Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
- Mark Shore
Clubs: Sir John Bayley, Childs Ercall, Hanwood
Reason for Invite: League Chairman 2018-
Mark is our current League Chairman but has played in the league virtually every season. He has played for Sir John Bayley and Childs Ercall, before helping Hanwood into the league. Another to have qualified for the Meole Brace Open last week, so is in good form!
- Adie Rowe
Clubs: Meole Brace, Castlefields
Reason for Invite: Leading player for Meole Brace
Adie has played over 450 games for Meole Brace, winning 319 of them, and despite leaving there in 2017 he is still their top player. He moved over to Castlefields, winning the League with them straight away and again in 2018. He will hope to continue that winning feeling!
- Andy Stevens
Clubs: Donnington Wood, Wrockwardine Wood
Reason for Invite: Former Minutes Secretary 1998-2004
Andy was one of the founders of the league, earning him a life membership award. He was at Donnington Wood from the start of the league, playing for them for 10 seasons. He then moved to Wrockwardine Wood in 2004, playing on and off for 10 seasons. He hasn’t played much lately, but has still qualified for two County Merits, so still knows how to play in these competitions.
- Nicky Jones
Clubs: Ifton
Reason for Invite: 2015 Most Consecutive Wins
Nicky’s first game for Ifton was in 2008 when he played four games, before playing full time in 2009 and has been a regular since. He won 13 consecutive games in 2015 to win that award. A talented young player who has done well in the Welsh Merit before.
- James Grimston
Clubs: Donnington Wood, Castlefields, Sir John Bayley, Hadley USC, Bowring
Reason for Invite: 2000 & 2001 League Merit Winner
James played for Donnington Wood from 1995 to 2001, winning the Merit twice in 2000 and 2001, becoming the first man to defend the title. He had one season for Castlefields in 2003, before four games for Sir John Bayley in 2004. After that he moved up north to North Lancs & Fylde, but still comes back to Shropshire occasionally. He has become a key player up there, winning big competitions, and has appeared for Hadley USC and Bowring in recent years.
- Phil King
Clubs: Hadley USC, Donnington Wood, St Georges
Reason for Invite: Leading Player for Hadley USC
Phil played for Hadley USC for the first three seasons in their initial stay in the league, before having two seasons for Donnington Wood. He then went back to Hadley, and stayed there to help them back into the league except for 2011 when he moved to St Georges. Hadley got into the league in 2013 but got relegated in 2016. He has stayed with the club since and is trying to help get them back into the league. He will hope that green knowledge will help him here today.
- Allan Gaut
Clubs: Wrockwardine Wood
Reason for Invite: 66th in the all time averages
Allan has been at Wrockwardine Wood since the start of the league and played in their Premier League team until 2011, before returning for another full season in 2013, and nine games in 2014. He won 205 games for them, playing about 400 times overall. Since 2014 he has played in the Mid Shropshire Division One side. He used to play at Donnington Wood in the past, so will hope that green knowledge will help today.
- Rich Goddard
Clubs: Castlefields
Reason for Invite: 1995 League Merit Winner, 1996 League Averages, 2000 Most Consecutive Wins
Rich has been an ever present for Castlefields since they entered the league in 1995, playing 572 games and winning 401 of them. He won the League Averages for them in 1996, a year after winning the League Merit. He won the Most Consecutive Wins in 2000, and has won plenty of big titles, including the County Merit, which should help him here.
- Andy Judson
Clubs: Castlefields, Wem USC
Reason for Invite: Most MVPs 2014
Andy first played for Castlefields in 2009, and was a regular in 2010, winning the league title in both seasons. He played a handful of games in 2011 and 2012, before moving to Wem USC in 2013. There he finished top of their Averages in that and the following season, also winning the most MVPs in the league in his second season. He came back to Castlefields and was a regular for three seasons before work commitments meant he didn’t play so much last season. He will hope that his competition experience will help him.
