I would like to wish all our members a happy and succesful New Year and hope that the weather during the season is a little better than today’s heavy snow. We have not been idle during the winter months and I can inform you that we have attracted 8 new members for next season. In the Birkenhead Evening League, we welcome Brian Leonard and Frank O’Neill from Liscard and Royden Hall respectively. Brian was a top class Junior bowler and reached the semi finals of the Wallasey Association British Parks competition last season, losing 20-21 to our own Billy Atkinson. Brian has played in the Liverpool City League on a regular basis and will be a welcome addition to our team. Frank O’Neill has been a long standing member of Royden Hall Bowling Club and was selected to play for the Wallasey Association County side last season with great success. Frank brings a wealth of experience to the Vics and hopefully with these 2 additions to our team, new Skipper Ian Sherbrooke will be able to select from a formidable squad in his search for further honours for the team. In the Wallasey Association next season we have added both Brian Leonard and Jamie Fitzpatrick to our squad and Skipper Mally Johnson will have a tremendous line up of players to pick from in his quest for a record seventh successive Title. Jamie is of course the brother of current member Robby Fitzpatrick and has also represented both Wallasey and Wirral at County level in the past few years. Jamie is a well known winner of regular individual competitions and Mally will have his work cut out this season to select his strongest 12 players in any one game. In the Afternoon League we have attracted Alan Hughes, Dave Leonard, Ken Palin, Bill Purcell and John Birch to the Club. Alan Hughes and Ken Palin join from Harrison Park Bowling Club, last years Division One Champions, and both players have been starred in Billy Atkinson’s “A” team. Alan has twice won the Veterans Individual Merit and is well known along with Ken, one of those annoying little left handers, as being extremely difficult to beat. Dave Leonard joins us from Liscard and makes his bow in the Afternoon League this season and is starred in Derek Thomas’s “B” team. Dave has also played in the Liverpool City League alongside son Brian and is the current Vice Chairman of the Wallasey Association. I think the tricky Vics green will be ideally suited to Dave’s particular brand of bowling and he will be another bowler to come under the critical eye of Club Secretary Peter Dodd’s unique brand of match reporting. I wonder if Dave realises just what he has let himself in for. Robby Franklin might be able to advise Dave on the best way around the reporting hazard. Another new player to Afternoon Bowls this season will be Bill Purcell who is joining us from the Great Meols Club. I have known Bill for quite a long time and can’t wait to get my teeth into his match performances. Bill is also an experienced bowler having been a regular in the Great Meols 1st team for many years. He is joined at West Kirby by John Birch also from the Great Meols Club and who has played previously for Hoylake Marine in the Afternoon League. I am sure all these new members will receive the usual warm welcome to the Vics and hopefully they will enjoy many happy years with us. We have had 2 resignations this close season with Paul Lomax joining Upton in the Afternoon League and Peter Dodd joining Manor Road in both the Birkenhead Evening and Wallasey Association Leagues.
The Afternoon Starred Players this year are
“A” Team: W.Atkinson, E.Clayburn, R.Franklin, A.Hughes, M.Johnson, B.Owen, R.Peake, E.Williams, K.Palin, A.Stratton.
“B” Team: I.Cameron, P.Dodd, K.Etches, B.Ibbotson, D.Ibbotson, D.Leonard, E.Peers, D.Thomas, D.Bosworth, C.K.Pau.
The Ashton Park green opens on Monday 2nd April and the opening fixtures for the various sides are listed below.
Wednesday 11th April Afternoon “A” team v Oxton Conservatives at home.
Wednesday 11th April Afternoon “B” team v Marine Park Away
Thursday 12th April Wallasey Association Five A Side Cup 1st Round
West Kirby Victoria “A” team v Sacred Heart “D”
West Kirby Victoria “B” team v Magazine Hotel “A”
Friday 13th April Afternoon “C” team v Manor Road “C” at home.
Friday 20th April Birkenhead Evening League Division One team v Harrison Park away
Thursday 26th April Wallasey Association Division One team v Manor Road “A” away.