Who Will Win the Titles ?
The second half of the season is upon us and the race for the titles has begun ! Parrfold T.C. have been making plans for the Presentation Dance which will be at Leigh T.C. this year. Tickets will soon be sent to Clubs. Don’t miss out on a good night’s entertainment. Remember each Club is asked to provide a Raffle Prize. Think about it now and let Sue Bleakley from Parrfold or myself have something to Raffle before the end of the season. Don’t leave it until the last minute or you will forget. Good luck for the remaining matches ! Marjorie
World Cup .......Oh dear !!!!
Over the next few weeks the World Cup football matches will no doubt interfere with match nights. If Clubs are unable to raise teams on the match night then the match will have to be forfeited. Sorry Folks but there simply isn’t the time to rearrange fixtures.
Save yourself the anguish and frustration of watching England
......go play your tennis and enjoy yourselves !!!!!!!!!!!!!
More Sad News
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Joan, the wife of Arthur Radcliffe. Arthur played in the Walkden League for many years at Club and Inter League level. Although Joan did not play tennis she supported Arthur at many of our social functions. Our thoughts and sympathy are with Arthur at this sad time.
Victorious Parrfold and Claremont !!
Wednesday 2nd. June was a momentous day for Parrfold A !! Over the years there have been many hard fought games against Leigh A with no victory at the end for Parrfold. That changed, however, on a lovely evening at Parrfold Park when they notched up a victory winning the match 51-36. Parrfold A men won all four sets comfortably and J.Stanger and M.Holmes were successful in their two sets for the ladies with P Ashton and A. Williams winning some games.
Claremont A also had a tremendous victory in May when they beat Leigh A 49-45 in a real battle of a match when Claremont Ladies won by 9 games helping out their men who lost by 5 games. Well done girls!!!
Will a new name be on the 1st Division trophy this year ???
Time will tell..........?
The First Draw !!
The first draw of the season occurred in Division 2 between Claremont B and Roe Green A. Both teams scored 42 games having played sets to six because of the dull weather. Will the return match be as exciting ? Watch this space !
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS !!
Tyldesley A beat Claremont A by ONE GAME this week !! 39 to 38
Tyldesely B beat Leigh C by ONE GAME this week !! 34 to 33
What a start to the season! So far match cards (apart from one team)are being returned promptly. Well done keep it up !
END OF AN ERA FOR GUILDHALL........
During this season the three Guildhall teams will play at the Ellesmere Sports Club. Guildhall members have been playing their matches on the courts beside the Guildhall in Walkden for nearly 60 years. In 1952 two teams called Guildhall were accepted into the Walkden League. The teams ended up at the end of that first season in the bottom positions of Division 1 and Division 2 respectively. In 1956 a team called Nalgo entered the League only to resign in 1957 still owing money to the League which was eventually written off! Some of the players (Ben Marsh and the late Frank and Bess Cooke) joined the Guildhall Club. Ben still tells the stories of those early days. I ( League Secretary Marjorie) joined Guildhall in 1962 having married, settled in Worsley and been persuaded by Ben that Guildhall needed me! I’ve played in every season since then!!! Over the years many teams have battled it out on the Guildhall shale courts!! (Public courts owned by Salford Council). The Guildhall Club obtained sole use of the courts several years ago by agreeing hire and maintain them. Unfortunately major work is now required which the Club is unable to undertake and sadly has had to terminate the contract and leave their long standing venue. GUILDHALL will play at ELLESMERE SPORTS CLUB from now on. The third team played there last season and were made very welcome. The Members of Guildhall look forward to playing there and to the future.
A VERY,VERY BIG THANK YOU TO.........JOHN ROBINSON .......
JOHN ROBINSON has been the Treasurer of the League for 25 Years. A member of Parrfold T.C. he became League Treasurer in 1985 and each year since has kept the League finances in excellent order, producing clear and concise balance sheets for the Annual General Meetings. He carried out his League duties very efficiently even when working abroad. Sometimes Clubs did not make it easy. There were always those who forgot to pay their dues on time but John chased them up making it possible to keep League team subscriptions as low as possible and thus benefiting everyone. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for his service to the League for such a long period of time. John is moving away from the area but we hope he will return from time to time to visit and perhaps have a game or two of tennis on Parrfold Park with friends. We wish you all the best for the future and hope you find good tennis wherever you are. THANKS FOR BEING A REAL TREASURE OF A TREASURER !!
READY FOR THE OFF ? Read about the new idea !
