When the Haverfordwest and District Pool League recently held its annual presentation evening at Haverfordwest Cricket Club there was a host of trophies for the top individual players and teams in all three divisions - and again winning more than his share of them was Tyrone Williams.

Tyrone organised the evening in his role as League Secretary and it was a resounding success for him in terms of support from clubs, and as one of the players in the Balfour Club which was league champions, who also plays for Pembroke Dock Cricket Club's pool team in the south of the county and they are equally as successful.

Heavily involved in local darting admin

He started out playing pool in Ebbw Vale as a nipper and as he developed his skills to such an extent that he represented Wales in World Cups and against lots of other countries too before he moved to Pembrokeshire in 2006, when he decided to step down from that high level because the travel was getting too much.

"I came to Pembrokeshire with my wife Sarah and stepson Dylan Williamson," Tyrone told us, "and I've been lucky to have their support, with Dylan enjoying his rugby with Haverfordwest Juniors and helping me to put out all the trophies on the day of the presentation.

"I took over as secretary from Lee Silk last year and have had good support from Nathan and Michaela Griffiths as chairman and treasurer, and last year I helped the Millford Arms A win the league and the Summer League.

Successes galore in his own playing in the county town . . .

"This year I agreed to help out at the Balfour Club and I’ve played alongside Henry Janes, Sean Crawford, Richard Codd, Anthony Griffiths, John Evans and Sean Pearce as we picked up the championship title. 

"I've also been successful in other events, including a hat-trick of wins in the singles, starting in my first season in the league,  although this year I lost in the final  by five frames to three against Carl Sheehan, who is a very good player from Merlins Bridge, who plays for the Millford Arms.

. . . And in The Dock too!

Tyrone also plays in Pembroke Dock for the local cricket club team that includes Owen Shanklin, Martin Amies, Mark Nally and Dai King - and they won the team title five years running before he took a year off - but he was back again this season as he picked up his sixth team winners' medal!

"I won the 'Player of the Year' award in Pembroke Dock, which is based on the number of wins in league games, where I beat another very good player in Paul 'Chalkie' White. 

"But he gained revenge by knocking me out of the singles at the semi-final stage," admitted Tyrone with a chuckle, "and I won the 'Captains' Cup' by only losing one out of 18 matches against the other captains in division one."

Back in the Haverfordwest & District League, Tyrone came second in the 'Player of the Year' competition as he lost just two games, as did team mate Henry Janes, but again Carl Sheehan pipped them both at the post by losing just once.

Still has his starting-out cue

During all his time of playing pool (almost 30 years!) Tyrone has only had three cues and still uses two of them; one with a wider tip for breaking off and the other for all the potting he does. He still has the other cue as well because it was the one he first acquired after enjoying a friendly game as a 15 year old in 'The Welfare' in Ebbw Vale and taking to it straight away.

"By the time I was 16 I was the youngest player in the local league, where there were three divisions of 12 teams, and I was thrown in at the deep end because my team played in the premier division.
"I loved the game with a passion and I practised as often as I possibly could, and within two years I was singles champion!”

Loads of honours in Ebbw Vale

Tyrone won the singles title four times in total and joined Darren Price, who is still playing for Wales at over 40s level, in winning the doubles a record seven times as 'The Welfare' also won more than their share of team championships and knock-out cups in what was a very strong league.

Ask Tyrone for the highlight at club level and he would be quick to nominate the 1991 and 1992 seasons where he won every trophy available in the league; not only the singles and doubles but the triples and team competitions to create a record that can never be beaten!

Selected for Wales – and some memorable moments!

Small wonder then that in 2000 his excellent play attracted the attention of the Welsh selectors and he received every encouragement from the late Colin Taylor, who had managed Wales in the 1980s and gave him total support in attending trials in Porthcawl where there were 48 hopefuls for the 14 squad members, 11 of them to play and the others as subs.

Tyrone was understandably thrilled to be chosen for the Home Countries' Championships, where they took on the best players from England, Scotland, Northern  Ireland and Eire - and then went on to play in the World Championships a year later at Bridlington Spa, in Yorkshire, the traditional home of the competition in those days.

"It was a brilliant occasion and we were all presented with our ties  and waistcoats before we started out in what was a smaller event in those days than it is now, when it is still played at the same venue but has been renamed the 'Masters Tournament.

"I still have my two waistcoats for the times I was chosen, the first a natty red one with the three feathers embroidered on it - and then another one in an even nattier Welsh tartan!
"Our accommodation was paid for and we had a wonderful time with a great team spirit carrying us through.

"Wales A had won it the year before but there was such a strong squad that when I played for Wales B we managed to fend off the strong challenge of England to win the title.”

And finally . . .

Then came the 2006 switch to Pembrokeshire where  Sarah was working in the college and he started out as a postman - and he says that although he misses out at the top level he loves playing locally with and against some great characters.

He keeps all the records of performances, averages etc with meticulous care and clearly enjoys what he is doing - and we can only say that Tyrone Williams' move from Gwent to Pembrokeshire has certainly benefitted pool in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock!