STANHILL Working Men’s Club are always close to the action in the Blackburn with Darwen small table snooker league. But, surprisingly, they've never put a team into the North West championship.

It's the same again this year. Stanhill are missing while seven of their rivals from the BwD league are ready for county action early in the new year.

But although the team might not be chasing North West honours, several team members will be having a crack under the Burnley Road Bowling Club banner.

Everybody knows that it's been over 30 years since a team from Burnley last won the tournament but teams from neither Nelson nor Accrington have ever won it.

This could be Accy's year. Top pool player Nathan Bridges has gathered a very smart team together including other Stanhill regulars such as Dave Robinson, Mick Burns, Matt Morris and Kevin Close.

Peter Cliffe has joined from further up the valley and so have several of Nathan's pool-playing pals from the Hyndburn area. There's not a weak link in the squad.

Current champions Feniscowles (Blackburn) broke up at the end of last season but they have got together again to defend their title, a feat that has never been accomplished in the long history of the unique tournament.

Ian Dickinson and Mark Jennings have returned to their regular Cemetery outfit but in have come world ladies pool champion Lynette Horsburgh and her partner and pool professional Karl Boyes, brewing entrepreneur Darren Heggie, who used to play with the Fenny lads, and John Gibson from Clitheroe.

There will be 37 teams lining up for this season's competition, the biggest entry for several years.

Tournament secretary Eddie Thorton from Blackpool said: “Snooker, like most other sports, is having a difficult time but we are very pleased that the small table tournament is still very buoyant. There's nothing like it in the world.”

There will be 22 teams from East Lancashire and 15 from the Fylde who have had their noses pushed out a bit in recent years.

But the score stands at 17 titles each side so someone will have an edge by the end of the season.

Regulars such as Star Cycling and the Poultry club from Nelson will be trying yet again but most of their stars appear to have moved on. Alexandra SC, Nelson, will be fielding their usual top team and can go close yet again. Could this finally be their year?

Clitheroe Legion have won their fair share of honours over the years and will be lining up again, while new boys Anchor Hotel, Darwen, could spring a few surprises.

They are having a good season back in the BwD League behind coasting Cemetery and could be dark horses.

Missing this season will be Punch Hotel, twice winners of the ‘Ten Reds’ in the past five years.

The North West team has split up but several of their players will be turning out for other teams.

Fox & Hounds, Blackburn, narrowly beaten in last year's semi-finals are in action again and Burnley's Abinger Street, who threw away a 3-1 lead against Feniscowles in the final, will be hoping to go one better.

Skipper Chris Catlow still can't believe they lost when they had it in the bag.

The draw will be made in the next few days.