Hi everyone

That’s it, I’m afraid; another summer season has come to an end. Hope you’ve all enjoyed it and already looking forward to next year.

I do realise it gets a bit repetitive but this Newsletter won’t be very much different from those in previous years – except, of course, there will be some changes to team or individual names.

Divisional honours

Premier Division Champions Shakespeare B Runners up Bell A

Division One Champions Red Lion Brackley Runners up Rose & Crown

Division Two Champions Pheasant Inn A Runners up Red Cow

Division Three Champions Butchers Arms Runners up Crown CoO B

Division Four Champions Ex Services Runners up Plough MG Two

Division Five Champions Ardley Utd FC Runners up Barley Mow

Top doll scorer 

Doug Revitt (Shakespeare B) – a much improved player from last season (“practice makes perfect” obviously!); average has gone up from 3.483 per leg to 3.90 (almost 4 dolls in every one of his 60 league legs). A great player.

Division Two’s top doll scorer – Dave Futter (White Horse) – 2.86 per leg.

Division Three – Joe Young (Ashton Club) – 2.60.

Division Four – Tracey Denton (Ex Services) – 2.24

Division Five – Alvin Knowles (Barley Mow) – 2.27

Ladies Top Doll Scorer – Tracey Denton (Ex Services) – 2.24

Finals night 

Exactly as I said last year, a truly brilliant atmosphere once again - “an aunt sally spectacle”! Despite the threat earlier in the week thast we could possibly be in for a wet night, thankfully, that didn’t happen. In the 15 years I’ve been organising these evenings, we’ve not had a dampened finals night yet – cold at times, but not wet! Long may it continue! We were mighty close ‘cos it certainly came down on Saturday.

It gets better and better! Launton Sports and Social, and their staff, should feel so proud of how they looked after us; special thanks to Steve Golder for arranging and setting up the barriers and the practice throw. Also to those helping out with the refreshments – thank you all very much! My thanks go out to them all for helping to provide a spectacular venue and facilities for such an occasion.

Our sincere thanks to Clear Vision Financial Services for sponsoring the league once again this season – and to the ‘friends of the league’, many of whom wish to remain anonymous. Thank you all once again.

I did have posters scattered about on the night offering our thanks to those companies and individuals who have sponsored some of the trophies this season. Their contributions are very much appreciated. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to afford the quality of trophies that we provide. Thank you all very much.

Finals Night Results

League Cup Winners

In the battle of the Shakespeares, the B team saw off the challenge of the Originals to win 2-1.

League Plate Winners

Tiddington CC beat Crown CoO A 2-1.

Intermediate Cup Winners

Lower Heyford S&SC overcame the challenge of Crown CoO B.

Intermediate Plate Winners

Chandos Arms beat newcomers to the league, Crown Twyford B, 2-0.

Supplementary Cup Winners

The Hundred Acres. Themselves new to the league, beat fellow newcomers, Pheasant Inn B.

Supplementary Plate Winners

Barley Mow, Heyford beat Bell B 2-1.

Triples Winners

Tiddington CC beat the Red Lion Brackley in this newly introduced competition.

The Terry Hawkins Pairs Cup

Clive Lampitt and Norman Brock (Red Lion Brackley) beat Nigel King and Kevin Powney (Bull Inn A).

Division Two Pairs Cup Winners

 Liam Fisher and Roger Herbert (Red Cow) saw off the threat of Dave Futter and Mav Giles (White Horse).

Division Three Pairs Cup Winners

 Father and son pairing, Charlie and Jack Govier (Long Crendon VC) beat another father and son team, Joe and Ashley Young (Ashton Club).

Division Four Pairs Cup Winners

 Last year’s winners, Paul Symonds and Lewis Wilson, lost this time round to Simon North and Trevor Barnett (Crown Twyford B).

Division Five Pairs Cup Winners

Dave Morris and Will Sanders (Pheasant Inn B) got the better of James Ridgeley and Dick Haynes (Barley Mow).

The Steve Huntley Memorial Singles Shield

In his third appearance in the singles final, Dougie Revitt

Winner (Shakespeare B) beat Matty Hillsdon (Crown CoO A) who was playing in his second.

The Laurie Welford Memorial Division Two Singles Winner 

Nick Cherry (Launton S&S B) won this one ‘by default’, as his fellow finalist and team mate, Chris Price, was unable to attend.

Division Three Singles winner

James Kirtland rounded off a relatively good season for himself and the Lower Heyford S&SC side by beating the division’s top doll scorer, Joe Young (Ashton Club).

