New Milton Table Tennis Club

The New Milton Club was well represented at the recent presentation dinner of the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis Association (B&DTTA).  The ten attendees included two players (Andrew Stainton and Brian Vibert) who were there to pick up their winners trophies.

On each table at the venue were copies of the excellent B&DTTA Annual Newsletter (“On the Edge”), which was replete with mentions of New Milton players and events.  Featuring on the front page was Club Secretary Bev Scott-Johns, who got a special mention for ably keeping the Association’s finances on track as the Treasurer.

Within the League report, club stalwart and the Premier’s A team captain Andrew Stainton was praised for playing every match of the season, along with only one other player in the league who achieved this feat. Turning the page revealed that this was none other than Milton’s very own Sylvia Smith, who plays in Division 3.  That’s real commitment, to turn out for your team for every match, come hail or shine!

The New Milton club had a mixed bag of results in the league competition, having entered six teams (pre-Covid it was ten teams plus!).  The A team captained by the ubiquitous Andrew Stainton came sixth out of ten teams in the Premier, having unfortunately lost their strongest player during the year.  The C team led by the evergreen Shaun Newcomb only missed out on the third spot in Div 1 by just the one point.  The D team captained by club treasurer Chris Pusey in Div 2, came even closer to third place.  They were equal on points with Bournemouth Sports K, but missed out on games won.  In Division 3, the E, F and G teams came 4^th, 6^th and 9^th respectively out of ten teams.

It was reported that the Finals Night of the annual B&DTTA tournaments drew a sizable crowd, which produced a charged atmosphere, as the matches got underway on two tables.  Three New Milton players had reached the Finals; Brian Vibert (Veterans over 60’s), Andrew Stainton (Bournemouth Closed and Mixed Doubles) and Max Bannon taking on Andrew in the Bournemouth Closed.

The Premier’s Brian Vibert beat Winton YMCA’s serial finalist Ian Johnstone, and the versatile Andrew Stainton partnered Merton’s Gaynor Fisher to win the Mixed Doubles final.  Andrew kept his winning streak going as he beat his Premier team mate Max Bannon in the prestigious Bournemouth Closed event.

In his report, the Association’s hard-working Chair, Phil Hadley, mentioned that this was the first newsletter since 2019; proceedings having been devasted by Covid in line with many other sports.  On a more optimistic note, he found that interest in table tennis was back on the rise, with many people expressing an interest in coaching.

The Milton Table Tennis club had already seized the initiative during the season by setting up coaching sessions at the Arnewood School, under the tutelage of England international player and coach Matthew Daish, and co-head coach Andrew Stainton (I.T.M.A).  Chair Brian Vibert commented “We were thrilled to see so many enthusiastic players at the first session”, continuing “We feel privileged to be able to make the sport more accessible locally”.

The B&DTTA newsletter devoted an entire column to “New Milton’s Grand Opening Success”, following the move to the New Milton Memorial Centre back in May.  The Milton club were away from New Milton for many years; some wags pointing out that the club breached the Trade Descriptions Act.  The club is hoping to go from strength to strength following this very positive move.  The ever enthusiastic NMTTC Chair Brian Vibert was once again on the spot to say that he was thrilled with the turnout for the opening night, and delighted to see so many people enjoying themselves.  He went on “It was fantastic to see the community come together and have so much fun.  The atmosphere was brilliant, and it’s clear that there is real enthusiasm for table tennis in New Milton”.

Shown below is a very proud Andrew collecting his Bournemouth Closed Singles Trophies. Well done Andrew!

It was a night to remember at New Milton Table Tennis Club’s 2026 Annual Tournament, hosted at Mudeford Wood Community Centre on Monday, 1st June, with players and spectators treated to an evening of excellent table tennis, dramatic finishes and thrilling clashes.

Five finals were contested throughout the evening, with James Moss opening with a star performance, capturing both the Handicap Singles and Veterans Over-40s titles in staggering fashion.