- Clay Flattley
Clubs: Archibald Worthington, Donnington Wood, Wem USC, Sir John Bayley, Castlefields, St Georges
Reason for Invite: 2007 & 2012 Mike Hinton Pairs Winner
Clay has played for six clubs in the league, the most any player has. He had one season for Archibald Worthington and Donnington Wood, before moving to Wem USC for three seasons. After that he had three seasons for Sir John Bayley and then another season for Wem. In 2005 he went to Castlefields and settled there till 2013, helping them win three league titles. Another new club came with St Georges for two seasons, before two more seasons for Castlefields, and then another two seasons for St Georges. He won the Mike Hinton Pairs in 2007 with Simon Parsonage, and 2012 with Derek Wright. He has won big competitions recently like the Woodley Classic, so knows how to win!
- Andy Moss
Clubs: Archibald Worthington, Chester Road
Reason for Invite: League Averages 4 times, Most Consecutive Wins 4 times, 2006 League Merit
Andy has been one of the most consistent players in the league since starting out with Archibald Worthington in 1998, winning the Most Consecutive Wins in his debut season, before moving to Chester Road in 2003. There he helped them to win the league for three consecutive seasons and has stayed since, winning the League Averages four times and Most Consecutive Wins a three further times. In 2011 he won a record 19 straight wins in a season and 25 victories overall. He also won the League Merit in 2006, and will be one of the favourites to add another title to his collection, including the only ever Shropshire winner of the Autumn Waterloo.
- Pete Grimston
Clubs: Donnington Wood, Sir John Bayley, Newport, St Georges
Reason for Invite: 41st in all time averages
Pete started his Premier League career at Donnington Wood in 1996, playing there one and off until 2002 when he moved to Sir John Bayley. He had 12 seasons there, playing 266 times for them, before going to Newport for two seasons, winning the league both times. A move to St Georges followed, where he has remained since. He has played in plenty of competitions, and hopes that experience and green knowledge will help him.
- Callum Wraight
Clubs: Castlefields, Wem USC
Reason for Invite: 2013 & 2015 Mike Hinton Pairs Winner
Callum has been one of the top players in the league since he made his debut for Castlefields in 2002 when he won 20. He became a regular from 2004, and apart from one season at Wem USC in 2014, has played every season there since, helping them to five titles amongst other honours. He won the Mike Hinton Pairs in 2013 and 2015 with Luke Jones, and finished top three of the League Averages the last two seasons. He has won the All England and Champion of Champions so will be a favourite for today.
- Rob Roden
Clubs: Bowring, St Georges
Reason for Invite: 2012 League Merit
Rob helped Bowring into the league in 2008, and has played every year since apart from last season, winning 131 games out of 220. He won the League Merit in 2012 at Telepost. This season he has moved to St Georges after Bowring pulled out of the league. He has won the County Merit in 2015, and will hope to roll back those years and win another big competition!
- Paul Latham
Clubs: Archibald Worthington, Chester Road
Reason for Invite: 40th in all time averages
Paul made his debut in 2000 for Archibald Worthington, playing there for three seasons before a move to Chester Road, helping them win the league three consecutive seasons. He has stayed their since, being one of their most consistent performers. Another seasoned competition player that will be helped by that experience and his unique delivery!
- Stuart Rutter
Clubs: St Georges, Wrockwardine Wood
Reason for Invite: 2015 & 2018 League Merit Winner, 2017 & 2018 Mike Hinton Pairs Winner
Stuart had a solitary game in 2003 for St Georges, but made his name at Wrockwardine Wood, who he played for from 2005. He has played 318 games since then, winning 226. Individually he has won the League Merit twice in 2015 and 2018, and the Mike Hinton Pairs in 2017 and 2018 with Dan Taylor, the first pair to successfully defend their title. He has won big titles before, like the Dennis Lewis Open, and won the Merit on the new green here, so if he gets to the last eight, he will have that successful memory to feed off!