NORTH LANCASHIRE & FYLDE CBA
Established 1984
THE FORMATION OF THE COUNTY ASSOCIATION
North Lancs & Fylde is the youngest county in the British Crown Green Bowling Association (BCGBA). It was created largely through the hard work of six people: Keith Scott (Preston), Eric Garth (Gt Eccleston), Eric Currah (Lancaster), George Davies (Preston), Bert Sutton (Lancaster), and Stan Drake (Blackpool). They represented a widely-held view that Lancashire, even after the formation of Greater Manchester and Merseyside in 1980, was still too big an area and that bowling in North Lancashire was strong enough to support a sixteenth county.
In 1982, an application for membership of the BCGBA was turned down on the basis that not enough consultation had taken place with the Lancashire CBA. Having rectified this and agreed boundaries, a new application went forward in 1983 and was approved, allowing the formation of a North Lancashire & Fylde County Bowling Association.
The six pioneers, along with Bert Dransfield (Preston), Malcolm Shaw (Burnley), David Sutcliffe (Todmorden), Allan Yates (Burnley) and Alan Whitworth (Preston), went on to form a Constitution and a set of County Rules which were presented to a General Meeting held in January 1984. These being accepted, Eric Garth was elected the first President and Chairman. In 1986 the County entered the Junior County Championship after an organisation (which became the Junior County Committee) and was set up by Alan Whitworth.
Following an Extraordinary AGM on the 19th November 2023, member clubs voted for an amalgamation of the NLFCBA and the North Lancs & Fylde Ladies Bowling Association.
STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION
The Constitution has changed very little since 1984. The position of President was originally the culmination of a six-year term, with two years as Junior Vice-President, two as Senior Vice-President and two as President. In the light of experience this was felt to be too long, and the position of Junior Vice-President was abandoned. It was also decided that only the last five Past Presidents should remain on the committee, so long as they retained their interest. This was done to prevent the committee from becoming top heavy. However, it became obvious that the committee needed all the members it could get, and the five-year limit was removed!
The County is divided into five districts: i) Blackburn; ii) East Lancashire; iii) Fylde iv) Lancaster; v) Preston. Each district has its own Chairman and up to three delegates and they, plus the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Financial Officer, Competitions Secretary, BCGBA Representative, Membership Co-ordinator, Development Officer, Junior Secretary, NLF Ladies Representatives and Safeguarding Officer form the Management Committee, which meets on a regular basis.
Although this appears to be a large committee, several members fulfil more than one position. It must also be borne in mind that the committee serves 204 clubs and 56 Leagues.
COMPETITIONS
The County holds various competitions: Champion of League Champions (for League Merit winners); Hugh Hornby Senior County Individual Men’s Merit; Junior Individual Merit; Jack & Jean Isherwood (for veterans); County Pairs, Centenary Mixed Pairs, Senior Ladies Individual Merit, Dorothy Piearce Ladies Pairs, Ladies President’s Day, and County Team Knockout (for Clubs). In so far as is possible, the competitions are held around the five Districts within the County. Most of these competitions are qualifiers for their respective BCGBA Finals.
There are also County Teams competing in the BCGBA Senior Men’s & Ladies County Championships, the Junior County Competitions, and the Veterans County Championship.
Men’s Senior County Team
The Senior County Team has appeared in the Final three times, in 1985 and 1994 against Yorkshire and 2005 against North Midlands. The team lost in the first final of the Supplementary Competition in 1992 and again in the 1998 final.
In 2013, the County won all three group matches, both home & away, before losing in the Semi-Final to a very strong Warwick & Worcester Team.
In 2017, the County won its first major trophy by winning the Supplementary competition at Oxley Park, Cheshire defeating Staffordshire in the final.
The team also repeated this success in 2019 by winning the Supplementary competition defeating Cheshire at Garswood Hall, Lancs.
BCGBA Competition Winners
The County has had three winners of the BCGBA Senior Individual Merit in Michael Leach (1984), Steve Ellis (1994) and Simon Coupe (2023), along with five runners-up:- Brian Tomlinson (1987), Ian Rigby (1991), Paul Wilson (1998) Simon Coupe (2007) and Wayne Ditchfield (2011).
Simon Coupe – 2023 BCGBA Senior Individual Merit Winner
The County has had five winners of the BCGBA Champion of Champions: Brian Duncan (1991), Ian Rigby (1990 & 1999), Paul Wilson (2005) and Simon Coupe (2014).
