We have received the first WASPA results of the month, arriving just a few days after the historic tournament in Mulhouse, France. This time, the spotlight falls on Wales, where the Welsh National Circuit reached its dramatic conclusion, and on England, where club events were held in Solent, North Shields, Andover, Yorkshire and Norfolk.
Wales: History Made with a Double Crown! 🏆🏴
An unforgettable weekend in Wrexham and Buckley brought the Welsh Circuit season to a thrilling close, with two different players earning the highest honours in Welsh table football.
Welsh National Champion: Darren John Barnes 🏴
Congratulations to Darren John Barnes, whose consistency throughout the season saw him secure the title of Welsh National Champion. Competing against a strong field across the entire circuit, Darren accumulated enough points to guarantee his position as the official No. 1 ranked Welsh player, sealing a well-deserved national crown.
Circuit Champion: Richard Grimley 🏴
If ever there was a comeback story, this was it. After being eliminated in the group stage in Wrexham on Saturday, Richard Grimley looked to be out of contention for the overall circuit title. However, he produced a remarkable response in Buckley on Sunday.
Following a dramatic final against Chris Bedford that went all the way to a sudden-death shootout, Richard claimed victory in the tournament, reached the maximum points tally available, and secured the Overall Welsh Circuit Open Championship.
Saturday belonged to Chris Bedford, who defended home turf in Wrexham, while Sunday saw Richard Grimley triumph in Buckley after a tense and closely contested final.
Two different titles, two deserving champions, and a memorable conclusion to the Welsh season.
Report from the Wales Subbuteo Table Football Association.
Nick Pearson Wins Chris Kaberry Memorial Cup in North Shields
North Shields Subbuteo Table Football held a special tournament on 8 August in memory of their friend Chris Kaberry, who passed away just over a year ago. The event was played for the inaugural Chris Kaberry Memorial Cup, which organisers hope will become an annual fixture.
Six players took part, including Chris's childhood friend Andy, who returned to competitive action after a lengthy absence. Chris's dog, Ritchie, was also present and, according to participants, was in fine form throughout the day.
After an excellent tournament and a meal together at a local curry house, everyone agreed that the event had been a fitting tribute. The inaugural trophy was won by Nick Pearson.
Ian Sharp Tops Dewsbury Moor WASPA Night
Dewsbury Moor Sports Club welcomed back Brian Andrew to WASPA club-night action, but his return was denied a perfect ending by Ian Sharp.
The contest for first place went right down to the final round after the two leading contenders had previously played out a goalless draw. Ultimately, Ian's crucial 1-0 victory over Adrian Hawcroft proved decisive, while Brian could only draw 0-0 with Kevin Adderley.
Luca Lanzani finished third after a late challenge, in what was a highly competitive evening. No player lost more than three of their five matches, highlighting the increasingly strong standard of play at the club.
Andy Palmer Triumphs in Norfolk Old Rules Event
Norfolk Subbuteo Club staged its third Old Rules WASPA tournament of the season, with Andy Palmer emerging victorious.
After progressing through the group stage and semi-finals, Palmer defeated Steve Race 2-1 in a tense final to claim the title. Palmer established a 2-0 lead through one of his trademark chipped goals and an unfortunate own goal, before Race fought back to make it 2-1. A late opportunity almost forced the match into penalties, but Palmer held on to secure the trophy.
The club thanked hosts Mulbarton Sports & Social Club for their support.
Report from Chris Burford.
Jason Christopher Wins Rowland Lyons Memorial Trophy
The annual Rowland Lyons Memorial Trophy was held at Solent Table Football Club, attracting ten competitors.
In the main final, Jason Christopher defeated Chris Burford 4-2 to reclaim the trophy from last year's winner, Connor. Elsewhere, Andy McGovern defeated Gary Birch in the Plate Final, while Tim Hill claimed the Haribo Shield courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Dirk Kelly.
The event once again provided an opportunity to remember a respected friend of the club while enjoying a highly competitive evening of table football.
Results
Regional Tournaments
Wrexham, Wales
1 August 2026
Semi-finals
- David Lauder bt Darren Barnes 1-0
- Chris Bedford bt David Samuel 6-2
Final
- Chris Bedford bt David Lauder 1-0
Plate Final
- Richard Grimley bt Luca Lanzani 2-0
Shield Final
- Brendan Ashley bt Raoul Newton 1-0
Buckley, Wales
2 August 2026
Semi-finals
- Richard Grimley bt Brendan Ashley 4-1
- Chris Bedford bt Richard Roper 5-1
Final
- Richard Grimley bt Chris Bedford 2-2* (won on shootout)
Solent, England
5 August 2026
- Jason Christopher
- Andy McGovern
- Rob Piggott
- Simon Hawley
- Gary Birch
- Tim Hill
- Jerry Lovegrove
- Paul Izard
- Dave Legg
- Roger Duckworth
- Steve Smith
- Dirk Kelly
- Nigel Morgan
North Shields, England
8 August 2026
- Nick Pearson
- Karl Dragan
- Mike Parnaby
- Tom Heslop
- Nigel Lamond
- Andy Mill
Andover, England
12 August 2026
Semi-finals
- Chris Burford bt Tony Martin 3-0
- Jason Christopher bt Nigel Morgan 4-1
Final
- Jason Christopher bt Chris Burford 4-2
Plate Final
- Andy McGovern bt Gary Birch 2-1
Dewsbury Moor, England
13 August 2026
Final Standings
- Ian Sharp – 13 pts
- Brian Andrew – 11 pts
- Luca Lanzani – 9 pts
- Perry Sinacola – 9 pts
- Kevin Adderley – 5 pts
- Dave Everett – 4 pts
- Adrian Hawcroft – 2 pts
- Darren Brook – 2 pts
Old Rules
Norfolk, England
5 August 2026
Semi-finals
- Steve Race bt Martin Nudd 1-0
- Andy Palmer bt Rob Colbeck 2-0
Final
- Andy Palmer bt Steve Race 2-1
