This page includes links to the Yorkshire Evening Press reports by Faber Shield Chairman, Colin Robinson for the 2002-03 season. An end of season report written by Richard Stroughair will also be found here. If you have any suggestions as to additional items to be stored in these pages, or can fill in any gaps, please contact me here.
END OF 2002-03 SEASON
HEWORTH `A' team achieved their seventh league and cup double in nine years when they beat Bootham `A' 4-2 in the York Conservative Clubs' Kutters and Shannons team snooker final at Acomb club. Matches were refereed by Ian Gillies, Marcus O'Boyle and Bob Ventress. Presentations were made to the teams by competition sponsor Roy Walker of Kutters and Shannons.
League champions Heworth `A' received the Carlsberg-Tetley Snooker League trophy from Ian Gillies, chairman of the York Federation of Conservative Clubs. He also presented the John Smith's `B' team cup to Bootham's Chris Grainger; Carlsberg-Tetley Faber Shield Billiards trophy to Fulford captain Alan Reed; Pulleyn's Playmates Slater Cup Snooker Pairs team trophy to Keith Dalby, captain of Acomb and Willsden Steel Cup to joint players of the year Brian Coulson and Ken Taylor of Bootham, Clive Whyte (Heworth) and Richard Stroughair (Fulford), each winning 12 games.
John Sykes presented the North Wolds Printers' Cup to Clive Whyte (Heworth) for the highest snooker break of the season (60). The runner-up was Jason Milner (Heworth) for his 59 break. Colin Robinson, chairman of the Faber Shield Committee, presented the Most Dedicated Player award to Bob Ventress of Acomb
Billiards player of the year awards were presented to George Long (Bootham),
Barry Rankin (Bootham) and Richard Stroughair (Fulford) by Keith Myers on
behalf of the sponsors Cameo Engraving. Ken Taylor (Bootham) won the highest
break for his 81 break.
Fulford's Season Report 2002-03
It has been a good season for Fulford in both Snooker and Billiards.
Fulford took a close fought Billiards League by winning their final game 5-2
to win the Faber Shield by 1 point from Bootham B. Brian Bickerstaff who won
eight of his twelve games and Colin Neal (who won six) were notable performers.
The Fulford billiards team of 2002-03 who won the Faber Shield title by one point over Bootham B. From left to right they are: Brian Bickerstaff, Roger Gibson, Phil Oliver, Richard Stroughair, Alan Reed (captain), Colin Neal and Wayne Puleston.
Richard Stroughair created League history by winning both the Billiards and Snooker Player of the Season Awards in the same season. He won ten of his twelve billiards games, including two over Barry Rankin who he shared the Billiards award with. In the Carlsberg-Tetley Snooker League he won twelve of his fourteen matches, including notable victories over Barry Rankin and Clive Whyte (including a 36 break), which helped Fulford A gain third position in the League - their highest finish for some years. Other notable perfomances for the A team came from Sam England (9 wins from 13 games) and Wayne Puleston (7 wins from 14). Fulford B fell one point short of winning the B Team Cup, losing out to Bootham B. They enjoyed a number of good performances this season including Bob Smith (9 wins from 14), George Toone (8 wins) and Ray Thackray (7 wins).
In the individual competitions, Fulford also had a good season. Brian Bickerstaff and Richard Stroughair both made the quarter finals of the Hylton Foster Billiards. Brian lost to the 2002 winner Tim Fillingham and Richard, looking to repeat his success of 2001, lost by 1 point to the eventual winner George Tingle of Bootham. However, Richard went on to win the Fosters Cup Individual Snooker Knockout by beating Kevin Gall of Heworth 3-1 in the Final at Bootham after a 2-0 defeat of Jeff Brown (Bootham B) in the Semi-Final. He beat Chris Granger (Bootham B) 2-1 and club mate Arthur Pegdon (2-1) before beating Clive Whyte (Heworth A) in the quarter final 2-1 with a break of 38.
Richard Stroughair (Fulford) with his individual trophies won in 2002-03. Richard won the Fosters Cup Snooker (3-1 over Kevin Gall of Heworth) and became the first person to win both player of the season awards for snooker and billiards in the same season. Above from left to right: Cameo Engraving Billiards Player of the Season, Fosters Cup Snooker Trophy and Willsden Steel Snooker Player of the Season.