Chandlers Ford SC wins fourth successive club rankings title
CHANDLERS Ford Snooker Club has clinched the Cuestars club rankings title for the fourth year running.
Six-year-old William Thomson was nominated to receive the trophy from world number 36 Robert Milkins during finals day in Swindon.
And the pint-sized potter presented the silverware to club-owner Ray Cooper in front of players and families at the end of this week’s junior leagues.
The award is for the club whose members amass the most points across the five Cuestars tours.
Cooper thanked his staff and paid tribute to what he calls the “Chandlers Ford family” for enabling the club to achieve what it does.
He said: “While I’m able to provide the environment and opportunity for our snooker players, it is, of course, a team effort.
“Behind all our juniors is a dedicated support network of friends and family – parents who pitch up on every occasion to transport and encourage their offspring and provide the finance to enable them to chase their dreams.”
Cooper also highlighted the “unbelievable tolerance” of the snooker widows and widowers and added: “The dedication to the sport is not just the reserve of the players.”
Chandlers Ford SC ended the season with 1,520 points. Waterlooville Sports Bar was second with 1,251. Third-placed Salisbury SC collected 1,117. Former champions occupied fourth and fifth places. Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth, finished with 419, two ahead of Jesters SC, Swindon.
Of the Chandler Ford club’s 16 Cuestars players, Under-21 Gold Tour double winner Oliver Sykes contributed the most points. His total of 213 was just ahead of Connor Benzey on 201 and Steven Hughes on 188.
In fact, Sykes earned enough points on his own to have finished 12th in the list of 58 snooker and social clubs.
Picture by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)