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Captain |
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Webmaster |
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To truly appreciate how the current Tulip ‘C’ team came into existence, you have to go back over 20 years ago when a young Mike Warder & his good friend Pete Wicks started a team at the Red Lion pub in Boreham. Captain Mike and his Vice Captain Pete had a successful side but never really made any big waves with so many teams jockeying for honours. The league at that time boasted 7 divisions with Premier A & Premier B the target for all the other teams who sat in Divisions 1 to 5. One day Mike watched a teenager play and comfortably beat a man 10 years his senior. Approaching the youngster Mike laid a challenge down but in 3 frames couldn’t beat the young man. Later the youngster agreed to join Mike’s team and that was the start of the now 20 year partnership between Mike & Ian. Mike, Pete & Ian played at the Red Lion for 2 years before circumstances forced them to move to the Crown in Sandon where they played for just one year before returning to the Red Lion. However the new Landlord there didn’t want a team that only used the pub for matches, and thinking the pubs name would be the basis for keeping the teams league position in Premier B, decided to evict the team and bring in his own players. He was incorrect and his team started way down in division 5. Mike took his team to the Alma just 5 minutes walk away from the Tulip. The team spent 5 happy seasons at the Alma, winning the Premier B divisional cup. Craig joined the team for the first time during this spell but unfortunately the Alma went through a major change and the team were forced to move and went to the Eagle & Hind in the same season as they gained promotion to Premier A. Many players found the step up to the top flight not to their liking and many decided to go their own way. Pete & Craig stayed on at the Eagle & Hind whilst Mike & Ian decided to bring in some new faces and start afresh. They applied for a team at the Tulip but due to renovations at the time failed to secure a place in time for the new season. So going to the Springfield Arms, Notices were put out advertising for pool players. Ian had already asked his brother in law Gordon to play and the trio were joined by MJ & Waspy to play alongside the rest of the newly formed team. After just one season the team were again on the move, as the Arms proved to be an unfavourable venue. Next stop was a season at the Woolpack where the team won promotion to Premier B once more. But the team were still not comfortable at this small, but friendly venue. Then things took a turn for the better when, with both Ian & MJ playing a competition match at the Tulip one evening, and following Ian’s victory in the competition, landlord Martyn who had been watching enquired as to where they played out from and after negotiations the team decided once more to move. The Tulip ‘C’ team was hence born. Captain Mike and Vice Captains Ian & Gordon brought their players to the Tulip and in the 2nd season there made it to the Premier B cup final once more. The Tulip side were 2-0 down, when the pubs supporters turned up. This was to prove to be a pivotal moment, as the team then went into overdrive and came away 6-2 winners. In the crowd was Trevor who at this time played for the Tulip ‘A’ side and who, impressed with the teams’ spirit, decided to join the team for the Summer league and subsequently the winter league as well. The team however were still in need of new players. One evening Ian was having a few frames in the pub when he was approached by a large Scot who challenged him to a game. Despite winning, Ian could see this man had some talent on a pool table and after discussing the player with Mike, the Scotsman was asked to join the side & Tam was in and playing Summer league. The first season was a successful one and the following year the Tulip ‘C’ was a Premier A side once more. Mid table however was the best they could muster, but this still didn’t stop the prodigal sons, Craig & Pete from rejoining the squad. Players were still falling away despite the teams’ success and one day a message was noticed on the teams website asking if there were any spaces available for a player. Ian once again went to meet this mystery man. This time Ian couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo and it looked like the man wouldn’t be interested in joining. However the player had done his homework and decided to join the Tulip ‘C’ team and Andy from there on became a permanent resident.
This year however again looks challenging with some high profile players disappearing or falling into the background and the team in another state of transition. What will the future bring for the Tulip ‘C’ team?
Time will tell............. |
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By Ian Thwaites |