The Fixtures for the coming season are now on the Website following the decisions taken at the A.G.M. Division 1 has 9 teams and Divisions 2&3 have 8 teams. Cup Matches for the 1st Division therefore will all have to be played on Friday nights as there are insufficient Wednesday nights available. Every effort has been made to avoid the Friday nights of the May Bank holiday period to help Clubs raise teams.
Since the A.G.M. a new idea regarding the Cup Finals has been suggested in order that matches might be played in better light and enable Clubs to field full teams during August :- As soon as the finalists and venues are known team Captains may consult and by agreement arrange to play the Finals at any time before the last week of the season. If agreement cannot be reached then the finals will take place as stated on the Cup Fixture List. The League Committee think it will be good to trial the suggestion and if it is successful will propose it be adopted into the Cup Rules at the next A.G.M. Information regarding this will be posted with the match cards and other pre season information by the end of March.
Come on ! Get out there ! Start practising ! GOOD LUCK !!!
Annual General Meeting
Monday 1st. March 2010 at Claremont Tennis Club. Time 7.30p.m.
Agenda is available to download. Copies have been sent to all Club Secretaries. No propositions have been received. Please ensure that your Club is represented.
New Season -- 2010
Are you thinking about Tennis yet ??? Your League Secretary is and will soon be posting all the details for the League Annual General Meeting on the Website. The meeting will be at Claremont Tennis Club on Monday 1st. March at 7.30 p.m.
If you have any propositions for the meeting please put them in writing and let Marjorie have them by the 10th February so all Clubs can be notified before the meeting.
The 2009 season ended with a superb Presentation Dance - look up the report on the Home Page.
PRESENTATION DANCE GET YOUR TICKETS!!
You know all the winners now. Come and support the Presentation Dance Friday 25th September. Put on your glad rags and see if we can recognise each other when we’re not in tennis gear!!! Monton are working hard to make it a really good night out. Let’s have FUN !!!
CUP FINALS DRAW for 19/08/09
Div.1 Ladies Astley A (home) v Leigh A
Men Tyldesley A (home v Leigh A
Div.2 Ladies Leigh B (home) v Monton
Men Claremont B (home) v Leigh B
Div.3 Ladies Claremont C (home) v Golborne
Men Golborne (home) v Winton
Note Cup Match Rules.(v.League Rules 11.1 - 11.9 on Website)
In particular Rule 11.1 " No player may play in a Cup Match until he or she has played in three league matches in the current season, unless permission has been received from the Secretary."
SHALL WE DANCE ??? YES !!! ON SEPTEMBER 25th AT MONTON !
Tickets for the Presentation Dance at Monton Tennis Club on Friday 25th September should be with all Clubs now. Make sure you get yours. Don’t miss out. Last year the Dance was huge success. At £10.00 a ticket including your supper it’s not an expensive night out.You’ll know most of the people there - that’s if you can recognise then dressed up!! Everyone will be in the mood for a knees up and a "reet good do" Formalities will be kept to a minimum. Put the notice up in your club and give it your ATTENTION. Clubs are asked to provide a Raffle prize. You can bring it on the night or let Monton or Marjorie have it beforehand. Come along whether your club has won anything or not.Remember it’s the taking part that’s the important thing. Take part and I’ll see you at the Dance.
THOSE WHO DARE WIN !!!
What a match it will be on Wednesday next when Tyldesley "A" take on the defending champions Leigh "A". Tyldesley "A" are the only team in the 1st. Division threatening to beat the Defending Champions and take away their title. Only one point separates the teams. Every player is bound to feel the pressure and everyone will play their heart out. Tyldesley will have the advantage of being the home team. But it’s August and holiday time. Will both Clubs be able to field their full team ?? We await the result. GOOD LUCK to both teams and may the best team win !!
SECOND DRAW OF THE SEASON
The third Division produced the second draw of the season last week.The players in the match between Culcheth and Winton battled it out only to find at the end the honours were even 42 each. The first draw was also in the 3rd Division between Claremont "C" and Astley "B" which ended up with 31 games each. I expect every player can remember the game that got away. ! That’s what makes the Walkden League unique - counting games not sets. If a pair happen to lose 8-1, it’s better than losing 8-0 for that one game could win the match or cause a draw. Players fight to get as many games as they can and finally the whole team’s winning games count. Often the victorious team only becomes clear right at the end in the last two sets. What a way to encourage team spirit and effort !
ANOTHER CLOSE ENCOUNTER !!!!
The match last week between Guildhall "B" and Leigh "C" ended in a tight finish. One game separated them at the end. Guildhall won thanks to their Men who managed to get the vital game.
