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**MrRottweiler** · 15 February 2018, 11:29 PM

Hi Mark, Good luck with the event. I'll be registering because Northampton is my home town and I've stumbled down Overstone many times. I've not been to the Overstone club much but I remember it used to be known for top league teams in pool and snooker. My regular was Derngate and sometimes Barratts.

Not sure if he still does but my mates brother worked at the Overstone club so I'll ask him if he wants to register although he probably already knows about it.

**marktebbutt** · 16 February 2018, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by MrRottweiler View Post

Hi Mark, Good luck with the event. I'll be registering because Northampton is my home town and I've stumbled down Overstone many times. I've not been to the Overstone club much but I remember it used to be known for top league teams in pool and snooker. My regular was Derngate and sometimes Barratts.

Not sure if he still does but my mates brother worked at the Overstone club so I'll ask him if he wants to register although he probably already knows about it.

Cheers mate.

Hoping this will be a big success and I can make it into some kind of tour across the Midlands area in the future

**Cyril** · 16 February 2018, 12:58 PM

Good luck with the tournament.

Can't believe how many clubs have closed in Northampton in the last 10-15 years. St James (Devonshire), Exclusive Club, Cue Club, Derngate. That's around 50 tables gone.

Jimmy's WMC now has a snooker room though, which is excellent. 2 full size tables and a ¾ size.

**MrRottweiler** · 16 February 2018, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by Cyril View Post

Good luck with the tournament.

Can't believe how many clubs have closed in Northampton in the last 10-15 years. St James (Devonshire), Exclusive Club, Cue Club, Derngate. That's around 50 tables gone.

Jimmy's WMC now has a snooker room though, which is excellent. 2 full size tables and a ¾ size.

When Derngate closed I felt homeless. I had been going there since the 80s and it was the end of an era. My dad used to take me to Barratts for a few frames at the weekend before it burnt down which must have been around 1988.

What set of balls are used on the three quarter table in terms of the reds?

**Cyril** · 19 February 2018, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by MrRottweiler View Post

When Derngate closed I felt homeless. I had been going there since the 80s and it was the end of an era. My dad used to take me to Barratts for a few frames at the weekend before it burnt down which must have been around 1988.

What set of balls are used on the three quarter table in terms of the reds?

I've never played for a league team but have played at most clubs in town. I was a member of Derngate and the Exclusive before they closed. We always played at the 24-hour Cue Club when we were kids. Ron Flowers used to let us play all morning for a pound! We used to spend all day in there sometimes in the school holidays. Would come out covered in snooker chalk and stinking of cigarette (and other) smoke. Happy days.

The three quarter table has standard size pockets so we use full size balls but only play with 10 reds.

Tables have a coin meter for the light - you get 12 minutes for £1 (so £5 p/hr) but you are pretty much guaranteed to get on a table any time you want, during club opening hours. Beer is pretty cheap.

**magicman** · 19 February 2018, 07:24 PM

I want to offer some advice, and would like to comment first that anyone attempting to run competitions and with the aspiration to enlarge it to a regional tour should be applauded.

That said, there are a few things that smack of the organisers having little experience of having run similar events before.

Charging some players more than others for instance. Having no guaranteed first prize is another, let alone r/up, semi's etc. At present, if you get one single professional commit to this tournament I'll be surprised and impressed. That goes for ex-pro's too. So then its not a Pro-am it becomes just an amateur scratch event, and there's nothing wrong with that per se, but it's maybe not what you're after?

**MrRottweiler** · 20 February 2018, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Cyril View Post

I've never played for a league team but have played at most clubs in town. I was a member of Derngate and the Exclusive before they closed. We always played at the 24-hour Cue Club when we were kids. Ron Flowers used to let us play all morning for a pound! We used to spend all day in there sometimes in the school holidays. Would come out covered in snooker chalk and stinking of cigarette (and other) smoke. Happy days.

The three quarter table has standard size pockets so we use full size balls but only play with 10 reds.

