Following the vote at the AGM held on 1 August 2023, the members present agreed to implement the following application of the Miss Rule for the 2023/24 League Season with the application to be reviewed again at the 2024 AGM.

The change of the previous application of the Miss Rule was to alleviate the judgement part for the referee as to whether a miss should be called or not based upon the players ability. The previous application was subjective and has caused some issues over the past few seasons.

It is hoped that the new application will ensure that the miss rule can be applied by all referees consistently throughout the league every time a player fails to make contact with a ball on. It previously was not being applied fairly or consistently due to the wide range of players abilities in the league, with both players and referees having a difference of opinion as to whether a snooker is easy or difficult to escape from.

Three Player Division / League Cup / All Tournaments
The full Miss Rule as detailed in the current WPBSA Official Rules of Snooker is to apply with the caveat that there will be a maximum of three miss calls in any given situation and a miss will not be called following a fourth failed escape. Thereafter the normal foul rule applies and the non-offending player has the option to play from where the balls have landed or ask the offending player to play again, thus no advantage should be gained from where the balls finish after the failed fourth attempt.

Four Player Division
A miss shall not be called when a player is snookered and fails to escape, the normal foul rule will apply in this instance. If a player however can see any part of a ball on and fails to make contact, a foul and a miss shall be called. There will be a maximum of three miss calls in any given situation and a miss will not be called following a fourth failed escape. Thereafter the normal foul rule applies and the non-offending player has the option to play from where the balls have landed or ask the offending player to play again, thus no advantage should be gained from where the balls finish after the failed fourth attempt.
A player shall not forfeit the frame for failing to make contact three times with any part of a ball on.

Further to the AGM held on Tuesday 1 August 2023, for the 2023/24 League Season, the Committee of the DMC Leisure North Essex Snooker League consists of the following Officers and Committee Members;

League Officers;
Life President – Dan Lewis
Chairman – Peter Saville
League Secretary – Simon Chapman (Whittlesford Social Club)
Treasurer – Peter Saville (Dunmow Club)
Fixtures / Results Secretary – Aaron Gibson (Stansted Club)
Tournament Secretary – Stuart Turner (Dunmow Club)

Committee Members;
Stewart Hart (Saffron Snooker Club)
Peter Barker (Stansted Social Club)
Stephen Burford (Takeley Sports & Social Club)
Phil Chapman (Whittlesford)
Clive Ellett (Widdington)
Richard Livings (Saffron Snooker Club)

It is important that any queries or issues are directed to the correct person. The main day-to-day work is generally undertaken by Simon Chapman, Aaron Gibson,  Stuart Turner and Peter Saville whose roles and responsibilities are as follows;

League Secretary – Simon Chapman 
All matters concerning the general running of the league on a day-to-day basis, any queries concerning league rules and regulations etc.

Fixtures / Results Secretary – Aaron Gibson
Any queries in relation to league fixtures, league match results, player registrations and handicaps, cancellation and/or rearranging of league matches.  Collation of league results and production of league tables.

Tournament Secretary – Stuart Turner
All matters relating to all tournament and competition entries, draw sheets, player contact details and results.

Treasurer / Website Administrator – Peter Saville
Any matters in relation to the finances of the league and the administration/content of the league website and social media accounts.

All Team Captains, it’s that time of year again!

Ahead of the AGM on Tuesday 1 August 2023, the DMC Leisure North Essex Snooker League requires your 2023/24 Team & Player Registration Form to be submitted to us no later than Sunday 16 July 2023.  The online registration form can be completed in a few minutes via the league website or the link below and automatically submits your entry to us.  In order to complete it you will need to have a mobile number and email address for each of the players that you wish to register.  Registered players will also prior to the start of the new season be added to our WhatsApp Group which many members find a useful way to keep up to date with league results and news.

Click here to complete and submit your form now!

Should you have any queries then please do not hesitate to contact either Peter Saville (Treasurer/Website Administrator) or Simon Chapman (League Secretary) in the first instance, many thanks.

For the first time since the 2013/14 league season, the Three Player Division has finished with two teams, Dunmow Club and Stansted, level on points won, matches won and level on their head-to-head results which means that there will be a play-off match to decide who wins the league title for the 2022/23 league season.

Accordingly, this has been arranged to be played on Monday 24 April 2023 at Saffron Snooker Club, play to start at 7.30pm. The match will take place on two tables.

All spectators are welcome to attend.

Play-Off Result: Dunmow Club 4-2 Stansted

*Dunmow Club win Three Player Division title

Congratulations to Stansted Ex-Newport who have won the 2022/23 Four Player Division League Title on the final match of their season.

Stansted finished level on both points won and matches won with Widdington Warriors but have secured the league title due to their better head-to-head record.

Further to the EGM held at Takeley Sports & Social Club last night, by way of an update for those unable to attend, please find below the headline points from the Chairman’s Meeting Notes. Formal meeting minutes will be available upon request in due course for any members that wish to view them.

The Chairman was pleased to note that all teams intending to enter the league next season were represented at the meeting and thanked all those who attended.

Item 1 – Change of League Name

The members voted unaminously in favour for the league name to be changed from the ‘Saffron Walden & District Snooker League’ to the ‘North Essex Snooker League’. The league name is to be prefixed by the league sponsor DMC Leisure.

Item 2 –  Confirmation of League Format

The members voted unaminously in favour for The Three Player and Four Player Divisions to both continue in the same format as the current league season with the option for the Three Player Division teams to play each other twice in each half season dependant on the the number of teams entering and fit into the season calendar.

Item 3 – League Fees

The members voted unaminously in favour for the proposed restructuring of league fees for the new season. League fees to be reviewed again prior to the 2024-25 league season.

Item 4 – AOB

Options to hold the President’s Cup next season were discussed and the Tournaments Sub-Committee will consider these further.

A poster will be made available for all Clubs to display to advertise the league’s activities to try and encourage snooker players who are members of existing clubs to form new league teams for next season. This will also be sent out to past league venues where potential new/ex-league players are still active.