|
Over the years a number of teams have been and gone (a
bit like Accrington Stanley - oops). Others have stayed but changed their
names (like Ardwick FC) - perhaps in an attempt to distract their opposition
. The names have varied from the bizarre (Electric Pigs) to the
functional (Griffin 'B' team - although even then there was some attempt at
humour since there never was a Griffin 'A' team). The table below provides details plus
some highly personal, and probably inaccurate, recollections. If
anybody can fill the gaps, enhance the accuracy, or provide details of
earlier league and cup winners and runners up please let me (Mike Bath)
know.
|
|
Latest name
* signifies
teams playing in the league this season |
Earlier names |
Comments |
|
Albert*
 |
Icarus |
The Albert pub in Didsbury (now
renamed The Fletcher Moss) has provided a league team since the start.
In an act of defiance to the brewery they insist on keeping the old pub
name alive. More often than not they are challenging for the top
spot. When known
as Icarus they were led by the doughty, but sadly late, Val Draper who
is remembered each season via the end of season cup which bears her
name.
HONS: Val Draper Cup Winners
1999/2000
Val Draper Cup Runners Up 2001/2
Plate Runners Up 2007/8
End of Season Tournament
Winners 2000/1 |
|
Charabancs of
Fire*
 |
2 FCEKs
FCEK
Brains of Oak
Moss Dross,
Swan Vestals,
White Swan |
Usually placed in the upper half
of the league. Led by Gerry Collins they used to have a surfeit
of Damians. They have recently moved from the upmarket
watering-holes of Didsbury back to their roots in The White Swan,
Ladybarn (known around the league as 'The Stadium of Murk'). Inventors of the 'bingo-style' quiz paper and
particularly strong on questions about Irish counties. Lately
they have come under the influence of the extraordinary bog-cleric
known as Fr Megson.
HONS: League Runners Up
2005/6 & 2006/7 & 2008/9
Val Draper Cup Winners 2001/2
Val Draper Cup Runners Up 2003/4 & 2004/5 & 2005/6
Plate Winners 2006/7 |
|
Electric Pigs*
 |
none |
Another
Fletcher Moss based team.
Thanks to Gary Donely, their captain, they shouldered the burden of league organisation
when Barry Whitehead hung up his boots a few years ago - thus keeping
the league alive. The perfectly behaved team when it comes to
the intricate and ancient protocols surrounding the art of indicating
knowledge of the answer and the subsequent conference. Recently
they have been strengthened through the addition of Gerry Hennessy,
one of the original Withquiz stalwarts.
HONS: Val Draper Cup Winners
2005/6 & 2007/8
Val Draper Cup Runners Up 2006/7
& 2008/9
Plate Runners Up 2009/10 |
|
Ethel Rodin*
 |
Dr O'Neil
Old Erin,
Red Lino,
Kelly's Earoles
Red Lion |
For many years the hub of the
league thanks to Barry Whitehead who did all the organising.
They are usually to be found in the upper reaches of the league and,
of late, have a knack of doing well in the cup competitions. They are determined to keep the name of the Red Lion alive via
anagram. Any offers for next year's name?
HONS: League Runners Up
1999/2000
Val Draper Cup Runners Up 1999/2000 & 2000/1
Plate Winners 2003/4
Plate Runners Up 2002/3 |
|
History Men*
 |
|
Led by Ivor Cartmill and based at the Red Lion, they
were league newcomers in the 2002/3 season. They have quickly
established themselves as regular contenders for honours. The
2004/5 season saw them rise to the number 2 spot behind Fifth
Finger.
