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A fun bit of banter with Metin on Facebook has lead to me thinking who are the best players to have played in the Croydon league since it was formed?

I have played in the league since i was 14 and started playing in 1986!!

Obviously the rules have changed a lot over the years but who do you feel were the best players you have seen play since you have been playing in the league?

My top 2 players are as follows:

1) Jason Deegan
2) Mev Ali

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I'm not really able to give a view on this as
I don't no anyone beyond this season what I will say is
The best player iv played against in the league will be
Eddie taylor and iv known shaggy from years ago so I know him to
Def be up there.

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There so many top draw players you can pick, you could probably name 50 greats 25 masters and 10 Guru's of the game but to pick just a few now your talking.
Individually speaking.......
Consistant winners
Consistant Trophies winners
Alway's up the top in the rankings, past and present.
Then you have your Exceptional Team Players and in my mind that's what is all about.

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well not being big headed but im up there somewhere as i have won the secretary trophy for the last 3 years and also the singles divisional trophy for the last 2 years and im going to get to division 1 very soon i hope and to be playing some of the best players in croydon,

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This has been done a number of times and the top 5 was pretty consistant and any of 20 or so more than could have been included and were in some peoples judgement. I think when everything was compiled in a vote Mev was declared the best.

My top 5 accross the same time as Scott would be.

1. Rod Altes
2. John Paul Burns
3. Eddie Taylor
4. Mev Ali
5. John Goldsmith

The other players that featured from present to past were:-

Kyle Pickett
Tony Jackson
Andy Esgrove
Myself
Graf Bishop (He wasnt on the list but would be on mine)
Jason Deegan (Cheetahs)
Terry Doke (Cheetahs)
Paul Whearty (Everyone)
Danny Evans (Prop/Eagles)
Ray Tolfrey Snr (Eagles)
John Broadway (cheetahs/Eagles)
Dennis Blosse (Rosendale/Drillers)
Steve Connors (Eagles)
Alan Dobbs (Rosendale/Drillers He wasn;t on the list either but was very good)
Jess Chatwell (Characters
Marvin Jones (Characters)
Ray Mills (Characters)

I deliberately left 'Whispering' Hugh Telford of the list, to give him the opportunity to confirm how many of the above he has beaten at money matches.

Many good players have played in this league over the years, and at no point has the best team available ever represented the league. Its a shame really, could have done some damage on a ntional level if everyone got involved. I am sure there are 10 or 15 more players that I have missed.

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Wow!!! I thought this guy was joking when he posted this but I think he's deadly serious!! :blah:

I'm sure this is a thread about 'all-time' best Croydon players -not players who have spent 3 years in Div 5!! Come on mate... this is serious discussion!:no:

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Hahahahahahahaahhahaahhaahahahaha, not to be mean, secretary trophy ???? is there people who take that serious ? i thought that was for the mascot of the team!!! no offence skelly!!
u must be takin the piss!!! your not even in div 1, thats like saying the best player in the blue square premier has a shot at being voted the best player of all time!!!!:eek2:

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Scotty boy now look what youv'e started Potatoes...........:lol:

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I won 21 out of 21 secretaries games in div 1, and was on holiday for the last, so using Neil's theory, I must be some kind of Pool God.

I'd like to known as Zeus Kelly from now on.

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All Hail Zeus :clap: :bow:

I think the best player in league since I've been involved is Rod Altes.

Best player I've played in same team with is John Broadway

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In all seriousness though, I echo what Shaggy said.

Also missing from that list would be Moray Dolan who briefly played for the Prop, don't know if that counts??

And Tommy Donlan who I haven't personally seen play, but who people like Shaggy who is a bit of an anarak of pool player knowledge, says is absolute class.
Played at the highest level of the game, and played well.


Me personally, I have always been a massive fan of Mev (Despite him not even being the best Turk in the league ;-) )

Not only did he / and still does play some quite simply sublime pool, but he conducts himself as a true sportsman at all times. You'll never see him punching tables / throwing a wobbly / being disrespectful to the oppo etc etc etc
A true great of Croydon pool and we're very fortunate to have him.

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Sean has had his account attacked by Marc Burnett and I claim my ?5.

Tommy and Moray, would obviously be in the best 2 (mainly on the basis that they were formerly Number 1 and 8 on the pro Tour), but a combination of 30 frames between them doesnt count in my book.

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I must admit i've never even heard of half the names Shaggy's mentioned.

