18/09/2026
NEW SEASON BEGINS!
Yes, after a few weeks of post-season-pre-season friendlies and other shenanigans, the wait is finally over. Next week it's all for real as the Oxford City Flooring 2026/27 Winter League begins at the ABM Skittles Club.
To celebrate (and because we're quite mad), the WLS crew will be at the alley for all 4 nights of live skittles action, showing 7 of the 8 games, including 2 of our 3 new teams having their TV debut in week one. As you can see, one of our teams has once again been able to sell their exclusive image rights to a rival broadcaster for big bucks, so just one game is available for streaming on Tuesday.
Otherwise it will be 2+ hours of action on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The computer has thrown up some gems for us in the opening week.
Monday sees Division Two opening the season as Maclean Smilers host Remnants. Smilers have had a few personnel changes and two surprise new signings. Remnants, meanwhile, are returning with an unchanged squad and no rookies this season, the Wheelers now entering their second year of playing. Who will come out on top?
Our second game is a tasty Division One clash as defending champions Lads' Night Out have a tough opener against Birdies, Goals and Spares. Both teams have the potential to score big totals, but both have squad members who have not been on top-form in the friendlies. Could go either way, and might be spicy!
Tuesday sees another Division 2 match-up as the veterans of Big 'Uns host brand new team the Borrower Bowlers. With a mini-heatwave forecast for next week, will Big 'Uns stalwart Bert delay his move away from his customary summer plumage of socks and sandals? The Borrower Bowlers only have a couple of people on their squad who've ever played before, and they formed just 2 weeks ago! They haven't been able to have any practice at all so will be having a baptism of fire on live telly!
Wednesday opens with Division One and another good match in prospect as freshly-promoted Division 2 champs Cross Keys face the self-declared "people's champions" Gutter Nutters. Helmed by our own head pundit and club statistician Dave "Mighty" Quinn, the Nutters fell away towards the end of last season, finishing just outside the podium places. They will be keen to start as they mean to go on. However, the semi-professional drinkers from the Keys will want to start the season as they finished the last one - absolutely flying! They took division 2 by storm, scoring 14 points more than their nearest rivals and finishing with an average pin count higher than 5 of last year's division one teams. Expect fireworks.
For Thursday, it's a double-dip into Division One. First up, our other pub team Splitz & Giggles from Fairmile Sports & Social Club, Morning Star, Cholsey face the stalwarts of Last Six. These two were very close in form last season, with the Splitz finishing on two more points, but knocking down 4 fewer pins per game on average than the Six. After a less than vintage season for the Last Six, they will want their opener to result in plenty of points, but the Splitz have a new signing and some big scorers in the side when they are on form. Anyone's guess how this one will end.
Finally, after over 6 hours of live action, the last clash of the week is Young & Bald facing Absolutely Skittled. Y&B finished mid-table last season with a respectable average and they actually lost fewer games than 6 of the other teams - they just couldn't quite convert the wins into as many points as some others. With the fitness of youth and the streamlining of glabrousness on their side, can they improve on 6th place this year?
It'll be a tough start for them as they face the drum and base loving powerhouse of Absolutely Skittled. This team absolutely flew in their first-ever season last year, pushing hard all year and improving game-after-game to win a place in division one at the half-way split, and then push to 2nd place! Many expect them to be serious contenders for the championship this year, but as we all know skittles can be a cruel game and bring you down a peg or two when you get too complacent. Expect some fast balls and big scoring in this one.
As ever, we broadcast live to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and Kick (whatever the last two are) and we look forward to welcoming you back to league skittles once again. See you back on the alley next week!
