Quoit Interesting..................

Perhaps understandably, the world has been obsessing with  politics and intrigue at the FIFA......Blatter and of course Qatar, virtually nobody`s preferred 2022 WC venue. In doing so , we have totally missed a controversy closer to home, in Stockport in fact !. Thankfully ......Phil Robinson is very much ITK  and has offered us this account of the troubled world of Quoits in Stockport!

 The A.G.M. of the Stockport Quoits Federation took place recently in the back room of The Chunky.( Helpful editors note: The Pineapple pub)

The Pineapple.

As is the norm, at the end of the meeting the venue for the Stockport Quoits Cup was revealed by Chairman Arthur Snodgrass.
In previous years the event (which can draw as many as 38 spectators, generating pie sales of up to £50!) has been held at;
 
 Portwood (5 times)
Brinnington (twice)
Adswood (once)
Offerton (3 times)
Cheadle (twice)
Bridge Hall (4 times)
Edgeley (4 times)
Bredbury (once...but abandoned after unruly behaviour by fan)
Shaw Heath (6 times)
Hazel Grove (3 times)
Heaton Moor (4 times)
Heaton Norris (4 times)
 

Stockport Quoits Team 1876.

There was much speculation as to where this year's tournament should take place with most of the members of the Federation rumoured to have voted for Hazel Grove as they have recently took delivery of a new pie shed.
There were a handful of calls for Bredbury to be given another chance but the general consensus of opinion was that after the incident involving an intoxicated local attempting to 'join in' the game, Bredbury would be forever avoided. 

Crowd Pic from Bredbury`s game of shame!

Personally I thought the tried and tested Portwood Arena would come up trumps but this was all speculation until Mr Snodgrass made the much anticipated announcement.
 

Dilettante hand made imposter pie( above), standard m&p ( below)

Eventually, after a somewhat heated debate on a proposed introduction of 'different flavoured pies' being possibly sold alongside the traditional meat and potato....an argument that lasted over 3 hours in which there was to my mind only ever going to be one outcome, cheese and onion indeed!!!... Mind you, my proposal of selling plain crisps to encourage the younger generations wasn't shouted down.....dismissed, but politely heard.......
....anyway....the moment had arrived, and as we sat with baited breath the Chairman rose to his feet, asked for order then announced that the 2014 Stockport Quoits Federation Cup Final will be held in.......Bahrain!
A stunned silence followed punctured only by the plink of Barry Henshaw's reading glasses falling into his pint of Mild. 

Snodgrass with rather dubious looking lager!

After a  few seconds we all began shouting at once but all to no avail....apparently, although nobody knows of anyone who voted for this....Snodgrass remained adamant that the decision was final before leaving on his suspiciously new bike.
A disgraceful decision that's akin to selling 'Monster Munch' from the pie huts.
 
The World's gone mad!

Phil Robinson