Former Great Britain captain Jeremy Birmingham, one of the finest players this country has produced in recent decades, has died following a long illness. This obituary has been supplied by Polytechnic, the club he represented with so much distinction for many seasons.

Jerry started his water polo journey with Beckenham SC; the following year saw him start at Loughborough University and at Polytechnic in the National League, as well as playing for GB at the World University Games in Mexico and the European Junior Championships, where he finished third top goal scorer (behind the German legend Hagen Stamm and Spain’s future superstar Manuel Estiarte). His GB senior debut happened that year and he went on to captain the national side from 1986 through to the European Championships in Sheffield in 1993, completing a 200-match international career.

Jerry’s love of water polo (and distaste for regular employment) took him far and wide. He played for Exiles in Malta in 1983, then in Australia, where he was leading scorer in the 1986 State Championships. Back home, he was a star of the Poly team that won seven National League titles between 1979 and 1993, plus numerous ASA and British Championships. He was a pivotal member of the GB 30+ Masters team at the 1992 World Masters in Indianapolis, where GB lost by a single goal to Hungary in the semi-final.

It was at that time that Jerry’s relationship with Sarah was beginning and it wasn’t long before the erstwhile confirmed bachelor began to see polo as secondary. Within a few years, daughter Tuesday and son Olly had appeared and polo was relegated to the back seat – but not for too long. Having moved to Gloucestershire, Jerry joined Cheltenham, helping the club win BWPL titles as player, then assistant coach.

However, in 2013 what had been an unexplained cough was diagnosed as something considerably more serious – stage 4 renal cancer. Years of painful surgical and unpleasant chemotherapy treatments followed but the unwavering spirit that Jerry had shown in the pool remained. He fought for far longer than could reasonably have been expected, displaying unbelievable stoicism in the face of such adversity. Sadly that fight has now been lost and Jerry passed away peacefully at home with his family around him on 27 November.

Jerry’s memorial takes place on Thursday 7 December at St John the Baptist Church, Chalford Hill, Stroud (GL6 8HN), 2pm, followed by a reception at Chalford Hill Sports & Social Club.

Photo: Jerry is fourth from left, back row, in this 1983 picture of the Exiles team in Malta.
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After considering numerous options, BWPL Committee have reached a decision on the vexed question of which club should occupy sixth place in men’s Division 3.

The unlucky team – meaning they miss phase two, but return in Division 3 next season – are Rotherham Metro. Rotherham were one of four that could have finished sixth before the final day of competition last Sunday, which, frustratingly, was abandoned due to closure of the Haberdashers pool for safety reasons.

The League, very much conscious of the principle that results should be decided in the water if at all possible, opted after lengthy debate to rearrange the key unplayed game between Cheltenham Spartans and Croydon Amphibians this coming Sunday, during the men’s Division 2 programme at Hengrove, Bristol.

Croydon declared their willingness to travel; Cheltenham, for very good reasons, were unable to raise a team and conceded the match. Therefore, Croydon were awarded the points, ensuring their safety but leaving Rotherham stranded below.

Other unplayed matches in Divisons 3 and 4 will not be rearranged and no points will be awarded.
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A BWPL Committee statement concludes: “We hope . . . all Division 3 teams will understand our difficult decisions.”

Rotherham Metro dodged the possibility of needing to contest the end-of-season qualification tournament with a dramatic 13-12 victory over Castleford in the final game of the men’s Division 3 campaign at East Manchester today.

Castleford replaced Rotherham in seventh place and will now have the option of joining bottom team Cheltenham Spartans in qualification against the top sides in Division 4 – City of Birmingham and Bridgefield. That competition will determine which pair go forward to Division 3 in 2024/25.

One more place in next season's Division 3 is reserved for this season's sixth-placed team.

Who will that be? We can’t know that at the moment due to the fact that games at Haberdashers did not take place today as a result of the pool being closed for safety reasons caused by an air handling problem.

