Pool chief hits back

ADRIAN HOLLEY, one of the island's top cueists, has come under fire for comments he made about the lack of prize money at this year's island championships. Holley was one of four leading island pool players who pulled out of the singles competition at the Happy Landings earlier this month after the organisers dropped the entry fee from last year's purse of £700 to £150.

In an article printed in the Guernsey Press, Holley said that the 'amount was derisory' and that 'for that amount of money, we just don't want to bother'.

He also said that the top players deserved more prize money.

But junior pool coach and Happy Landings knockout tournaments organiser Trevor Kirk has condemned Holley for his comments.

'Which is the more important? The cash or the title?' asked Kirk.

'What was not said was that Mr Holley has never held the title, nor ever looks like he ever could, so what gives him the right to complain about what is seemingly out of his reach?

'This is not his only act of aggression against the pool league.

'The report did not say that as captain of Premiership team The Mafia, he took the decision to pull it out of the Premiership within 24 hours of their first match.

'Nor does it mention that he picked up £2,500 just a year ago as captain of the Premiership-winning team.

'Actually, since then, Ady Holley has not been playing on the local pool scene anyway or on the international scene since last summer.

'In actual fact, I have been present at more international pool venues within the last two years than he has and I attend only in a support role, not that of a player.'

On the subject of sponsorship, Kirk said: 'It is true that a lot of the sports sponsorship has been withdrawn, so this year's prize money had to be reduced,' he said.

'Some of that sponsorship is now set to return.

That sponsorship increase will noticeably begin with the Super Summer League/Knockout competition that is presently being given the final go-ahead to run at the Happy Landings between May and September.

'Although the final details are still being worked on, it is hoped that the eventual individual winner could be set to collect upwards of £500 or more, possibly even up to £1,000 if all goes well.

'Moreover, it's going to be an annual event.'

For next season, Holley is looking to set up a weekly individual snooker league featuring the best eight players in Guernsey. This will clash with the pool league every Thursday night. Kirk claimed that Holley had sent Adrian Locke a text message during the day of the singles competition saying that the new snooker league would 'take pool out of the equation'.

Kirk said the snooker competition would not jeopardise the pool league.

Holley said he stood by everything that he had said. He denied 'making comments behind closed doors' which could have led to sponsorship being withdrawn. He also refuted that he was not good enough to win the island title.

'In 2001, I lost 7-6 in the final, so it's certainly not out of my reach,' he said. 'I've won the snooker Channel Islands championship, I've won 10 pool titles and there's not one player I haven't beaten.'

He also refuted the claim that he had objected to the juniors taking part in the senior tournament.

'I'm not jealous and they have my best wishes for the future. I've always had a good relationship with the juniors, based on mutual respect.'

He did not deny sending the text message to Locke but said he was referring to himself when he mentioned taking pool out of the equation.

'I meant what I said from my personal point of view - it's my intention to just concentrate on snooker.

'I'm not bigger than Guernsey pool. Myself, Adam Shorto and the other top snooker players said we are not going to be playing pool on a Thursday night but we will be playing in the individual snooker league.

'It was never my intention to cause a row. I was stating a fact from my own point of view that the prize money was too low.

'It was not meant to be a personal attack on Ady Locke - I've always given him credit for the work he's done with the juniors, but it's a fact that the prize money has steadily declined.'