame he played , let his opponenent do all the work and just mopped up the mess , a very impressive 4/4 .

MOTM go's to Rob Chalmers , a superb performance , again proving me right to put him No1 in the line up. Not only was he my man of the match , he was the Surrey captains man of the match , which go's to show , that my opinion of Rob is not a biased one and that class shines through for all to see. By far the most improved player of the season and a nailed on cert to be an A team player in 2010.

3/4 rob chalmers
4/4 paul mchale
4/4 john kelly
3/4 michael brown
2/4 chris snyman
0/4 ian clarke
2/4 darren baker
2/4 bri chudasama
1/4 robbie robb
1/4 adam coppen
3/4 tony bailey


ok boys , well played , we've passed stage 1 , now onto stage 2. The Main Event.
bring it on , lets do ourselves and our County proud. This is going to be the greatest Yarmouth ever for atmosphere with 3 teams from London , 3 teams from Surrey and 1 team from Kent all representing Region 7. The Stage is set, all thats needed now, is for us to turn up.

The 2009 London Open will be played at JFK's on Sunday December 6th. Entry is £15, payable in advance. Closing date for entry is Sunday November 29th. Only the first 64 paid entries will be accepted, thereafter players will go on a reserve list. Guaranteed prize fund of £1060, subject to 64 entries, (includes £100 added). All matches will be best of 11 frames in early rounds, best of 13 in semi finals and final. Doors open at 10am, with the first session at 10.30am, followed by 11.45am and 1pm sessions to complete round 1. Round 2 will commence at 2.15pm, followed by a 3.30 session. There will be a plate event for 1st and 2nd round losers, starting at 2.30pm. Plate will be £10 to enter. All matches best of 7 frames in early rounds, best of 9 in semi finals and final. Anticipated prize fund of £480, subject to 48 entries.

To enter, please see Sean Halligan at JFK's or send a cheque or postal order, made payable to "GLCPA", to: Debbie Pople, 1 Boundry House, Bethwin Rd, London, SE5 OTB. For more info please contact Debbie Pople on 07824701791 or Jerry Tickell on 07773373045.

The draw will be made on Sunday November 29th, and will be posted here on Monday November 30th, including session times.

We are also hoping to hold a Ladies Open and a Junior Open on Sunday November 29th, subject to a minimum of 8 entries in each event. Entry will be £10, payable on the day. All matches best of 9 frames. Doors open at 12pm, for a 12.30 start.