It's a conundrum for League officials to resolve.

Rotherham led in the early stages against Castleford. By the third period the advantage was 7-4, then 11-7, quickly reduced to 11-9 through goals by Luke Franks and Alex Hall. The final quarter saw Rotherham improve their advantage to 13-10 – goals by Neil Swainson and Dan Hunt – before Franks replied again with 2.46 to go. Alex Hall’s final goal for Castleford arrived 16 seconds from the end.

Sedgefield’s successful Division 3 season ended with a 16-10 victory over Manchester Hawks. John Pratt’s five goals took his seven-match tally to a remarkable 42. 

Fixtures in men's Division 3 and 4 scheduled at Haberdashers tomorrow will not take place. The League received notice tonight that the pool has been closed due to an air handling problem. Engineers were called in but the facility was deemed unsafe for use. 

The League committee will  decide what happens regarding unplayed games. Matches at East Manchester tomorrow will go ahead as planned.

Any questions, please contact chris ducker, chris.ducker@bwpl.org, or Chris Stephens, chris.stephens@bwpl.org.

City of Birmingham battled to a 14-12 victory over Watford Saxons at Haberdashers this afternoon in a match crucial to the outcome of men's Division 4. 
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There were crunch games this weekend in men's Divisions 3 and 4 at venues nearly 200 miles apart - Haberdashers and East Manchester. Birmingham's success retained a 100 per cent record from five matches - and guaranteed a top two position, earning a right to take part in the end-of-season qualification tournament, potentially involving the two bottom clubs in Division 3.

Bridgefield will be the other Division 4 team set for qualification. They made sure of making progress with a comfortable 20-11 victory over the British Army at East Manchester. 

Against Watford, Birmingham were unable to shrug off the challenge of determined opponents until the last two minutes. Watford pulled level for the first time at 9-9 at the end of the third quarter and, briefly, were 10-9 up when Danny Davis scored from a man-up early in the fourth. The game progressed to 12-12 before Jason Culloo edged the Midlanders ahead with 1.44 to go. Watford goalkeeper Dan Moose then joined a Watford attack in a desperate attempt to fashion an equaliser - only for the move to break down, allowing Culloo to net again with 42 seconds left.
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In Division 3, late goals by Alex Hall and Quinn Walker earned Castleford a 10-10 draw with Manchester Hawks. Sedgefield and Worthing are clear leaders of the division after winning again. Ben Stephenson and John Pratt scored eight each as Sedgefield overwhelmed Rotherham Metro 25-7 while Matt Smith netted four for Worthing, who edged out Cheltenham Spartans 12-10.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Avondale defenders Stef Pecelj (Blue 3) and Matt Chambers attempt to block a shot by Newport's Chris Taylor at Haberdashers. Avondale won 18-7.

Tyldesley recovered from 7-2 down to defeat Mid Sussex Marlins 12-10 and claim an all-important top five place in women’s Division at Liverpool today.

It meant they join Manchester Comets, Exeter, Rotherham Metro and Liverpool Liver Birds in Championship 1 in the New Year. Marlins slipped to sixth, so they miss phase two but with the consolation of entry to Division 2 next season.

The bottom two teams, City of Bristol and Otter Lutra, have the option of taking part in the qualifying tournament in April involving the leading Division 3 teams, Watford and Kirkintilloch & Kilsyth. The top two there will fill the remaining places in Division 2 next year.

Tyldesley’s fightback against Marlins was led by Honor Grimes (Photo: Trevor Hyde), who scored six as her team battled to draw level at 10-10 by the end of the third period. The only goals of the final quarter were scored by Amelia Crompton from a penalty and – 48 seconds from the end – by Kelsy Evans. Holly Campbell scored six for Marlins.
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The leading five positions were actually still not confirmed until the very last game when a win for City of Bristol against Liverpool Liver Birds would have produced four teams – Tyldesley, Liverpool, MSM and Bristol - on six points, leaving the mathematicians to work out which of those would occupy fourth and fifth places! In the event, Liverpool won, but only just - 7-6. 