In the Handicap Singles final, James Moss found himself pitched against one of the club’s brightest stars, Andrew Stainton. But finding confidence in an 11-point headstart, Moss began to dominate, claiming the first game 21-14, before edging Stainton out with a controlled display, taking the second game and title 21-12.

But Moss wouldn’t stop there. In arguably the most dramatic match of the evening, the Over-40s Final, Moss overcame the odds to defeat Stuart Burton, despite the latter holding a 13 point handicap advantage each end.

Underdog Moss got the ball rolling, stealing the first game 21-15 and forcing Burton on the back foot. However, now it was Burton’s turn to strike, hitting back at his opponent with ferocious topspin play to take the second game 15-21 and level the proceedings at one game apiece.

In a thrilling finale, wily veteran Burton teetered on the precipice of victory, with a handful of match points within his grasp. But Moss, displaying remarkable determination and composure, managed to save them, edging the decider 21-20 and securing his second trophy of the evening in style.

The busiest player of the night was Andrew Stainton, who took part in three of the five finals, and bagged the most silverware out of the eight finalists.

Following his earlier battle against Moss, New Milton A team captain Stainton took to the table alongside international table tennis player Matthew Daish in the Drawn Doubles Final.  The duo, who both play in the Premier, needed to overcome a mountainous 14-point deficit against the capable hands of Chris Pusey and wheelchair player Ian Anstead.

It appeared an almost impossible feat, with Daish and Stainton dropping the first game 14-21, but they fought back, clinching the second and third games 21-16 and 21-19 to eventually emerge victorious.

Next up was the Chosen Doubles final, where pre-decided partners Andrew Daish and Ian Anstead delivered a dominating performance against Nigel Bliss and wheelchair player Shaun Newcomb.  Daish and Anstead made full use of their 11-0 handicap start in each game, controlling the match throughout, winning 21-12 and 21-16 to claim the trophy with a perfect straight-games victory.

The Open Singles Final, an event played without handicaps, saw Matthew Daish produce a solid performance to defeat Stainton in straight games, winning 11-6, 13-11, 11-6 to lift the club’s premier title.

Away from the action, club members once again demonstrated their commitment to the local community. Donations made throughout the tournament raised £120 for Oakhaven Hospice. The club subsequently received a letter of thanks from the charity, expressing its appreciation for the generosity and support shown by members.

Once again, many thanks to Club Secretary and general factotum Bev Scott-Johns for arranging such a wonderful tournament.

The photo shows all 8 of the finalists.  Back row (L-R): Matthew Daish, Andrew Stainton, Nigel Bliss, Chris Pusey, James Moss, Andrew Daish.  Front row: Shaun Newcomb and Ian Anstead.

Singles and Doubles Wins for Andrew

New Milton’s Andrew Stainton shone at the recent Finals Night of the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis Association, as he picked up a Singles and Doubles title.

But first up, the club’s new chairman Brian Vibert took on Winton YMCA’s Ian Johnstone in the Vets Over 60’s final.  It was expected to be quite a tight match, considering the players’ similar winning averages in the Premier, i.e. Vibert on 70% and Johnstone on 61%.

However, Vibert got straight into his stride and imperiously took the first two sets 11-2 and 11-4.  Johnstone gradually began to work Vibert out, and floated the balls back with no spin, and took the third 11-8.  This was only a temporary set-back for Vibert, who reversed the 11-8 scoreline in the fourth set to win the Over 60’s title.

It was a very interesting combination of players in the Mixed Doubles final.  New Milton’s Andrew Stainton from the Premier, teamed up with Merton’s Gaynor Fisher, who plays in Division 3.  They were mirrored by former Milton player Helena Holland (a team mate of Gaynor’s) and the Premier’s Simon Fox from the Bournemouth Sports club.

