WEST LOTHIAN TABLE TENNIS CLUB
Having just completed its most successful season ever in this league, the club embarked on an even more ambitious plan. With teams competing in each of the premier, first and second divisions it was decided to enter a further two teams in division three. The strategy was to give some essential experience to relative newcomers to the sport and it’s fair to say that they responded magnificently.
Early on there were some concerns over the performances of the A team in the Premier Division as they struggled manfully to make the grade. This was only to be expected given that the team had only just gained promotion to this division for the first time but the main problem was their inability to field a regular team. Lewis Hills, club champion, and George Flanagan turned out regularly, but finding a regular third player was proving problematic. Deputies were regularly found from the ranks of the lower divisions but they all found wins difficult to come by.
The turning point was the signing of the experienced Brian Hunter and all of a sudden the form of Hills and Flanagan also improved. By the season end they had recorded four wins and one draw, putting them in the play-offs. They then won this match with some comfort to retain their premiership status. It is expected that these three will again provide the core of next season’s team and also provide the backbone of the Scottish National League team. If the second half performances can be replicated, individually and collectively, a mid table finish is expected next season.
|
A Team Averages |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
%age |
|
Brian Hunter |
45 |
23 |
22 |
51 |
|
George Flanagan |
57 |
16 |
41 |
25 |
|
Lewis Hills |
72 |
18 |
54 |
25 |
In Division One, the B team certainly had a sufficiently large pool of experienced players but availability, or unavailability, proved a major headache to the extent that it is unlikely that the team remained unchanged for two consecutive matches. For this reason results were patchy and no individual player finished with a record fully reflective of his ability. Club officials have promised to look into the issue during the summer break. The result was that the team finished mid table but had the quality to do much better.
|
B Team Averages |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
%age |
|
John McCulloch |
15 |
11 |
4 |
73% |
|
Barry Hills |
27 |
18 |
9 |
67% |
|
Andy MacDougall |
39 |
21 |
18 |
54% |
|
Andy Wyles |
21 |
9 |
12 |
43% |
|
Steve McKay |
45 |
18 |
27 |
40% |
Last season the C team ran away with the third division title and started this session in similar fashion with the close knit trio of Kevin Milne, Keith MacKay and Zbigniew Stryzewski looking invincible. However, half way through the season Stryzewski returned to his native Poland leaving the team stuck for an able deputy and their points lead gradually subsided. Substitutes were found from the third division teams but these were restricted by the league rules. The last two matches were against their nearest rivals and by this point Ian Wodecki had stepped into the breach and his excellent performances helped to clinch the title. Next season they join the B team in Division One where they should not look out of place.
|
C Team Averages |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
% age |
|
Kevin Milne |
63 |
51 |
12 |
81 |
|
Keith MacKay |
66 |
53 |
13 |
80 |
|
Zbigniew Stryzewski |
39 |
31 |
8 |
79 |
|
Ian Wodecki |
9 |
6 |
3 |
67 |
The two new teams were both competing in Division Three and each had an entirely different ethos. The D team comprised Drew McLaren, an extremely experienced veteran, who was expected to guide two very talented juniors through their first competitive season in this league, whereas a group of inexperienced senior players turned out for the E team. As expected, both teams did exceptionally well.
Both Daniel MacKay and Kieran Boyle, the juniors in question, excelled in their maiden seasons and helped McLaren win the title for their team. A glance at their individual records highlights quite clearly the stranglehold this team had on the competition and bodes well for next season in a higher division.
The E team comprised principally Jim Stewart, Martin Rumsey and John Swift with only Rumsey having previous experience and finished the season in a very creditable third place. The points lost were mainly in the first half of the season as they found their collective feet but finished with a flourish. Hopes are high that this team can stay together for next season and if it does it should do well.
|
D & E Team Averages |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
% age |
|
Drew McLaren |
42 |
40 |
2 |
95 |
|
Kieran Boyle |
57 |
51 |
6 |
89 |
|
Benny Flockhart |
6 |
5 |
1 |
83 |
|
Daniel MacKay |
45 |
36 |
9 |
75 |
|
Martin Rumsey |
51 |
38 |
13 |
75 |
|
John Swift |
42 |
31 |
11 |
74 |
|
Sam Stanton |
18 |
13 |
5 |
72 |
|
Jim Stewart |
51 |
29 |
22 |
57 |
|
Graham Chambers |
18 |
10 |
8 |
56 |
|
Kevin Boyle |
12 |
2 |
10 |
17 |
Over the season both teams had to call on reserves Sammy Stanton, Benny Flockhart, Graham Chambers and Kevin Boyle but each time there was a call these reserves demonstrated the strength in reserve now present within the club. Such was their success that consideration is now being given to entering yet another team in this league. In this event, other players such as Paul Keddie and Stephen Gray are waiting in the wings for their opportunity.
