Wirral Quiz League

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After many seasons the Extras team had withdrawn from the League, leaving the First Division with 8 teams.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 2024 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

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

Hi all,

Many thanks to all those who came to support Finals Night last night.

As the semi-final was drawn, it guaranteed a first division versus second division final.

Two close semis produced the following results:

Zelma The Giant Hoe (3)    57 - 48   Plasterers Arms (9)

Taxes (15)                           57 - 53   Shipwrecked (16)

The Final was a very exciting affair with scores tied on 49 all after 8 rounds. After Round 9, Zelma ran out winners over Taxes by the narrowest of margins 55 - 54

Congratulations to all semi-finalists for doing so well in this year's competition, and well done to the winners for the first time - Zelma, the second lowest handicapped team.    

Particular commiserations to Taxes who put up such a gallant fight in the final. Good luck to you and all Wirral teams competing in the forthcoming Riley Cup!

Thanks to all teams and players who I know have enjoyed this year's comp. If Clive from Gladly Stoned will forgive me, I'd like to quote from a message he sent me which sums up the whole essence of the competition:

"Everyone I have spoken to is thoroughly enjoying it, especially the chance to play against old friends who we have not seen for a while. A truly fitting tribute to all those no longer playing, for whatever reason, and a testament to the great friendships we have all built up over the years."

Special thanks to Kris for organising the competition and writing all 6 quizzes and we look forward to next year's competition.

Just a quick reminder that tonight sees the Semi-finals and Final of the Absent Friends Trophy at the Lever Club, all teams are welcome to attend.

Teams in the semis are Zelma The Giant Hoe (3), Plasterers Arms (9), Taxes (15) and Shipwrecked (16) - good luck to all 4 teams!

Please aim to arrive between 8pm and 8.15 when the semis will be drawn at random and we hope to start them soon afterwards.

Congratulations to Oxton who finish as Division One Champions. Second place went to Zelma the Giant Hoe who narrowly beat Extras on points difference. Commiserations to Aardvarks and Plaster’s Arms who finished in the relegation zone.

Wallaseyans won Division Two with Legionnaires in second place. Well done to both teams on their return to the first division.

In the Individual competition, Jim Eccleson retained the trophy with Richard Silcock second in Division One. Mike McDonough reclaimed the Division Two title, although Carol Rixon gave him a run for his money.

Pam Baker Chairman

The fixtures have been updated with the handicaps assigned based on this season's performances.  These are as follows:

The 2025 competition was held on Monday 17 February with an excellent turn out meaning a preliminary round was needed. 

After some close heats, the final was contested by Neil Wright, Jim Eccleson, Pam Baker and Richard Speechley. Neil took the crown by one point, with Pam in second place.

The seven qualifiers from Wirral are the four finalists plus Steve Lomas, Sheila Mahoney and Jon Stitcher, the three highest scorers from the semi-finals.
 

The MQL Buzzer Quiz tournament took place on Saturday 15th Feb 2025 at Hoylake Community Centre.  After an excellent day's quizzing, the final was contested by The Jenever Convention and Organised Quite Late.

You can watch the final by clicking on the linke below:

Welcme to the Absent Friends Trophy 2025. This year it will run for the 5 weeks in March, culminating in Finals Night at the Lever Club on Monday 31st March.

However, we thought we'd sort out the groups and fixtures now, so that you can let your venues know - any problems please let me know.

As last year, we seeded the teams based on current league positions into 4 pots, then the groups were draw randomly one from each pot. I shall work out the handicaps

once the league season has finished, but here are the groups and fixtures:

Group A: Oxton, Soapsuds, Aardvarks, Shipwrecked

Group B: Heswall Aces, Holy Joes, Wallaseyans, Hoylake LTC

Group C: Extras, Plasterers Arms, Taxes, Lever Club

Group D: Zelma The Giant Hoe, Gladly Stoned, Legionnaires, McKie's Magpies

Monday, 3rd March

A: Soapsuds V Aardvarks

B: Wallaseyans v Heswall Aces

C: Taxes v Plasterers Arms

D: Gladly Stoned v McKie's Magpies

D: Zelma The Giant Hoe v Legionnaires

Tuesday, 4th March

A: Shipwrecked v Oxton

B: Hoylake LTC V Holy Joes

C: Extras v Lever Club

Monday, 10th March

A: Aardvarks v Shipwrecked

A: Oxton v Soapsuds

B: Heswall Aces v Holy Joes

B: Wallaseyans v Hoylake LTC

C: Lever Club v Taxes

Tuesday, 11th March

C: Plasterers Arms v Extras

D: Legionnaires v Gladly Stoned

D: McKie's Magpies v Zelma The Giant Hoe

Monday, 17th March

A: Oxton v Aardvarks

A: Soapsuds v Shipwrecked

D: Gladly Stoned v Zelma The Giant Hoe

Tuesday, 18th March

B: Hoylake LTC v Heswall Aces

B: Holy Joes v Wallaseyans

C: Plasterers Arms v Lever Club

C: Extras v Taxes

D: Legionnaires v McKie's Magpies

As last year the quiz will be the same for both Monday and Tuesday nights, so if you're playing on Tuesday, please don't attend a Monday match!

The top two in each group will go forward to the Quarter-Finals on Monday 24th March or Tuesday 25th March. Then the Semi-Finals and Final will be on Monday 31st March.

Points will be allocated as in the league with losing bonus points. If teams are tied (as happened last year) the first determining factor will be points difference, then points for scored. 

Questions will be posted about 10 days in advance according to the handbook, please let Kris and I know if there has been any changes. This year there will be no paired balancing questions, but there will be at least one themed round for each quiz.

Mike played in the league for forty years.

Bebington Hockey Club joined when a 2nd Division was formed in 1979. Mike was a very active hockey player and one of the original members of the quiz team. He immediately made his mark in the first game played, a 14-11 win against Inglewood “C”. Those were the days of named rounds and one round was Jazz, another of Mike’s passions. He scored 8 points in that round and almost single‑handedly won the match.

In the early days the club rotated captain every year, but after Mike’s turn he was persuaded to continue and remained as captain for over twenty years.

He often played for Wirral Divisional teams and continued playing until 2019 when health issues affected his ability to get to matches and he reluctantly had to retire from the league.

Mike was knowledgeable, easy going and never had a harsh word to say about anybody, he will be missed.

Our condolences go out to his sons and families.  His funeral will take place at Landican Cemetery on 20th December at 12.30pm