HONS: League Runners Up 2004/5 & 2007/8
Plate Winners 2002/3
& 2009/10
Plate Runners Up 2003/4
End of Season Tournament Winners 2005/6
& 2008/9 (shared) |
|
Opsimaths*
 |
Alice's Hat,
My Sister used
to live there,
Crown 'A' |
One of the league's oldest teams
(in both senses). Currently based at the Albert Club in Old
Lansdowne Road they pride themselves on their mid-table consistency. As Crown 'A' featured the late and much missed Russ Belshaw. Famous for their
idiosyncratic QM, Jitka. Once when she asked the question: "Who
won the Men's boom in the Mexico Olympics?" It took both teams the
rest of the quiz to discover that it was the 800 metres rather than
some obscure yachting event to which she was referring.
HONS: League Runners
Up 2009/10
Plate Winners 2007/8
& 2008/9
Plate Runners Up 2006/7 |
|
Prodigals*
 |
Getaways
Albert Park |
Have a habit of propping up the rest of the league but
others find it hard to believe. Their unique skill at talking
themselves out of the correct answer may be part of the reason.
Lately their main claim to fame has been the excellent standard of
their papers - for which they have much praise. Recently
strengthened by Dave Rainford of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" fame
they have had a much better season in 2004/5.
HONS: Val Draper Cup Runners Up 2007/8
& 2009/10
Plate Runners Up 2005/6
End of Season Tournament
Winners 2001/2, 2004/5, 2005/6 |
|
SPW* |
Napier Girls
Three Mad Dogs
Fifth Finger
Griffing
Braggarts
Sporting
Braggarts,
Young Boys of
Burnage,
Borussia,
Not Not,
Not the Rest of
the World |
Traditionally
the league's frontrunners but can be upset by idiosyncratic papers. Currently based at The Griffin in Heaton
Mersey the present team is a result of a merger between the Sporting
Braggarts and the Griffin. In recent times beating them has
become the main challenge for the other teams.
HONS: WIST Champions
Cup 2009/10
League Champions
1998/9 &1999/2000 & 2000/1 & 2001/2 & 2002/3 &
2003/4 & 2004/5 & 2005/6 & 2006/7 &
2007/8 &
2008/9
& 2009/10
Val Draper Cup Winners 2000/1 & 2003/4 & 2004/5 & 2006/7
& 2008/9 &
2009/10
Val Draper Cup Runners Up 2002/3
Plate Winners 1999/2000 & 2005/6
End of Season Tournament Winners 1999/2000 & 2003/4 & 2007/8
& 2009/10 |
|
The Bards of Didsbury* |
Snoopy's Friends |
One of the more recent teams to
join the league. Previously they did their quizzing in
Merseyside where things were altogether more competitive. After
a spell in The Woodstock, St Catherine's Social Club, Hough End
Social Club and The Didsbury their current base is
The Metropolitan in West Didsbury. Don't mess with them
they know their way around the legal system!!
HONS: End of Season
Tournament Winners 2008/9 (shared) |
|
The Men They Couldn't
Hang* |
None |
Newcomers for the 2007/8 season,
they play their home matches at the Parrs Wood Hotel on the corner of
School Lane and Parrs Wood Road. Their origins lie in the Sett
Valley Pub Quiz League (based in the New Mills area) but they have
decamped in an effort to conquer the big city quizzers of Didsbury and
Withington. |
|
Amboβ |
Ambo Sap Soc |
Led by Rebekkah Ottaway for many years. Involved
in the only 'near pub brawl' incident when Scottish Tom fell out collectively
with the Braggarts. Suspension was only averted by written
apologies during the following week. |
|
The Badgers |
Fletcher Moss (The Albert) |
I seem to recall that this was an all-female team
including Judy Taylor and Val Draper, based at the Albert/Fletcher
Moss. I believe they only lasted for one season. |
|
Crown 'B' |
White Lion,
Crown 'B',
Crown Jewels,
Old Grey Green Grocers |
Led by the late John Turrell of 'Mild & Bitter' fame
they consisted of various colourful characters including Val, 'Sid'
Siddons and 'Sailor' Derek .
They vied with the Heyscroft Roaders in trying to lose each match so
that they got the free pint at the end!
