PLC Tennis League
The PLC Tennis League was formed in 1989 when a group of South Cheshire farmers decided they wished to play tennis on a regular basis. They formed a men’s doubles league called the PLC Tennis League where they played each other twice a season on Monday nights, a tradition that still exists today. The League name PLC was based on the courts first used to fulfil fixtures – The Pritch (Les & Derek Wright); the Laurels (Alan Brown); and the Crabmill (Michael Wright)
We still see Brian Johnson; Anthony Goodwin; Paul Hardern, and Dave Tomlinson all playing today – maybe not so quick around the court as 1989 but still as enthusiastic. The very first winners of what is Division 1 were Brian Johnson & Derek Wright.
The popularity soon grew and in year two the league was expanded to 12 couples, then in 1992 to 2 Divisions, and the organisation and administration also grew, with Adrian Lawrence becoming Secretary in 1990, a position he still carries out today, and yes he’s still getting the racket out every April too!!
Over the years the league became more and more popular, attracting more players, more divisions, more courts and Sponsors too. We now see 7 Divisions, approx. 140 members, and some 40 courts on our list, with nearly 700 matches played each year, quite a phenomenal achievement, and probably unsurpassed anywhere in the UK ......... and the LTA have never heard of us!!!!!!!
This has continued to run every year since its inaugural year except for 2001 when we had to cancel fixtures due to so many courts being on farms and the Foot & Mouth crisis which was sweeping the country.
The League also runs an annual Knock Out Competition, and socially an end of year Dinner which has been held at The Dusty Miller; Adderley Village Hall; The Four Alls; The Crown; Brookfield Golf Club; Wychwood Park; Crewe Hall and most currently Crewe Alex.
The league shows no sign of diminishing which is extremely satisfying to the Committee and especially to those who set out in the early days to ‘just have a game of competitive, but equally social, tennis’. We now see the children of founding members playing and it is great that this fantastic organisation is passing to the next generation. It is an unprecedented organisation and is even more than tennis, as it brings a great social occasion every Monday night to so many people.
The Committee look forward to its continued popularity in the years to come.
