Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Club: Bowring
Captain: Jamie King
Players Signed: Jack Whitehead & Adam Patrick – Moor Lane, Martin Gaut – Wrockwardine Wood, Jack Hill – Highley & Ash Gregory – Hadley USC
Players Left: John Cooke (St Georges) Kieran Buckley (Bowring)
Thoughts on the top of the table: Castlefields are the team to beat again. I know Bayley have lost a few but won’t be far away. I think Hanwood and Newport will be challenging more this year.
Dark Horses: With Hanwoods new signings they will be very strong this year and think they can push Castlefields close.
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: I know Bylet have strengthened so think they will be safe again this year. Wem have a good side and good enough to push on and improve from last year. The league is so strong if any team have a few bad weeks they can find themselves bottom of the pile!
Players to watch (own team and another): The new lads for us Jack Whitehead and Adam Patrick. From another club, Rob Perry from Bylet
Aim for your team? Top 3/4 if we get on a good run then to stay in the race for as long as possible
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Hadley USC
Club: Burway
Captain: Russ Davies, Duncan Pressley & Ben Allen
Players Signed: Two Juniors asked to sign on, both county representatives. Steven Burmingham, Ben James
Players Left: None
Thoughts on the top of the table: Can’t see past Castlefields again, got strength in depth, good team spirit and home green. SJB will be close by though.
Dark Horses: Hanwood, if their away form gets better I think there could be a high finish.
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: It’s hard to say without seeing who’s signed who. So I will say maybe Bylet?
Player to watch (own team and another): Ben Allen & Jolyon Partridge – to improve on last year, both quality.
Mark Taylor (Castlefields) & Paul Reeves (Sir John Bayley)
Aim for your team? Top 6 would be great! But all players to win at least one more game than last year – would be worth an extra 14 points!
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Ludlow Castle
Club: Bylet
Captain Mick Harries
Players Signed: Simon Rhodes (St Georges)
Players Left: None
Club – Castlefields
Captain – Alan Peach
Players signed – Jon Palmer (returning) & Keith Wall (Telepost)
Players left – Andrew Judson (work commitments)
Thoughts at top of the table – Hanwood have strengthened so will be a threat, Newport also have a shout with good home green and additions
Dark horses – Newport
Thoughts at bottom of the table- with teams at bottom last year adding players more clubs could be drawn in
Players to watch (own team and another) – Jon Palmer (Castlefields) , Darren Wellings Hanwood, Paul Reeves Newport
Aim for your team – try and retain the title
Team to watch for playoffs – Telepost
Club: Chester Road
Captain: Paul Fowles
Players Signed: None
Players Left: Alex Lockett
Thoughts on the top of the table: Castlefields
Dark Horses: Hanwood
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: Choice of 4 or 5
Player to watch (own team and another): Chris Stretch (Chester Road), Darren Wellings (Hanwood) for most wins
Aim for your team? To perform a lot better than last year’s disappointing season.
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Bridgewater
Club: Hanmer
Captain: Dave Ellison
Players Signed: Liam Jones (District), Craig Jones, Joey Williams (Ifton), Chris Edwards
Players Left: Andy Armstrong (Ifton), Graham Rogers.
Thoughts on the top of the table: I think Castlefields will win the league again but it would be no surprise to see Hanwood go close followed by Sir John Bayley.
Dark Horses: Hanwood
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: I think it could be Bylet with Wem just having enough to stay away from danger this season.
Player to watch (own team and another): Mike Gilpin for ourselves and Michael Beer from Castlefields who was so good on our green and got better and better as the season went on last year.
Aim for your team? To continue with the momentum we got from the second half of last season and look to break into the top ten.
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Hadley USC and Bridgewater
Club: Hanwood
Captain: Mark Shore, Glyn Wellings & Nick Davies
Players Signed: Colin Beaman, Darren Wellings & Craig Wilson (Meole Brace)
Players Left: Tony Hotchkiss (Meole Brace tanners), Gary Neal
Thoughts on the top of the table: Castlefields are a very strong side and will take some moving from the top but Newport appear to be back to full strength and following a good season last year I expect them to be challengers. You can never rule out the Bayley either!
Dark Horses: Newport
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: I don’t expect to see Wem at the bottom this time round. It will be interesting to see how Hanmer’s second season goes. It will also be interesting to see how Meole fair with the loss of key players.
Player to watch (own team and another): Darren Wellings – undoubted quality, different gravy on Hanwood.
Mike Beer (Castlefields) – they will all want the Champ’s scalp.
Aim for your team? We have signed some quality players but also lost two quality players. We would like to defend our cup success and try to push into the top three. We were 40 points behind Castlefields which is a lot to make up!
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Hadley USC
Club: Ifton
Captain: Dickie Jones
Players Signed: Andrew Armstrong (Hanmer)
Players Left: Curtis Metcalfe (Wem USC)
Thoughts on the top of the table: Top three will be Castlefields, SJB & Hanwood
Dark Horses: Bowring
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: After last season there could be 5 or 6 teams who could end up bottom.
Player to watch (own team and another): Sam Williams
Aim for your team? To move forward after a disappointing last season
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Ludlow Castle
Club: Meole Brace
Captain: Andy Wigginton
Players Signed: Jon Lyttle (Hadnall), Kieran Jones (Llanymynech), Tim Jordan & Martin Middleton (Tanners team)
Players Left: Colin Beaman, Darren Wellings & Craig Wilson (Hanwood), Pete Bound (Wem USC)
Thoughts on the top of the table: Between the big four. 1. Castlefields, 2. Hanwood, 3. Sir John Bayley & 4. Newport
Dark Horses: Won’t be one as the top four will be miles clear. Everyone else playing for 5th place.