My top two would be :
1. Rod Altes
2. neil

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hahahahahahahaha:lol::lol::lol:

unless of course your last name is robertson???

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That doesn't suprise me I have been around for years!!!

I cant believe you put Neil behind Rod.

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Has everyone forgotten about Mr Mark Miller from the early 80s through 90s.

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I did.I knew there would be 1 or 2 that were obvious. I am sure the 'Fake' Mark Miller is happy that the 'Real' Mark Miller has been mentioned.

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Shaggy - was Alan Dobbs a Geordie?

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Only played in croydon this year however the best player I've seen here is Mev. He absolutely smashed me 7-0 at the weekend and I hardly played a bad shot! Probably one of the best players I've seen. Neils also handy:D

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you are all wrong
1.Roland Jones
2.Peter French
3.Billy Gibbs
4.John Hersey
5.Mick O'Donnel Jnr
6.Fred Green
7.Nigel Panther
8.Terry Bundy
9.Terry Cunningham
10.Paul Wherty
11.Merv Davis

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of the players I have played with & against over the last 30 years the best was Eddie Taylor,bearing in mind this is Eddie Taylor from 1982-1990, he made every game look easy (the same way as Shaggy & Mev did & does in their prime) Rod,Jacko,Shaggy,Mev,Goldsmith,Jumps,etc are legends but Eddie was the best I've ever played with(in a very very good team he was head and shoulders above all of us including the real Mark Miller),however playing a season with an old Tommy Donlon last year in his prime I bet he was unbeatable but he didn't play in the Croydon league till last year & the Marine broke Moray's hand after slaughtering him so they don't count.

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I would agree that Eddie Taylor made the game look so easy and would have to stand out as the overall number 1 to date. Jason Deegan was such an attacking player on his day and when he was on song he was a pleasure to watch. The original Mark Miller had so much skill, but played in my opinion very an un-orthodox but still managed the consistency to be mentioned with all the players on here and I had the pleasure of facing him in the 1984/85 Singles KO Semi-Final where he beat me 3-2 and I believe he went on to take the title that year.

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Sean Lynskey, now there's a name...

I wonder what ever happened to him...

:roll:

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ive got to say theres a list you could put .. but 3 players stood out for me last year!!!
1.tommy donlon
2.joel bullen
3. eddie taylor

but since ive been in the league ill add a few off my own
sean halligan
rod altes
graf bishop
wayne pope
leon pope
micky samuels
mev ali
kyle pickett
paul wildman
andy esgrove
tony jackson
the list could go on ....
alan memhet
stacy redman
danny kelliher!! i add these players because on form they were class.. and an enjoy to play with..
but the player that i think when he played in croydon pool has my vote is sean halligan on form he is different class..

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Ginger haired fella who made it as a pro at snooker?

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My to 5 would be

Rod Altes
Sean halligan
Jumps
Paul Wildman
Jason Deegan

Dave Houston we have been number 6

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hate to prove you wrong, but at the height of their powers Eddie & Jumps played two money matches first to eight, Eddie won both 8-3 (Jumps was lucky to get the three) Eddie also used to regularly beat Rod

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Mev, Rod and Jacko
The 3 Amigo's (Bandits of the game)
Incredibly difficult to beat.

Deagan, Dokes and Shaggy
3 pool masters (would certainly be in my top 5)

Taylor, Jumps, and Bishop
Make the game look so easy

Halligan, Pickett, and Pope.
Just win frames from know where. ( Amazing and Outrageous single shot players)

Esgrove, Telford and Tolfrey
Probably have the best all round game (Tactically Potty)
Pressure , what pressure.

The list could go on...........but all these players have won massive amounts of trophies past and present and are rated extremely high.

:judge:

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Don't think Eddie Taylor was around at the time of the Eden's emergence into the league in 1996, so never seen him play but if some of the fella's above are giving Taylor the nod then he must have been something special.

I reckon the Croydon league should be extremely proud of not only being responsible for producing some home grown talent but also having so many fantastic players take an interest whom lived outside Croydon in wanting to travel and play in the league.

My top 10 players (in no particular order) whom in my time in the league made it look so easy: Paul Wildman, Tony Jackson, Sean Halligan, Rodrigo Altes, Danny Evans, Marc Burnett, Mev Ali, Jason Deegan, Kyle Pickett, Andy Esgrove.

Personally if I had to name one of those above to just edge it then it would be Tony Jackson - tactical genius.

