Chairman's Report
AGM 29TH NOVEMBER 2024
I have to begin by sadly referring to the passing of some of our stalwart players who are a great loss to the League. In the early part of this year Ken Mc Donald left us having played for many years for the KCRFC team. Then my very good friend David James died earlier in the year, who played for The Oaks of Alveley ever since it was established at the beginning of this century. This summer, Tony Wakefield, another player for many years for Kinver Cons passed away. Last but by no means least, one of our Vice-Presidents, Adrian Gordon-Smith lost his fight against ill-health at the beginning of this October. A man who was greatly respected and admired for his fortitude in his long battle against failing health. Adrian was a long-serving member of our Executive Committee, our Treasurer from 2012 until 2023,and Fixtures Secretary from 2014 to 2021. All these loyal players of the League are sorely missed.
Now looking to happier events. I believe that the 2024 season has been a resounding success. A new format for the Team K/O competition was devised by our Fixtures Secretary, Adrian Voysey,, where the pool stages were played at the beginning of the season. All teams played two home and two away matches. The League competition then followed with seven teams in each of the two divisions. To end the team season the knockout stages of the Mac Turner K/O Competition took place.
Pleasingly a third Lakes team took part in League this year. The Lakes Club also decided now to call its three teams Lakes Admirals, Lakes Renegades, and Lakes Phoenix. As the KCRFC team could no longer play at the Rugby Club in Kidderminster because their piste area was wanted for other purposes, they moved to the piste at Bewdley Cricket Club and changed name to Bewdley Wayfarers. Thus the Cricket Club piste is now home to three teams in the League, Bewdley PC A and Bewdley PC B plus the Wayfarers
It was a hard fought battle to be First Division Champions. Well done to Kinver Nomads, winners in 2023, once again were Champions in 2024. On this occasion it was a very close run thing with both Nomads and Kinver Cons scoring the same number of points, but the Nomads won the Championship by having the better games difference in matches. The two newly promoted teams to Division One had quite different outcomes. Footloose comfortably retained their place in Division One coming fifth, but unfortunately Bewdley PC B were bottom in Division One so they face going back to Division Two next season. As mentioned before Alveley Royals are skilled in just avoiding relegation as not for the first time they narrowly avoided relegation to Division Two.
Praise for the new Lakes Phoenix team who comfortably won Division Two and on first attempt gain promotion to Division One where they will join the other two Lakes teams, The Admirals, and The Renegades. Second place in Division Two was a close call with Top Pub pipping Alveley Oaks on games difference in matches.
I found it pleasing that Lakes Admirals helped to break the monopoly of the Kinver teams by beating the Nomads in the Final of the MacTurner K/O Championship. The Singles K/O Championship was won by last year’s runner-up John Burns of the Nomads, beating Richard Lycett of the Royals who was the 2001 Champion! Well done John. Again the dominance of the Nomads was illustrated by the professional performance of David Seabury and Paul Hunt who won the Doubles K/O Championship. The defeated Finalists Bob Hill and Rod Rickets of the Bewdley Club not for the first time in recent years were runners -up. Perhaps their turn to win next year!? The turnout for the Triple K/O Competition was a little disappointing with just 11 teams taking part. However it does not dilute the praise for the winning trio from the Lakes of M Jenkins, W. Carter & R.Leech. Once again in a K/O competition with team mate D. Moule, Bob H. and Rod R were runners-up.
The winners for the previous two years of the popular Barbara Parkes Mixed Doubles Tournament and favourites for 2024, Emma Francis & Paul Hunt were beaten in the Final by Nomad team colleagues Barbara & Mick Lowe. An excellent performance Barbara & Mick, worthy of victory. We will not go too deeply into the winners of the President’s Cup but to wonder why The President’s team so frequently wins!
May I take this opportunity to recognise and praise the valued contributions of all the members of the Executive Committee in helping run the League. Special mentions for the ever present and highly efficient Secretary, Roy Chapman, the reliable and competent Treasurer, John Burns, our innovative Fixtures Secretary, Adrian Voysey, and our Vice –Chairman, who in the interests of the League is always willing to express an opinion.
It must not be forgotten of course, that all of you are the ones making our Leagues so successful by taking part in its competitions. I look forward to another successful season in 2025.
David Voysey
Chairman of the League
