Les Constable's report on the season
Soham 1 retained their title in the 1973/74 season with a six point lead
over YMCA 1. Paul Day, of course, was the mainstay of the Soham team and
went through the season unbeaten, Mick Palmer only lost eight games during
the season and with Brian Jones and John Ashman giving very good support the
Soham team had little difficulty in topping the league and one could visualise
even at this stage that it would need a very good team to topple them from
this position. It is again interesting to note, however, that YMCA 1 again were
the only team to frustrate them by beating them twice despite the presence
of Day in one of the matches. Mick Harper was the leading light in the YMCA
team and only lost one game during the whole of the season. Endersby and
Sally Hirst were the other members of the team and Peter Taylor played in
three matches against Soham 1, Press 1 and NCI 1, losing games to Soham
and NCI. New Chesterton Institute finished in third position one point behind
YMCA. John Thurston and Steve Andrews were again the mainstay of the team and
both had almost identical records in the League with D.Fuller close behind.
Thurston did not have such a successful season as in the past and lost
eighteen games although bearing in mind he had stiff opposition. University 1
were close behind NCI and finished one point behind. Boothby and Cassel were
prominent for the Varsity with Boothby gaining 82% and Cassell 72%.
University Press 1 who finished in fifth position were again well served by
Tony Littlechild who managed an 80% record with Tiplady and Paul Chisnall
giving good support - John Willis played in a few matches with fair success.
Wilburton who finished in sixth position had the same number of points but an
inferior sets average and Burgess, Sizer and Green all had about the same
success and were able to force a draw with YMCA. Fire Brigade and Telephones
were demoted to the second division and Fisons and University 2 were promoted
to the first division. 94 teams participated in the league in five
sectionalised divisions. Soham 1 defeated Royston in the final of the
Handicap Trophy by eight games to one and so completed the double as Press 1
had done previously.