Overall the Ladies lost by 2 and the Men won by 3. Well done Guys !
UNBEATEN !
Leigh B (Division 2) and Golborne (Division 3) are the only undefeated teams in the League to date. Can they keep it up all season? Watch this space !
HOLIDAYS & FOOTBALL NIGHTMARE ! ! ! ! ! !
The Spring Bank Holiday and the European Cup gave Club Team Selectors a nightmare last week. Too many players unavailable to play (yours truly included ). There was no alternative in some cases and matches had to be forfeited. We will have to look into this at the next A.G.M. so put on your thinking caps and find a solution.
A MATCH THAT WENT TO THE WIRE
A win for PARRFOLD "A" by 1 game (35-34) over Tyldesley "A" provided the excitment last week. K. Nixon & S. Entwistle won 6-4,6-2 but R.Nixon & J Seddon lost 6-1,6-0 leaving the Parrfold men 5 games down. Parrfold ladies P.Ashton & C.Nixon won 6-4,6-4 and M.Holmes & G.Stanger won 6-2 and lost 4-6 making them 6 games up, So Parrfold "A" won by one game. Well done girls !! They meet again in the 1st Round of the Cup. Will Tyldesley get their revenge ?
SHOCK RESULT ! ! !
GUILDHALL "A" BEAT LEIGH "A" last Wednesday 6th May. After winning the 1st.Division Title last season without dropping a match and making a positive start to this season, Leigh "A" slipped up on the tricky red shale at Guildhall. What a pity I haven’t had the card to give you more details ! !
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REMEMBER YOU CAN BE FINED IF YOU DO NOT SEND THE CARD ! This is a FINAL warning.
THANKYOU SECRETARIES
Thanks to all the secretaries who replied to me via the Website E mail. I was pleased to receive your acknowledgements. At least you can contact me this way. I had a bit of trouble with one or two of your E Mail addresses but I will contact these secretaries & sort things out over the next day or two. Don’t forget to send me any news items about your Club and any events you are holding so I can put them on the News Website.
KEARSLEY TRIUMPHS AGAIN ! LEIGH "A" POSITIVE TITLE START
Kearsley continue their winning streak by beating Claremont "B" 38 -35. Well Done Ladies being 2 games up overall and Gents for a 1 game lead overall.
Leigh "A" have made a positive start to holding their 1st Division Title by winning both the games played so far.
WHAT A MATCH !! SIZZLING START TO NEW SEASON ! !
The first match of the season between Leigh C and Kearsley proved to be a real nail biter. Barry Williams and Barry Young pulled off an 8-0 win but Kearsley’s Danny Johnson and J. Booth replied wth an 8-2 win and then an 8-1 win over Leigh’s other men’s pair. D.Sudell and D.Coe for Leigh’s Ladies produced an 8-2 win but Brenda and Sheila fought back with an 8-1 win over Leigh’s 2nd Ladies pair. FINAL RESULT KEARSLEY WINNERS BY ONE POINT 42-41. Well done Kearsley!! A good start following your promotion to the 2nd. Division !
GIRL POWER AT ASTLEY ! Promotion to the First Division didn’t scare Astley’s Ladies who won all four sets and helped their team to a 43-28 victory over Walkers. Good effort Girls ! Keep it up !
SAD NEWS
During the closed season we were very sorry to learn of the death of Eillen Gee. Our deepest sympathy goes to her husband Derek. Eileen was a playing member of the League along with Derek for many years. Eileen and Derek donated a Trophy to the League some time ago and were asked to be our guests at the Presentation Dance two years ago to present the trophies and prizes. Many members of the League attended Eileen’s funeral.The church was full which showed how much Eileen was respected by her work colleagues,tennis friends and church members, She will be missed.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and WEBSITE UPDATE and e-mail address
The Annual General Meeting was held on Monday March 2nd. 2009 at Claremont Tennis Club.Eight Clubs were represented. Reports and accounts were presented and adopted. Subscriptions remain at £8.00 per team. Lowton resigned from the League due to lack of players. League Formation - 3 Divisions of 8 teams. Matches start 22nd April 2009 at 6.30p.m. PROMPT. Presentation dance to be organised by Monton and details will be given later. The Website is activated.
Click on www.walkdenanddistricttennisleague.co.uk to gain access. There is also an E-mail address info@walkdenanddistricttennisleague.co.uk Only names of Club Contacts have been put on the Website for the moment as not all data permission forms have been returned to date. HAVE A GOOD SEASON ! LET ME HAVE YOUR NEWS TO POST ON THE WEBSITE.