Wirral Quiz League

The 2025-26 WQL season concluded last evening with the Finals of the Absent Friends Trophy at the Lever Club, with many members either playing, supporting and spectating.

The results of the semi-finals were:

Aardvarks (11) 50-44 Hoylake LTC (17)  

Plasterers Arms (7)  44-47 Holy Joes (7) 

The Final saw a very fine team performance by the Holy Joes who were worthy winners for a 2nd time, having won the inaugural competition in 2022. Commiserations to the Aardvarks,  Scores were:

Aardvarks (11) 38-58 Holy Joes (7)

Many thanks to all teams, players and QPs over the last 5 weeks who have made this yet another very enjoyable event.

Special thanks of course goes to Kris Jones who has written all 6 quizzes once again and was up from Grantham last night to read the Finals quizzes.

Would you like to appear on PAST FORWARD? A new BBC Radio 4 history quiz hosted by Lucy Porter where contestants are quizzed on a century of BBC news archive as we test their knowledge of the sound of stories from any time in the last 100 years.

It’s an archive-based quiz so all rounds feature audio clips of news archive covering anything and everything from world events, politics, significant moments, health, economy, climate, culture, crime, regional news, sports, and entertainment. 

Each episode will feature two teams of two playing against each other and so we are looking for pairs of quizzers. Contestants should apply separately and include your teammate's name on your application in the space provided. If you don't have a teammate, we can pair you up with another individual applicant.

You’ll need to be available to come to London for the recording on Sunday 10th May 2026. We will invite you to take part in an online audition, before places in the new series are confirmed, during the w/c 20th April 2026.

If you’re up for listening carefully and testing your general knowledge of modern history then please apply here, submitting your completed form by Wednesday 15th April 2026:

Past Forward Contestant Application Form

Finals night will be next Monday, 30th March at Lever Club, 8pm start. Semi-finals will be drawn on the night.

All teams are welcome to attend - this year there will be no refreshments provided.

Good luck to the 4 teams left and looking forward to seeing you next week,

The first round of the annual Riley Cup competition - a handicapped knockout between teams from the LIverpool and Wirral Leagues, will take place on 13th April 2026.  Full details of the fixtures and details of all teams involved can be found by clicking here:

The first round draw is as follows:

Wandering Star and CTK Wanderers have byes in this round

The handicaps have now been calculated for this season's competition, based initially on average points scored throughout the season, then with weighting towards the lower ranked sides.

It's a system that has worked well in previous years and has led to mostly close matches.

As for admin of the competition, we do NOT require score sheets, just the score. Please let Steve Lomas, Pam or Kris know the result, please do NOT contact Dave Lawson or Brian Braid.

Our numbers are as follows - Steve Lomas 07851936029 , Pam 07773671554,  Kris 07775185329  .

Handicaps
The Agazi 1
Oxton 1
Gladly Stoned 1
Soapsuds 4
Holy Joes 7
Plasterers Arms 7
Wallaseyans 10
Legionnaires 11
McKie's Magpies 11
Aardvarks 11
Nelson's Fifth Column 11
A&K Community Hub 12
Taxes 14
Hoylake LTC 17
Shipwrecked 19
Lever Club 28

The Wirral Mimir (individual) Competition will take place on Tuesday 17^th February at St Josephs Parish Centre, 2 Greenbank Road, Birkenhead, CH42 7JY starting at 8pm. All Wirral QL players are welcome. This event replaces League matches that week.

The 2025 Wirral Quiz League Presentation Night was held at Oxton Conservative Club on 28th September 2025.  Many teams were in attendance and we welcomed several visitors from Liverpool including Danny Grimes and Brian Thompson, the Chairman and Secretary of the Merseyside Quiz League.

The Pairs competition held after the presentations was won by Mike McDonough of Wirral and James MacGregor of Liverpool.

