Grand Master Guy Dennis retains the John Smith Memorial Trophy
Winner, Guy Dennis, Welcome Institute ‘A’
The John Smith Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Grand Masters, was renamed just two seasons ago in memory of the late John Smith — a former grand master champion himself-a fitting tribute to a man who founded Alfreton SC nearly half a century ago. It therefore felt especially appropriate that this year’s final returned to the very club where John’s legacy first began.
Adding to the occasion, it was wonderful to welcome John’s daughter and grandson, Callette and Aaron, who were in attendance to watch the final unfold.
This year’s showpiece brought together two thoroughly likeable competitors and a story few could have predicted. Lennons SC’s Rob Morley and Welcome Institute’s Guy Dennis both recently returned to the Chesterfield & District Snooker League after a remarkable hiatus of more than 30 years. Once league players as young men, they now found themselves competing for the league’s most senior title.
Morley, one of the standout performers of the season, was chasing his first John Smith Memorial crown. Standing in his way was the defending champion, Guy Dennis, aiming to retain the trophy he won last year.
Rob settled quickest in the opening frame and was first out of the blocks, building a useful lead with a handful of tidy contributions. A missed brown offered Dennis a route back in, but despite putting Morley in an excellent snooker, Guy couldn’t quite turn the pressure into points. Rob escaped, albeit with a touch of fortune as the red rolled invitingly over the pocket. Dennis couldn’t capitalise, and Morley edged ahead to take the opener 1–0.
Frame two quickly turned into a tactical affair. Excellent safety from both players had the crowd nodding in appreciation, although the table itself looked intent on causing trouble, with reds glued awkwardly to cushions. It had all the signs of becoming one of those frames.
Dennis sparked things into life with a clever plant, only for an ambitious positional shot to end in the dreaded middle pocket. Morley responded with a superb long red but could only add nine. Guy fired in one of his own shortly after, yet the pace of the table — lightning quick all evening — repeatedly caught both players out positionally.
Eventually, Dennis found some rhythm. A composed 22 break, followed by a classy 27 clearance, brought him level. Calm, controlled and very much game on at 1–1.
By frame three, the reigning champion looked increasingly comfortable. A loose safety from Morley gave Dennis an early opening and, while there were no frame-winning visits, Guy steadily pieced together the better chances.
Rob continued to thrill the spectators with some superb long potting — genuinely top drawer at times — though on one occasion, delight quickly turned to groans as the cue ball cruelly drifted in-off after a cracking red. It rather summed up the challenge of the evening: excellent shots, fine margins, and a table moving quicker than some players may have preferred.
Two useful contributions from Dennis proved enough to edge him into a 2–1 lead, leaving him just one frame away from back-to-back titles.
Frame four followed a familiar pattern: quality long potting, intelligent safety play, and a noticeable absence of a truly sizeable break. Would one finally arrive?
Almost.
Dennis crafted a fine 34 break, the highest of the match, at a crucial moment. Morley refused to go quietly and stayed in touch through dogged safety and a couple of timely fouls from Guy. But with the finish line in sight, Dennis held his nerve superbly. A terrific long green, followed by a confident brown, effectively sealed matters before the blue and pink confirmed it.
Guy Dennis retained the John Smith Memorial Trophy with a 3–1 victory.
Congratulations to Guy on successfully defending the title and producing another composed display when it mattered most.
Commiserations to Rob Morley, though this should do little to overshadow what has been a terrific season. The good news for Rob? His campaign isn’t over just yet, with two more finals still to come.
A sincere thank you to Alfreton SC for once again hosting the final, and to Ian Rose, who did an excellent job officiating with the white gloves.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who came along to support the players and help make another fitting chapter in the story of the John Smith Memorial Trophy.
Alfreton SC John Smith Memorial — Scorecard
| Rob Morley | Frame | Guy Dennis |
|---|---|---|
| 82 | F1 | 38 |
| 49 | F2 |
58 27 Clearance |
| 38 | F3 | 86 |
| 45 | F4 |
75 34 Break |
| Final Score |
|---|
| Rob Morley 1–3 Guy Dennis |
L-R Sponsor, Glen Shawcroft, Guy Dennis & John Smith’s Grandson, Aaron Meyrick
Route to the Final
| Round | Rob | Guy |
|---|---|---|
| Semi Final | bt Chris Winter 3–2 | bt Kennedy Wright 3–2 |
| Quarter Final | bt Matt Large 3–2 | bt Andrew Frisby 3–2 |
| Last 16 | bt Ron Hill 3–0 | bt Martin Burrell 3–1 |
| Last 32 | bt Dave Wilkinson 3–2 | bt Kieron Stevenson 3–0 |
| Last 64 | BYE | BYE |
Tournament Highest Break
| Player | Break |
|---|---|
| Dave Bolton | 85 |
Previous Recent Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Guy Dennis |
| 2024 | Jonathan Hall |
| 2023 | Martin Finnigan |
| 2022 | Ian Rose |
| 2020 | Ian Rose |
| 2019 | Kevin Breeze |
| 2018 | Kevin Breeze |
| 2017 | Silvinho Francisco |
| 2016 | Paul Roe |
| 2015 | John Smith |
In memory of John Smith- 1930-2024