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: Same as last year at a guess, 2 or 3 clubs involved.
Player to watch (own team and another): Scott Moseley (Meole Brace) & Craig Wilson (Hanwood)
Aim for your team? After losing 4 top players to try and stabilise team and stay away from the bottom end of the table. Main aim is to have some fun!
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Telepost
Club: Newport
Captain: Sam Millward
Players Signed: Dave Rhodes, Paul Reeves (Sir John Bayley) & Tom Langford (St Georges)
Players Left: Chris Grocott (Year out)
Thoughts on the top of the table: Hanwood will surely be favourites with the players they’ve signed alongside Castlefields
Dark Horses: Bowring, good young team now
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: Meole Brace have to struggle this year with the quality of players they’ve lost
Player to watch (own team and another): I think Paul Reeves will do brilliant for Newport. He plays the green really well and I think he’ll continue his good record in the prem.
Jack Whitehead for Bowring, class player with a good attitude. I think he’ll have a good season.
Aim for your team? Regain our home form and improve on our points tally from last year
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Not sure about the playoffs. Obviously Hadley have lost a few players so I don’t think they’ll be challenging this year. Can’t speak for the likes of Ludlow Castle and Bridgewater, I’m sure if they’ve not lost anyone they’ll be in contention again.
Club: Sir John Bayley
Captain: Chris Worthington/Scott Simpson joint Captains
Players Signed: Elliot McGuiness (Castlefields), Kieran Buckley (Bowring), John Potter (Hadley USC)
Players Left: Paul Reeves (Newport), Gary Cooper (not playing)
Thoughts on the top of the table: I believe in its 25th year this will be the toughest season ever, it seems that every team appears to be strengthening, Castlefields surely have to be favourites, but will be tight between 5 teams with Bayley, Hanwood, Bowring, Newport all in the mix.
Dark Horses: Hanwood are much improved both on and off the green, securing the Pub and a lot of work done on the surroundings and Sprinkler system, morale will be high it all depends on how well they travel especially with the new points system.
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: Could be a case of second season syndrome for Hanmer, losing Andrew Armstrong and a few others and away teams knowing what to expect out of their green could cost them a few chalks, other teams around them strengthening won’t help.
Player to watch (own team and another): Jack Whitehead has impressed me over the last few seasons and depending on how often he turns out for Bowring could be a surprise to a lot of teams.
John Potter having stayed loyal to Hadley after relegation had a good season in the Mid Shropshire league last year just missing out on the league averages having only played 23 games, a consistent player with a good attacking game will be well suited at the Bayley.
Aim for your team? League and County Cup would be nice.
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Could be controversial here, I don’t think anybody will apply this season.
Club: St. Georges
Captain: Ian Gaut / Lewis Scott / Dave King / Nigel Evans joint captains
Players Signed: Nick Wyer from Hadley USC
Players Left: Glyn Picknell & Michael Wainwright taking a year out
Simon Rhodes to Bylet
Thoughts on the top of the table: It’s Castlefields to lose with their squad
Dark Horses: Hanwood – Some top quality signings
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: No idea but whoever it is will most likely be too strong to lose a play-off
Player to watch (own team and another): Nick Wyer – First season syndrome we hope
Aim for your team? Improve on last year and to make our home green a fortress again
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Probably Hadley again if they can finish above our second team
Club: Wem USC
Captain: Scott Thomas
Players Signed: Peter Bound (Meole Brace), Steve Cox, Curtis Metcalfe (Ifton), Carl Preece (Elephant & Castle)
Players Left: None
Thoughts on the top of the table: Castlefields will be tough to beat but Hanwood will push them all the way.
Dark Horses: Newport
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: It’s going to be tight down the bottom. Up to 5 or 6 clubs could get dragged in if they don’t perform at their best.
Player to watch (own team and another): Wem USC – Connor Whitehall. He has just won the District Winter League averages with an impressive 12 out of 14 wins.
Andrew Moss – He’s a young up and comer with a bright future ahead of him.
Aim for your team? To finish in the top half of the league.
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Same as last year
Club: Wrockwardine Wood
Captain: Stuart Clee
Players Signed: Dan Bodley, Steve Bodley, Daryl Matkin, Paul Jones, Steve Faulkner
Players Left: Martin Gaut (Bowring)
Thoughts on the top of the table: Personally I think Hanwood look very good on paper. With the players they have signed added to what they already had, to go with a fantastic home green which they are very good on I can see them finishing close to, if not top at the end of the year.
Dark Horses: Hanmer with a year under their belt in the league I think will go from strength to strength. Their lads have now had a look at all the greens which can only benefit them and it goes without saying what a superb home green they have which I believe they will have some great results on.
Thoughts on the bottom of the table: Always tough to call this one. I believe Wem and Bylet have strengthened over the winter and it is such a strong league there could by numerous other teams dragged into the mix.
Player to watch (own team and another): Player to watch in my own team is Dan Bodley. In my opinion a very good player who will add to us on and off the green! One to watch in the league this year for me is Reece Farr. Had a great first season in the league last year and can only go from strength to strength.
Aim for your team? Perform to the best of our ability each week, get behind each other and see where it takes us.
Who will be challenging for the playoffs from other leagues? Not a clue and in my opinion there is no team at the moment that is good enough to get into the premier league, this showed last year with the way the play-off final went.