Division Four Singles winner

Keith Lennard (Ex Services) “rolled back the years” to beat Kym Jones (Plough MG Two).

Division Five Singles Winner

Dave Morris (Pheasant Inn B) beat Ian Feaver (Ardley Utd FC).

Ladies Singles winner

Charlotte Cherry Smith (Lower Heyford S&SC) beat last year’s winner, Sophie Thomson (Launton S&S B).

There are a few teams who need to be looking at improving their throws in readiness for next year – with regard to lighting in most cases; so, if you need any equipment or advice please let me know and I’ll do what I can to help.

This is probably the last you’ll hear from me until mid-February when I’ll start sending out application forms and so on for next season; however, as most of you’ll know, I am very approachable and if anyone wishes to contact me to discuss anything Aunt Sally related, then please do so – number’s below.

All in all, a pretty good season. Congratulations to all this season’s winners and commiserations to those who came second best. Don’t let it grind you down, I want to see you all back again next season.

Phil Allen 07578 915693

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Annual General Meeting

19^th March 2024

held at the Ex Services Club, Bicester

Apologies: Sophie Thomson, John Plested, Lewis Wilson.

1. Welcome - Phil Allen (Secretary) welcomed everyone to the meeting. How encouraging it was to see so many there (31). He explained that, in the case of any voting throughout the meeting, it would be just one vote per team.

2. Minutes of the last meeting – Those in attendance were happy with the minutes of the 2023 meeting. Proposed by Nick Cherry and seconded by Amy Sheehan.

3. Finance – Phil Allen produced a copy of, and discussed, the accounts which had already been distributed. It was explained that the registration fees (£1395) and the competition entrance fees (£299) were, quite obviously, insufficient to cover the expenditure (£3164.71). And this is why he, as treasurer, was so grateful to a number of sponsors who donated another £1190. It was then further discussed that next season (2025) the registration fees should be increased to £50 per team. All members present were happy with the paperwork produced. Proposed by Billy Atwell and seconded by Ant Bradbeer.

4. Election of officers – the secretary explained that both he and the chairman, George Deans, would be happy to stand again but asked everyone in attendance to bear in mind that the time is near (like, next year!) when members should be considering a replacement for the long standing secretary.

Nomination Proposer Seconder

Chairman/MC George Deans Aimee Sheehan Billy Atwell ) Proposed, seconded

Secretary Phil Allen Aimee Sheehan Billy Atwell ) and voted for en bloc

Treasurer Phil Allen Aimee Sheehan Billy Atwell )

5. Constitution of the League

We will continue as last year, ie:

• nine players may be used in the match

• five legs

• six players per leg

• players can be changed in each leg if desired

• in the event of a drawn leg, three stickers and then one sticker (if necessary), staying on one stick

• one point for a win

Divisions cannot be formulated until completed registration forms are received by the secretary.

The only team known to be dropping out is Launton S&S Divas.

Teams known to be keen to join us are Ardley United FC, Barley Mow, Bicester Bowls Club, Crown Twyford B and Pheasant Inn B.

In the hope of finding more new teams, the secretary has written to a number of “new” pubs to see if they

would like to join us and is awaiting further response.

It was reiterated by the secretary that it wasn’t possible to say at the meeting which team would be in which division. This cannot be done, of course, until the completed registration forms have been returned. And, to amplify this, the secretary will continue to check the registration forms to see if any “higher class” player has dropped into a lower team thereby increasing that team’s potential average. Should that be the case, then consideration will be given as to whether that benefiting team should be in a higher division – and, maybe, if the losing team should drop down.

6. Fixtures/Cup Competitions

The 2024 season will commence on Wednesday 24^th April.

As in recent years, there will be no free weeks in the fixtures – unless, of course, it’s a cup week and teams have already been knocked out. The “divisional” singles and pairs competitions have proven to be a great success and every effort will be given to playing down to the final at each venue, thus eliminating any need for a semi finals night.

With teams now comprising of six players, the previous four a side competition will be replaced by a triples competition.

7. Any other business

The secretary thanked all of our sponsors for their support last season and explained we couldn’t have managed without their help.

Result reporting this coming season will continue to be via WhatsApp.

Karl Budd proposed that the secretary takes his wife out for a meal, paid for out of league funds.

If an away team cannot fulfil a fixture because of a lack of players, or intend not turning up because of

inclement weather, then they are asked to notify the opposition by midday. If the home team/hosting pub or

club have that feeling, or suspect that the visiting team will not turn up, then, to save unnecessary

expenditure, they do not have to prepare food. If cancellation is due to the weather, both teams must

understand that food is unlikely to be prepared.

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