Tables have a coin meter for the light - you get 12 minutes for £1 (so £5 p/hr) but you are pretty much guaranteed to get on a table any time you want, during club opening hours. Beer is pretty cheap.

ah I thought so because I have a three quarter and it came with full size balls and ten reds. I look back regretting not getting a smaller size set with 15 reds to get used to making higher breaks.

When I was working at the Plough hotel and finishing at 2 or 3 in the morning I would go to the cue club for some practice and at that time of the morning on the weekend it would be packed with every table on. One time I was doing some solo practice on the table closest to the pool tables and a girl who was part of a large group apprached me and asked if she could play. I didn't know how to respond and I knew my plan of some speed practice would go out the window and I risked all her friends coming over so I just said "no, sorry" and she looked annoyed and went back to her group. It was a strange place because I never saw any trouble there even though you would expect it to kick off a lot. Maybe that familiar smell had something to do with it

The Derngate was ideal for lockins because it was underground with no windows so I remember many times when I it officially closed at 11pm the front door would be locked and people would enter from the car park and there was a regular crowd of about 20 guys who were friends of the manager that would stay until the early hours playing pool and getting through several crates of Holsten every weekend and I was popular because I was the only one who could go behind the bar to serve them. Sometimes Rory McLeod would come up from the snooker room to play pool with them.

**MrRottweiler** · 20 February 2018, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by magicman View Post

I want to offer some advice, and would like to comment first that anyone attempting to run competitions and with the aspiration to enlarge it to a regional tour should be applauded.

That said, there are a few things that smack of the organisers having little experience of having run similar events before.

Charging some players more than others for instance. Having no guaranteed first prize is another, let alone r/up, semi's etc. At present, if you get one single professional commit to this tournament I'll be surprised and impressed. That goes for ex-pro's too. So then its not a Pro-am it becomes just an amateur scratch event, and there's nothing wrong with that per se, but it's maybe not what you're after?

I also noticed the higher entry fee for a pro or ex pro seems like it might put some people off because the pros attract other players so they will think they should pay the same. The artwork for the promotional material and the website and facebook page is fantastic. It's great quality and I was wondering if this is the first tournament or if it's been done before. I have a few tips though not that I've ever arranged a tournament but it seems like a success will be the snooker match goes without a hitch, there is a good turnout of players friends and they spend a lot at the bar on drink and food. It's a tournament but also an excuse for a social gathering and I'm not sure if Coopers has a kitchen and menu but if it does that needs to be open and advertised so people know they can get a hot meal there because it's the food that has the biggest profit margin. If you can show a club owner the last tournament was a money spinner on food sales you're laughing. It means people went there, drank a lot, eyed the menu and ordered something to eat [kerching], drank some more and went home.

My biggest concern is the registration system because it's just confiming on a website and the limit of 32 entrants could reduce the interest from people. I don't know the capacity of Coopers but if it has a pool room then invite as many as possible so anyone who isn't able to play in the snooker tournament knows they can play in a pool tournament or against other players even if they don't make the snooker tournament.

Remember the tables will need to be brushed and ironed and again inbetween matches so you need to have the manpower to cover that and make sure all the equipment and tables are in good order. If a table has a pocket that has come loose or one of the brackets that holds the rest at the end of the table is missing that is going to damage the reputation of the tournament so needs to be identified and fixed. I can help out with table cleaning because I used to get tables ready for tournaments. I've been in Cotswolds country since 2011 but come back to the Rose often so if you need a helper give me a shout

I would still be entering the tournament and paying my £20. Or maybe I could pretend I'm an ex pro by paying £30. Ahhh I see your angle now!

**Cyril** · 21 February 2018, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by MrRottweiler View Post

ah I thought so because I have a three quarter and it came with full size balls and ten reds. I look back regretting not getting a smaller size set with 15 reds to get used to making higher breaks.