BTW, belated congratulations to the Eagles on winning yet another Winter league title :worship:, Unpredictables for winning the league cup & to the Cuemasters for taking the K/Out cup.

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Thought I would throw my tenpence into the ring, I think if the the question is who is the best player to play in Croydon apart from Moran, for me it has to be rod or Sean without doubt, sean has Beaten at least 2 past world champions in a race to 5, and rod won the region 7 tour so many times he got kicked off!! As far as I'm awere they is nobodys name in any of the above posts that come close to what I have mentioned???

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Many of the names were very much before R7 Tours and the like came into being, (although I know Jumps won Yarmouth flyers in the 80's and the likes of Mev and Eddie won singles national events (Pub Chained Events)), so it is hard to compare older players to the newer players, so I tend to judge by what I have seen. I put Rod top of my list and didn't really include Sean as he was in the league for a particualrly long time. Not that time has any reflection on ability, which Sean obvioulsy has in abundance.

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Whilst Jacko is undoubtedly the most successful player Croydon has ever seen (7 Singles KO's on top of numerous Divisonal Singles and #1 Ranked Player titles says it all), Rod is the best player in my time by some margin.
There will be many people who discredit him for certain 'reasons' but he made the game look very simple and at the same time, played the game how it should be played.

There's very few people who have ever done anything outside of Croydon. Add winning back-to-back flyers in Yarmouth to the bucketload of R7 Tour, Croydon Tour, Croydon Open and other KO titles and you have someone who made the local titles seem pretty small fry.

Other than the two above, you have Shaggy who was the first of the modern era to get out and about, winning then 2nd Croydon Open with nearly 100 players in it, Kyle who could have been something special had he not found out what his dinkle is for, Graf who is hugely underrated, Wayne Pope who if he could be bothered would be smashing people to bits right now and Mev who is not only talented at all cuesports but a ridiculously nice bloke with it.

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I think the idea of measuring the best player ever for all his singles ( best of 3 I may add)and winning their 1st frame is stupid and u can't use that as a way because there r players who never take it serious and don't even bother with it! The way it should be measured is how many league titles the team has won and who was the most influential for that team. It is as everyone knows a team game and I would rather win leagues and cups as a team than as an individual in Croydon league.
How many players dropped out the first round of singles in winter coz they did nt want to travel? IMO

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I dropped out of the 1st round of the singles because i was drawn away to the Goodfellas, sod that, it was over 5 tables away.

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Thought i would re-ignite this thread due to the money match thread re:Rod Altes.

Rod appears to get many peoples votes...

I personally would still have Jason as my no1 and Mev / Rod very closely behind (and im talking about these players in their prime).

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Very hard to name one individual and before the days of The Eagles there was a team called The Characters who were made up quality players in there days, Ray Tolfrey (Snr), Jess Chatwell etc etc etc but I think what we can all agree on is that Croydon has over the last 40 odd years produced some very solid players and no doubt will continue to do so in the future.

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Iv yet to comment on this but obviously records don't lie n if u asked many Ov the top players who they ad a losing record against then the answer would b clear...it's funny seeing this thread n thinking wel Iv probably beat so n so 50 out Ov 70 times wev played n yet people av him above u...bizarre it's like how many times must u prove ur dominance to b noticed...the thing is I believe u must Ava all round game n yet people get dazzled by potters n outrageous shots rather than machine like players...tiger woods is not the flashes driver Ov the ball but his Wil to win n all round game n responding to pressure rather than crumbling proves he's the best in the modern era n his record also proves it...I no the answer to this thread but people Ov simple minds like watching fireworks :angel:

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You are talking about Clive Taylor aren't you ?

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yes m8,do u remember wen I played him up frames n the balls wer spread around the table but I left the white ina place where he woz fckd n did not av any kind ov shot to play without leaving me the dish so he stood there looking at the table for at least 5 6minutes n then smashd the granny out ov em ina pure hit n hope fashion n it workd...hes defo got the fireworks... :angel:

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Wow great reading and lots of different opinuns but one name not mentioned who is a true legion is the one and only mick o donnell who I have played in his team for 20 plus years. Could pot a ball from anywhere not nessisary in the pocket he was going for. legioned:D:

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Jacko, I don't even know why there's a discussion on this.

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Loool chris

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Although I was almost unbeaten in last summers div 5 secretary's. I should be up there somewhere ey Neil?

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Yh neils posts never seem to amaze me.not just this yr his been a nobber then.for the past 2 yrs it seems.that was the best part of this thread by far hahaha