In women's Division 1 at Haberdashers, City of Manchester outplayed Penguin Emperors 19-7 to complete phase one with a 100 per cent record. Brooke Tafazolli and Izzy Howe both scorerd six.

​Anna Motley (4) led the scoring for Sheffield Sharks, 14-9 winners against Otter.

Photo below (Trevor Hyde): No escape . . . Coventry's Hannah Ashley finds herself box in at Haberdashers today by Holly Rooney, of Liverpool Lizards. Liverpool won 13-6.

Day one of women’s Division 1 matches at Haberdashers confirmed the teams that will progress to the Super 5s. They are City of Manchester, the table-toppers with a 100 per cent record, Liverpool Lizards, Coventry, Sheffield Sharks and Otter.

Cheltenham, so close to defeating Otter (a goal nine seconds from the end by Niamh Moloney gave the London side a 15-14 win), together with Hucknall and Penguin Emperors go to Championship 1 in the second phase of the season.

Coventry won twice, beating Penguin 11-9 and then Cheltenham 16-8, while Manchester defeated Hucknall 13-3.
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In Division 2 at Liverpool, Manchester Comets, Exeter and Rotherham Metro guaranteed themselves top five positions and progress to Championship 1. Two more places will be decided on the final day tomorrow.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Liverpool Lizards defend against Sheffield Sharks at Haberdashers today. Lizards won 18-8.

A nail-biting weekend was in prospect in women’s Division 1 and 2 as teams battled to secure positions in phase two of the season in the New Year.

At Haberdashers, Super 5s places were the main target, with the sides finishing 6th, 7th and 8th in Division 1 destined for Championship 1, while matches in Division 2 at Liverpool decided the top five positions (progress to Championship 1) and left the bottom three missing out altogether on phase two.

Early results demonstrated how tense it would be. In Division 1, Otter, in danger of failing to qualify for the Super 5s for the first time in 13 years, were pushed all the way by Cheltenham before winning 15-14.

Cheltenham led 8-5 after two periods and edged ahead 14-12 in the final quarter with goals by Amelia Perkins and Bella Balzaretti. There were 56 seconds left when Niamh Moloney's goal levelled it at 14-14; and nine seconds when Moloney claimed the winner.
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In Division 2, captain Honor Grimes scored the late goal that earned Tyldesley a 10-10 draw with Rotherham Metro. Liverpool Liver Birds and Manchester Comets also drew – 8-8. 

BWPL can now confirm that we will be staging matches at two brilliant new venues during phase two of the season.

On 2/3 March, the Super 5s will be heading for Sandwell Aquatics Centre in the West Midlands, the only new facility built to house the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

On 17/18 February, the League plan a weekend at the new Eton College Sports & Aquatics Centre, where an eight-lane, 25m pool has been built on the site of a dilapidated former outdoor pool. The building won a top award from the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA) earlier this year.
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Divisional matches to be played there will be announced after the completion of phase one.

With the slimming down of BWPL gathering pace at the end of this season, the focus at women's Division 3 at Northampton mainly concerned the battle for the top two places - earning the successful teams progress to the end-of-season play-off tournament against the bottom two in Division 2.

The impressive young Watford team had no difficulty in going forward. They topped the table with a 100 per cent record, clocking up big wins over Welsh Wanderers (20-5) and Sheffield Stingrays (21-2) on day one and rounding off with an easy victory over City of Birmingham.

The all-Scottish meeting of Kirkintilloch & Kilsyth and Caledonia was pivotal in deciding the second play-off spot. K & K claimed it with an 18-10 win, earning two more points on day two by beating Welsh Wanderers.

Southampton won all their three matches during the weekend to finish in fourth place.