Cash pay-off in Basford's super league season

JUBILANT members at Basford are celebrating their best team results in the club's 80-year history.

Their table topping performances are largely thanks to a huge £100,000 investment in artificial grass courts, floodlighting and a revamp of the clubhouse in West Avenue.

Basford men's 'A' team of David Egerton, Mike Bell, Mike Hannon, Mike Baines and David Gadd clinched the Staffs League Division I title, the City and Suburban Division I crown and the P & D Packaging Knockout Trophy.

The women's 'A' side, including Staffs player Karen Dobson, Fran Rodwell, Lucy Staner and Vanessa Greatbach are City and Suburban champions and were runners-up in the county league Premier 1 Group.

The club also took the City and Suburban mixed crown.

Club President Derek Newport said: "There are several ingredients which have combined to give us our success.

"The money we have spent has paid dividends in that players can now compete all year round and the courts have certainly attracted new members which has created competition for team places."

There was further success for the 'B' teams and also for several junior members including Ben Wallbanks who finished runner-up in the Staffs Under 12 boy's championship. Ben has earned himself specialist coaching as part of an elite young squad who train at the county indoor centre in Stone.

Evening Sentinel, 23 January 1995
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media