WINNERS

Martin Prendergast Cup awarded to the player answering most of their own questions over the season in Division One – Jim Eccleson	Andrea Jones Shield awarded to the player answering most of their own questions over the season in Division Two – Mike McDonough
Wirral Mimir Trophy – Neil Wright
Absent Friends runners up – Taxes	Absent Friends Trophy winners – Zelma the Giant Hoe
Division Two runners-up - Legionnaires	Oxton Trophy for Division Two winners – Wallaseyans
Gordon Ledger Shield for Division One runners-up – Zelma the Giant Hoe	Ted Walton Cup for Division One winners – Oxton

Welcome to the new 2025/2026 season of the Wirral Quiz League-please find below notes concerning the forthcoming season.

AGM-WIRRAL QL- was held in June 2025

The main topic of discussion was League Composition for the coming season.

After many seasons the Extras team had withdrawn from the League, leaving the First Division with 8 teams. It was decided that each First Division would play each other 3 times to extend the League season.

The 2^nd Division would therefore still consist of 9 teams and consideration would be given to arranging additional games to even up the season for both divisions.

The MQL had requested opinions of the Wirral QL as to the formation of an MQL Disciplinary Panel, after much discussion it was decided unanimously that any disputes should be settled internally.

EARLY SEASON FIXTURES have been published - full fixtures will be shown in the handbook which will be distributed at our Presentation Evening (see below)

Zelma the Giant Hoe had changed their name to The Agazi

Heswall Aces had changed their name to Raqueteers

Our Lady’s had changed their name to A&K Community Hub

There were no changes to teams’  venues or playing nights

ABSENT FRIENDS TROPHY-a vote of thanks was passed at the AGM  to Kris Jones for single handedly organising this tournament and providing all the questions. Kris has agreed once again to run the competition again at the end of the season.

MQL CHALLENGE CUP-Wirral participation in this competition continues to be poor. It is now played on line on Wednesdays during the season and teams are now permitted to field 1 player from another Wirral team. Please reconsider entering this prestigious tournament.

RILEY CUP This Competition is a handicap tournament between teams from the Wirral and Liverpool teams. It’s played on Mondays after the Absent Friend’s Trophy. Wirral participation has also been declining over previous seasons. In 2026 Wirral Quiz League will organise the Competition instead of the Liverpool QL. This will mean that the semi finals and final will now take place at a Wirral venue. Hopefully this will encourage more Wirral teams to take part. If  you wish to change your decision on whether or not to play please contact the Secretary.

MIMIR COMPETITON Moving this Individual Competition to Monday produced a far greater attendance than in previous years. Therefore it will take place on Monday 19^th February 2026  and there will be no league matches that week. As New Brighton Cricket Club is no longer available another venue will be required. If your venue could stage this event, please contact the Secretary.

MQL PAIRS/BUZZER QUIZ -these competitions will take place as follows:

PAIRS - Prescot Cables FC, Prescot, L34 6HB - 8pm Wednesday 24^th September 2025 8pm

Pairs are drawn on the night-All Wirral players welcome.

BUZZER QUIZ-Hoylake Parade Community Centre Saturday 21st February 2026.

Any player wishing to represent Wirral should contact Pam for details.

PRESENTATION NIGHT- will take place again this year at Oxton Conservative Club on Sunday 28th September 2025 at 8pm - in addition to the Prize Giving the evening will involve a meeting of the Wirral Quiz League and the Wirral Pairs Competition. As in previous seasons we will extend an invitation to our friends from the Liverpool Quiz League.

All trophy winners should attend and all teams are encouraged to support this event.

Can holders of existing trophies return their awards for re-engraving if you haven’t already done so.

If you require any further information on any of the points raised-let me know.

JIM ECCLESON-SECRETARY WIRRAL QUIZ LEAGUE-0151 653 8649 or 07380 602824

Photos and videos from this year's finals and presentations can be found at Merseyside Quiz Leagues Finals and Presentation Evening - Merseyside Quiz Leagues

BBC Two’s Mastermind is currently scouring the UK to find contenders for the next series, which will be filmed in Belfast!   

We would encourage you to apply as soon as possible as casting is currently underway, with applications for the latest series closing soon.  

To apply, please click: CAST IT REACH or click on the image below:

Or email mastermind.hth@hattrick.com (the application takes just 10 minutes to complete).  

Entry is open to UK residents (including Channel Islands & the Isle of Man) who are aged 18 or over.  

Hat Trick/Hindsight are committed to making programmes as inclusive as possible.   

The Mastermind Casting team