In 1996 Ian Rigby played for the winning England team in the International matches at Blackburn and in 1997 Michael Leach also played for the winning England team at Rhyl.
Junior County team
The Junior County team won the Supplementary competition the first time it was played in 1996 and were runners-up in 2001.
In 2018, the BCGBA changed the Junior County Championship into a league format. Our Juniors won the inaugural Division 2 title, “The Four Phil’s Trophy” winning all three league games against Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and the Potteries, including winning both the home and away legs in every match.
Of all those who have played for the Junior County team, 16 players have gone on to play for the County Senior team.
In the BCGBA Junior Individual Merit Finals, the County has had six runners-up in Simon Coupe (1987), Andrew Cairns (1991), James Ball (1996), Stephen Clough (2003), Mark Chester (2009) and Owen Jackson (2010). Wayne Ditchfield has broken all records by winning the competition on three successive occasions: 2005, 2006, 2007 and a fourth time in 2009.
County Veterans team
The County Veterans appeared in the Final of their Championship, which only began in 1995, in 2000 and again in 2024 when they finished runners-up to Yorkshire
Roy Sutton and Michael Leach have both won the Jack & Jean Isherwood Veterans Championship in 2002 and 2014 respectively.
BCGBA Centenary Mixed Pairs
Kath Garnett & Wayne Ditchfield represented the County and won this competition in 2013.
Clair Russell & Steve Clamp won the 2024 competition which was played at Owley Wood Recreation Club in Cheshire.
BCGBA Ladies Dorothy Piearce Pairs
Carol Darley and Liz Bennett won the 2024 competition which was played at Littleover Bowling Club in Derby
BCGBA World Club Championship
St Josephs (Chorley) won the inaugural ‘World Club Team Championship’ at Irlam in 2011. They repeated this feat by winning it again in 2013.
Parkfield Labour Club (Preston) also won the World Club Championship in 2016 and again in 2018, when it was hosted at the Fox Lane Sports & Social Club in Leyland.
BCGBA OFFICIALS FROM THE COUNTY
The County has so far provided two BCGBA Presidents – Malcolm Shaw in 1998 and Dr Henry Butler in 2010. During Dr Butlers term of office, the BCGBA Merit finals returned to Fleetwood Bowling Club, the venue for the very first BCGBA Merit in 1910.
The County Representatives to the BCGBA have been:-
| YEar | Name |
|---|---|
| 1984-1987 | Stan Drake (Blackpool) |
| 1988-1993 | Burt Sutton (Lancaster) |
| 1994-2002 | Alan Whitworth (President) |
| 2003-2011 | David Sutcliffe (Todmorden) |
| 2012 | Jim Parker (Blackpool) |
| 2013-2018 | Tony Bamber (Preston) |
| 2019-2022 | Dr Henry Butler (Leyland) |
| 2022 to 2024 | Steve Clamp (Colne) |
| 2024 to date | Jonathan Lacey (East Lancs) |
BCGBA BOARD MEMBER
Region 1 (representing Lancashire, North Lancs & Fylde, Cumbria, The Federation of Bowls and Lancashire Ladies): Steve Clamp (Colne)
PAST PRESIDENTS
| year | name | Regional district |
|---|---|---|
| 1984-1985 | Eric Garth | Fylde |
| 1986-1987 | Bert Sutton | Lancaster |
| 1988-1989 | George Davies | Preston |
| 1990-1991 | Alan Yates | East Lancs |
| 1992-1993 | Alan Whitworth | Preston |
| 1994-1995 | Malcolm Shaw | East Lancs |
| 1996-1997 | David Sutcliffe | East Lancs |
| 1998-1999 | Peter Hodgkinson | Blackburn |
| 2000-2001 | Len Lunn | Fylde |
| 2002-2003 | David Horner | Lancaster |
| 2004-2005 | Henry Butler | Preston |
| 2006-2007 | Jim Cunningham | Blackburn |
| 2008-2009 | Bernard Kay | East Lancs |
| 2010-2011 | Geoff Foy | Preston |
| 2012-2013 | Tony Bamber | Preston |
| 2013-2014 | Geoff Foy | Preston |
| 2014-2015 | John McGonnell | Lancaster |
| 2016-2017 | Malcolm Cooley | Preston |
| 2018-2019 | Alex Collins | Preston |
| 2020-2021 | John McGonnell | Lancaster |
| 2022-2024 | Mike Fleming | Fylde |
| 2024 – | Brian Swift | Fylde |
North Lancs & Fylde County Bowling Association 