By the end of the season, however, West Lothian had finished in top spot in two of the four divisions, one team just missed out on promotion and the others held their place in their respective divisions to complete a surely remarkable season by one of the newest clubs in the league. The final league tables are below.
|
EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE |
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Season 2009/10 |
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Premier Division |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Conc |
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Division 1 |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Conc |
|
North Merchiston I |
24 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
205 |
35 |
48 |
|
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Murrayfield IV |
22 |
20 |
1 |
1 |
162 |
58 |
41 |
|
|
Murrayfield I |
24 |
19 |
2 |
3 |
175 |
65 |
40 |
|
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Edinburgh University I |
22 |
19 |
1 |
2 |
150 |
70 |
39 |
|
|
Murrayfield II |
24 |
16 |
2 |
6 |
142 |
98 |
34 |
|
|
Murrayfield V |
22 |
12 |
4 |
6 |
122 |
98 |
28 |
|
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North Merchiston II |
24 |
14 |
5 |
5 |
141 |
99 |
33 |
|
|
North Berwick |
22 |
11 |
5 |
6 |
120 |
100 |
27 |
|
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Murrayfield III |
24 |
13 |
2 |
9 |
121 |
119 |
28 |
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|
Edinburgh International III |
22 |
11 |
4 |
7 |
122 |
96 |
26 |
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North Merchiston IV |
24 |
12 |
3 |
9 |
126 |
114 |
27 |
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Edinburgh International IV |
22 |
11 |
1 |
10 |
129 |
91 |
23 |
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North Merchiston III |
24 |
11 |
3 |
10 |
118 |
122 |
24 |
1 |
|
West Lothian II |
22 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
115 |
105 |
23 |
1 |
|
Edinburgh Sports Club I |
24 |
8 |
2 |
14 |
102 |
138 |
18 |
|
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Edinburgh International V |
22 |
7 |
4 |
11 |
106 |
114 |
18 |
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Edinburgh International I |
24 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
94 |
146 |
17 |
|
|
Corstorphine I |
22 |
6 |
3 |
13 |
95 |
125 |
15 |
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Penicuik I |
24 |
7 |
2 |
15 |
110 |
130 |
16 |
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Edinburgh International VI |
22 |
3 |
4 |
15 |
77 |
141 |
10 |
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Edinburgh Sports Club II |
24 |
3 |
6 |
15 |
89 |
151 |
12 |
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HPO S&S Club I |
22 |
3 |
1 |
18 |
66 |
154 |
7 |
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West Lothian I |
24 |
4 |
1 |
19 |
70 |
170 |
9 |
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Penicuik II |
22 |
2 |
2 |
18 |
54 |
166 |
6 |
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Edinburgh International II |
24 |
2 |
1 |
21 |
67 |
173 |
5 |
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Division 2 |
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Division 3 |
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West Lothian III |
24 |
20 |
1 |
3 |
183 |
57 |
41 |
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West Lothian IV |
22 |
21 |
1 |
0 |
182 |
38 |
43 |
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Corstorphine II |
24 |
19 |
2 |
3 |
170 |
70 |
40 |
|
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Murrayfield VII |
22 |
20 |
1 |
1 |
179 |
41 |
41 |
|
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Murrayfield VI |
24 |
18 |
3 |
3 |
175 |
65 |
39 |
|
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West Lothian V |
22 |
16 |
1 |
5 |
156 |
64 |
33 |
|
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North Merchiston V |
24 |
17 |
2 |
5 |
148 |
92 |
36 |
|
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Corstorphine V |
22 |
11 |
3 |
8 |
113 |
107 |
25 |
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Corstorphine III |
23 |
14 |
1 |
8 |
135 |
95 |
29 |
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Murrayfield VIII |
22 |
9 |
5 |
8 |
118 |
102 |
23 |
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Edinburgh International VII |
24 |
13 |
2 |
9 |
140 |
100 |
27 |
1 |
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Edinburgh University IV |
22 |
9 |
2 |
11 |
97 |
123 |
20 |
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Edinburgh International IX |
24 |
10 |
1 |
13 |
99 |
141 |
20 |
1 |
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Edinburgh University V |
21 |
7 |
4 |
10 |
96 |
114 |
18 |
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HPO S&S Club II |
24 |
8 |
2 |
14 |
114 |
126 |
18 |
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Edinburgh International XI |
22 |
6 |
5 |
11 |
92 |
128 |
17 |
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Penicuik III |
24 |
8 |
2 |
14 |
100 |
140 |
18 |
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The Blue Liners |
21 |
5 |
3 |
13 |
84 |
126 |
13 |
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Edinburgh International VIII |
24 |
7 |
1 |
16 |
89 |
150 |
15 |
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. |
Corstorphine VII |
22 |
5 |
0 |
17 |
74 |
146 |
10 |
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Corstorphine IV |
22 |
5 |
3 |
14 |
81 |
139 |
13 |
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Corstorphine VI |
22 |
5 |
0 |
17 |
66 |
154 |
10 |
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Edinburgh University III |
23 |
4 |
1 |
18 |
56 |
174 |
6 |
3 |
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North Merchiston VI |
22 |
4 |
1 |
17 |
53 |
167 |
9 |
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Edinburgh International X |
24 |
0 |
1 |
23 |
49 |
190 |
1 |
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. |
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Midway through the season the League traditionally runs an individual event where competitions are held on a divisional basis and separate competitions for juniors and veterans. So it was that a small group of West Lothian players travelled to Meadowmill one wintry Sunday where they put on a “tour de force”.
None of the Premier Division squad participated but in the Division One competition Steve McKay, our only entrant, finished in a very creditable third place. Thereafter West Lothian players stole the show. Kevin Milne took the Division Two title with his colleagues also showing well. Young Kieran Boyle put his more experienced opponents to the sword in the Division Three competition. A veterans doubles event was then won by Keith MacKay and Zbigniew Stryzewski. By the end of the day no other club had taken as many awards as West Lothian.
To cap off an excellent season West Lothian then won the Handicap Cup and a report on this event can be found elsewhere on this website.
As before, we wish to thank the West Lothian Courier for its coverage of our sport, our club and our players’ efforts throughout this long and arduous, but successful, season. Just as important is the hard work, often unsung, put in by team captains, secretaries and club officials throughout the year.