Weekly Update - 16
Winter Season Update – Week 15
Registration for the Summer 2026 season is now open, you can contact Simon for forms or you can enter online here: Summer 2026 - entry is £50, not £60 as on the forms.
Congratulations to Jamie White & Colin McCormack on winning the Winter Cap & Secs.
Top Players: Simon has spent the time working through all the Winter rankings from the 2017/18 season, which is all we have access to, and compiled the top players list, this is made up from 51 teams and over 700 players. The lists can be accessed via this link
New Teams
We have now begun a recruitment drive where we will be seeking out new teams to enter the league, if anyone plays in another team or league, or if you know of any pubs/clubs looking for a pool team to join the FSPL please advise either James or Simon to discuss.
Frozen Balls: when a ball is frozen the ref should advise the player of this, the player must then play a legal shot where the frozen ball must hit a different cushion, or the white or any other ball can hit the cushion the object ball is frozen to for information please watch this video.
Nominating colours: when balls are close together or you go past a ball to pot another you need to nominate the colour, the Ref is not there to predict which ball you may be playing as they do not have the same view as you, failure to nominate will result in a loss of turn and the table remaining open; nomination should be called during an open table, this is not just from the break as it was in the old rules.
Coaching: any player deemed to have been coaching during a match will be given a first and final warning, any further coaching and a Standard Foul will be called and the player will be asked to leave the match and venue, if the player refuses to leave the venue then any further calling out will be deemed as coaching and result in a Standard Foul for every offence.
Refereeing - Breaks
After a foul on the break, it is the referee’s duty to advise the incoming player of cue ball placement:
· If the white is potted, the call is: Ball in hand from baulk (i.e. behind the line).
· If the white leaves the table, the call is: Ball in hand (anywhere on the table).
The referee may call this at any time prior to the cue ball being struck. This is not considered coaching - it is the correct procedure; we are also allowing both captains to advise the player of either team that this is incorrect, this should only be done if the referee has not called it, if the ref makes the correct call and the player still places incorrectly and someone calls out then this will be coaching and the coaching rule will apply.
Refereeing: The Referee does not need to make any calls during a match, unless announcing a foul, touching ball/cushion etc., they should not tell any player which colour they are on, whether they are doing this for both teams or not it will be considered coaching, players cannot ask the ref which colour set they are so the ref should not say this when play turns over.
All players are required to have a good knowledge of the rules and not knowing certain rules is not an excuse for mistakes; such as handling balls after the black is potted from the break or not knowing where the white should be placed after a foul from the break or not knowing when to nominate colour choice.
Both Simon Stevens and Tony Clarke are qualified referees and can assist at any time with any rule anyone is unsure of (please be aware that both are actively playing and referring on match days so calls/messages may not be answered immediately).
Pairs Matches: players may only talk before their initial shot and must stop talking once either player touches the table, this includes putting chalk down, leaning on the table, touching the cloth or handling the cue ball during a foul. If you do talk you will be given a warning for Coaching, a further warning will result in Loss of Frame.
When a player pots a ball and walks away from the table and they or the team-mate say 'good shot', 'sorry for the poor position', or anything of this nature are not classed as talking/coaching as it is not telling the player anything, only commenting on the outcome of the shot, obviously if they say 'sorry mate i meant to leave you that ball but now you can tuck him up', then this is coaching and a warning should be given.
Spectators: Any spectator, whether a player or fan, should not be calling out during any match except for encouraging any player or commentating on a good shot, however, we have had several questions on what is coaching from the crowd, calls such as 'think about it', 'take your time', 'it's all there', is not coaching as these are open to interpretation and not direct advice, calls such as 'tuck him up, 'flies in up the top', 'pot it in the middle' are coaching as they imply a direct shot or action.
