On the trail of the old Portslade league

Jun 15, 2007 8:35:48 GMT tommo said:
Use this thread to enquire on the health of a fondly- remembered League which may or may not be in existence.

I'll start it off.

1. Crawley League (Sussex). Sadly no more. I had three enjoyable seasons there 1977-80. The last six teams remaining were accepted into the Horsham League in the mid-eighties.       Crawley League well documented here: 
docs.google.com/document/d/19lxPToWUtMa1ZfQxqfSrbWMkHBDqhSjc0Je69Gq7aic/pub

2. Portslade League (Sussex). Also dissolved. Players performed to high standard on the county stage, winning Interleague more than once and providing Sussex Champions like John Sullivan, Steve and Doug Page, the Mehr brothers and Mick Ingram. When League disbanded the budding youngsters (Jim Millward, Gary Ridley etc) went to play in Brighton or Worthing.

Jun 15, 2007 11:52:11 GMT Mark James said:
I played in the Portslade League during it's final few seasons.

In fact, in retrospect I probably played the very last shot in Portslade bar billiards history, as I won the 1985 singles (v Paul Kelly), which was the last match at the last-ever Finals Night. This took place in the Stadium back-room.

I'm pretty sure that Jim Millward & Gary Ridley had already left the Portslade League by this time. The dominant team in the latter years were the Ham, Worthing. They had an unbeaten run of something like 65 matches in league & cup, and their squad included Ian Lelliott, Peter Rourke & Pete O'Brien, also John Symington I recall.

My own team were the Romans, captained by John Buss, and my team mates were Dave Cook, Ernie Oliver, Terry Stapleton (back playing again now) and Dennis Valardo. There was also a team at the Cricketers, Portslade, who included the late Dave Rider amongst their members.

The Norfolk, Worthing had a team (Brian Richards played there I think?), also the Empire Club, Lancing, and the Mile Oak & Blue Anchor were also represented.

I don't know if any records of the league remain. I gave the singles trophy to Steve Mariner some years ago, and I know that he has looked after it well, although I remember that the engraving had fallen badly out of date in the years before I won it. The last league secretary was Gus Nunnelly, who would be known to several contributors to this forum, I wonder if he would have any more information?

Jun 15, 2007 19:44:01 GMT davejones said:
I also have good memories of the Portslade League.

The inter league teams were very strong as Mark said.

The C league (division 3 now) started by Portslade. Ron Pettit chairman at the time and myself suggested it when we were both on the Sussex committee.

It was originally meant for under 23 years old players and new players.

As well as the teams Mark has said there were the Crabtree Lancing, Henfield Club, Royal Oak, Poynings, Fox & Hounds (Small Dole) among others.

Archive of known Portslade League venues:

Stadium (now The Atlas), 111 Western Road, Hove BN1 2AA
Henfield Club, Cagefoot Lane, Henfield, W.Sussex BN5 9DQ
Fox & Hounds (now The Fox), Henfield Rd, Small Dole, Henfield, W.Sussex BN5 9XE
Norfolk Hotel (later Flappers), Chapel Road, Worthing, BN11 1BE
**Ham Hotel (now Smugglers Return), 112 Ham Road, East Worthing BN11 2QS
Empire Club, 20 Penhill Road, Lancing, W.Sussex BN15 8HJ
Crabtree, 140 Crabtree Lane, Lancing, W.Sussex BN15 9NQ
Eight Bells, The Street, Bolney, Haywards Heath, W.Sussex RH17 5QW
Blue Anchor, 81 Station Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 1DF
Cricketers (now The Midway), 49-51 Church Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 1LB 

St George Inn, 29 High Street, Portslade, Hove BN41 2LH

*Stags Head, 37 High Street, Portslade, Hove BN41 2LH

Mile Oak, 321 Mile Oak Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 2RB
The Romans, 35 Manor Hall Road, Southwick, Hove BN42 4NG
Bridge, 87 High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex BN43 5DE
Carlton Centre, 2 Pond Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex BN43 5WU
Bridge, High Street, Upper Beeding, Steyning BN44 3HZ
Rising Sun, Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, Steyning BN44 3TN
Royal Oak, Poynings Road, Poynings, Brighton BN45 7AQ

*Stags Head a current venue for Brighton, Lewes and Worthing leagues.

**Smugglers play in Littlehampton league

Open for challenge by anyone who knows any different !

[dipper]

All the trophy`s that the Ham had won went missing when the pub was refurbished, when I asked about them know body new anything about them ( surprise, surprise ).
Such a shame.

[davejones]

Jan 13, 2020 16:22:28 GMT tommo III said:

Archive of known Portslade League venues:

Stadium (now The Atlas), 111 Western Road, Hove BN1 2AA
Henfield Club, Cagefoot Lane, Henfield, W.Sussex BN5 9DQ
Fox & Hounds (now The Fox), Henfield Rd, Small Dole, Henfield, W.Sussex BN5 9XE
Norfolk Hotel (later Flappers), Chapel Road, Worthing, BN11 1BE
Ham Hotel (now Smugglers Return), 112 Ham Road, East Worthing BN11 2QS
Empire Club, 20 Penhill Road, Lancing, W.Sussex BN15 8HJ
Crabtree, 140 Crabtree Lane, Lancing, W.Sussex BN15 9NQ
Eight Bells, The Street, Bolney, Haywards Heath, W.Sussex RH17 5QW
Blue Anchor, 81 Station Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 1DF
Cricketers (now The Midway), 49-51 Church Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 1LB
Mile Oak, 321 Mile Oak Road, Portslade, Hove BN41 2RB
The Romans, 35 Manor Hall Road, Southwick, Hove BN42 4NG
Bridge, 87 High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex BN43 5DE
Carlton Centre, 2 Pond Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex BN43 5WU
Bridge, High Street, Upper Beeding, Steyning BN44 3HZ
Rising Sun, Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, Steyning BN44 3TN
Royal Oak, Poynings Road, Poynings, Brighton BN45 7AQ

Open for challenge by anyone who knows any different !

The Stags Head and the George

Portslade old village

[davejones]

Gary Ridley was also Secretary at one stage