When I was working at the Plough hotel and finishing at 2 or 3 in the morning I would go to the cue club for some practice and at that time of the morning on the weekend it would be packed with every table on. One time I was doing some solo practice on the table closest to the pool tables and a girl who was part of a large group apprached me and asked if she could play. I didn't know how to respond and I knew my plan of some speed practice would go out the window and I risked all her friends coming over so I just said "no, sorry" and she looked annoyed and went back to her group. It was a strange place because I never saw any trouble there even though you would expect it to kick off a lot. Maybe that familiar smell had something to do with it

The Derngate was ideal for lockins because it was underground with no windows so I remember many times when I it officially closed at 11pm the front door would be locked and people would enter from the car park and there was a regular crowd of about 20 guys who were friends of the manager that would stay until the early hours playing pool and getting through several crates of Holsten every weekend and I was popular because I was the only one who could go behind the bar to serve them. Sometimes Rory McLeod would come up from the snooker room to play pool with them.

Never used Derngate much in the evenings as I'm a Jimmy's Ender and they close the borders on West Bridge at midnight.

I wonder what we can do to get Jimmy's used more? Difficult to arrange a tournament like the one you are doing with only 2 tables. I guess if a team came along wanting a new venue we'd jump at the chance.

**Global11** · 8 March 2018, 04:56 PM

Definitely something me and a mate would be interested in!.

May see you there!

Craig.

**MrRottweiler** · 8 March 2018, 09:27 PM

The links in the first post are now broken so it might have fallen through. Shame because a tournament like that should do well in Northampton as it's central and large. It would also get interest in surrounding towns like Wellingborough and Kettering so enough players entering shouldn't be a problem. I was looking forward to it and probably seeing a few old faces.

**marktebbutt** · 13 May 2018, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by MrRottweiler View Post

The links in the first post are now broken so it might have fallen through. Shame because a tournament like that should do well in Northampton as it's central and large. It would also get interest in surrounding towns like Wellingborough and Kettering so enough players entering shouldn't be a problem. I was looking forward to it and probably seeing a few old faces.

Hey everyone,
Sorry I've not been active on here the last few months.
The tournament is still going ahead but we have moved it to Spot On in Kettering.
Due to the club having more tables and more free parking nearby it made more sense.
Got 22 entries so far which means there are only 10 spaces left. Not got any pro's entered which is a shame but I think it will be a great tournament still!
For more info go to https://spotontournament.weebly.com/about
Or register your name at https://spotontournament.weebly.com/register
Any questions then feel free to ask!
Mark

**MrRottweiler** · 15 May 2018, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by marktebbutt View Post

Hey everyone,
Sorry I've not been active on here the last few months.
The tournament is still going ahead but we have moved it to Spot On in Kettering.
Due to the club having more tables and more free parking nearby it made more sense.
Got 22 entries so far which means there are only 10 spaces left. Not got any pro's entered which is a shame but I think it will be a great tournament still!
For more info go to https://spotontournament.weebly.com/about
Or register your name at https://spotontournament.weebly.com/register
Any questions then feel free to ask!
Mark

Hey Mark, glad to hear the tourny is still on

Kettering is a bit further afield and I would need to get back to Npton which will be getting more expensive the more I win. I will get back to you soon if I can confirm a place. What is the planned start time and will the matches have appointed refs? I've also heard Kettering has a high percentage of riff raff so will there be security in place to keep the riff raff at bay?

**marktebbutt** · 15 May 2018, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by MrRottweiler View Post

Hey Mark, glad to hear the tourny is still on

Kettering is a bit further afield and I would need to get back to Npton which will be getting more expensive the more I win. I will get back to you soon if I can confirm a place. What is the planned start time and will the matches have appointed refs? I've also heard Kettering has a high percentage of riff raff so will there be security in place to keep the riff raff at bay?

Not sure where you've heard that Kettering has a high percentage of "riff raff" but it's no worse than anywhere else. Definitely no need for security.
Not going to be having any refs just for the simple fact that fees for them would have to either come out of the prize fund or my own pocket. However, I'm a qualified referee so if there are any disputes or questions I will be there to ask.
Not too sure about a start time but the club have said they will open early for us. Hoping to get it started about 10:30, possibly before if everyone arrives on time.
Will be posting times closer to the date on the Facebook page facebook.com/spotontournament

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