One season they
reached the final play off evening held at St Caths. They won
their semi-final and were looking good for the final but, by the time
the other semi-final had been played they were too drunk to speak and
lost the final spectacularly. |
|
Dim Some |
|
|
|
Ebony & Ivory |
|
Led by 'Big Dave' (he of the quiz
machine) they could be relied on to run the Braggarts close.
Sadly they folded when Dave went to London to write quiz questions for
Channel 5. Good news however is that Dave is back in town and
turning out for Albert Park. |
|
The Gateway |
Heyscroft
Roaders |
Much missed when they quit at the
end of the 2000/1 season. |
|
The Gerbils |
|
The name came from
Gerry Leversha
and Bill Souster the team founders. Other Gerbils included
John Tolan (now with Ethel Rodin), Liz Barber, William Duggan, Ian Anderson and most memorably the
cantankerous Alan McPhee. Alan once declared "I do not know the
answer but am NOT conferring" so the question had to be handed over!
And on another occasion when asked "What was the American equivalent
of the Oxford English Dictionary?" declared "There is NO equivalent".
Gerry L writes to tell me that a favourite team saying (presumably
when stumped) was "I spit on your bourgeois questions!". Ah,
those golden days. The Gerbils finally expired in about 1986. |
|
Griffin 'B' |
|
Star performers for a number of years. They ran
the Braggarts close but then merged with the Braggarts when team
members moved from the area. |
|
Ladybarn BL |
|
Famed only for their quick exit. They joined at
the start of a season and then left before the half way mark. |
|
Midland
 |
Midland/Railway,
Mid Scot,
Railway |
It flirted seasonally between the Midland and the
Railway. It's main members were Sid Siddons, Pete McKie, Brian
Randall, Simon Townsend and Chris Webb. Chris would always storm
off before the free pint if they lost but eventually agreed to have a
whisky on these occasions so he could chuck it down and then storm
off. |
|
Other
Friendships are forgot |
Friendship 'B' |
Led by Keith Glazzard they moved from the Friendship in
Fallowfield to the Red Lion. Folded a few years ago. |
|
The Parrswood |
|
|
|
Rabbi Lionel |
none |
I believe it
was the Rabbi that was responsible for the worst question of all time:
"Who was the most famous racing driver of all time?" |
|
St Catherine's |
none |
Solid performers over the years
with a number of league titles to their name. Despite their
association with religion they claim that the last time they got
a religious question right Methuselah was in short trousers (no, this
is not a reference to their captain, the venerable Mike Heale!!).
After many years at the summit St Caths were forced into retirement
after the 2005/6 season. Sadly Mike Heale passed away in 2009.
R.I.P.
HONS: League Runners Up
2000/1 & 2001/2 & 2002/3 & 2003/4
Val Draper Cup Winners 2002/3 |
|
Stumped
|
SWMCC
(South West Manchester Cricket Club) |
Led by Roger
Edmunds and Copland Smith they were based at South West Manchester Cricket Club in Chorlton.
They were league newcomers in the 2002/3 season and quickly
established a reputation for superbly crafted and innovative question
papers. In particular they have made a point of including a
Crossword round in each of their papers. Left the league
at the end of the 2003/4 season. |
|
The Turnpike |
|
Motley crew of Bob the Telecom, Terry, One-armed Pete,
Scottish Jimmy and Brion McClintock. Once reduced to a team of 3
when Jimmy declared 'these questions are crap' and walked out in the
middle of round 2. |
|
The Victoria |
|
|
|
The Worm |
|
|
|
X-Pats |
TUFKAC
Christie's
Christie's 'A' |
Long-serving league stalwarts.
Famous for their whacky question papers (including phials of sample
beer for identification one year - and another time 64 questions on
November 5th). Sadly they had to drop out of the league at the
end of the 2008/9 season.
HONS: Plate Runners Up 2008/9 |