It was a bit “nip and tuck” in the first set, as Helena and Simon won it 11-7.  However, Andrew’s powerful forehand drives, and very tricky serves, came to the fore, to help win the next two sets 11-9.  Andrew’s partner Gaynor did exactly what was required from her in the fourth set to help win the match 11-5, and share in the Mixed Doubles title.

The New Milton club were very proud to have two of their players, Andrew Stainton and Max Bannon in the final of the prestigious Bournemouth & District Closed event.  Andrew could be said to have the advantage over his Premier team mate, with a superior winning average in the league.  It is also fair to say that Andrew was fully fired up after his Doubles victory, and that Max hadn’t had much of a chance to warm up.  Max therefore found it very difficult to get into the game, with Andrew showing no mercy once again with his powerful forehand drives and very tricky serves.  There were some excellent exchanges, but Andrew won the title 11-4, 11-4, 11-4.

The New Milton Club is hoping to go from strength to strength, having moved to the New Milton Memorial Centre, after being away from New Milton for many years.  Currently the Memorial Centre is only used for practice nights (Thursdays), with league matches – and Sunday club nights – continuing to be played at the Mudeford Wood Community Centre for now.

The Club is always on the lookout for new members, from experienced players to absolute beginners.  Anybody wishing to find out more about our very friendly club should look on our website (www.newmiltonttc.com) or contact Chairman Brian Vibert on 07952 974657, or Secretary Bev Scott-Johns on 01425 619552.

Reported by Malcolm Floyd.

Photos:

New Milton Table Tennis Club has kicked off an exciting new coaching initiative together with Arnewood School, offering both a free open group session for the community and a brand-new after-school club for pupils.

The first group coaching evening, held on Wednesday 5th November, attracted a fantastic turnout of players of all ages and abilities, providing a fun and engaging opportunity for participants to develop and enjoy the sport together, under the expert guidance of England international Matthew Daish and co-head coach Andrew Stainton.

Building on this success, the club has also launched a weekly after-school table tennis club at Arnewood, giving pupils the chance to learn from NMTTC’s experienced coaches in a friendly, fun and supportive environment.

“We were thrilled to see so many enthusiastic players at the first session,” said NMTTC Chairman Brian Vibert, “We feel privileged to be able to make the sport more accessible locally.”

Weekly group coaching continues every Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9:00pm at Arnewood School, with future sessions priced at £5 for juniors, £8 for adult members and £10 for non-members.

For more information, visit www.newmiltonttc.com or speak to the coaches at one of the upcoming sessions.

New Milton TTC held a summer pairs’ competition at Mudeford Wood Community Centre. The event was held on Monday evenings, beginning from 2^nd June and continuing until 8^th September, apart from 31^st July (AGM). The pairs was an informal competition and over 40 people took part including club members from New Milton, Merton and Bournemouth Sports, together with some people who only play socially. Generally, the responses from participants taking part were positive.

The maximum number of teams that could be created was eight because the club only has access to the main hall on Monday evenings and 14 weeks were required to complete the pairs programme.

Members who had previously been allocated a league handicap of 45 or less were treated as seeded players. Where there were two or more seeded players in a single team then only one seeded player could play at any one time together with a lower league or social player to try to ensure equity.

The final league table of the Summer Pairs as of 8^th Sept. was as follows:

Very many congratulations to the Ospreys who led the table throughout the summer months and finished the season on 154 points, the members being Nigel Bliss, Paul Iliffe, Trenton Hendy and Ian Anstead. After an excellent team performance, the Kites finished the season in a strong second place with 146 points, the members being Chris Pusey, David Forbes and Terry Jenvey. Last year’s champions the Kestrels were in third place on 134 points.

The Sandy Fagan Memorial Trophy was presented to the winning team at the club night held on 12^th October 2025. Sandy Fagan was the former New Milton club secretary who sadly passed away in November 2015.

I would like to express thanks to everyone who took part and helped me with the administration.

BM Scott-Johns, Secretary
26/10/2025