Leeds & Liverpool Nationals - 1981 Division Two

NFA President Joe Betteridge gave this message in the 1981 Division Two programme which cost just 50 pence.

"Today marks the first occasion on which the now famous Liverpool section of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal has been used for a senior National Championship. The only previous occasion this canal was used by the Federation was for the 1978 Junior National. Our friends at Liverpool and District AA, who control this water, have done so much in recent years to develop it, this canal now has the reputation of being one of the country's finest. They and I certainly hope you will share this opinion by the time today's match is over.

For many of you, of course, this will be the first time you will have fished this water and I'm assured that one of the most interesting aspects of today's match is that, for the first time, tench could be the dominant species in a National Championship. Just how well they will feed is, inevitably, one of those questions which must remain unanswered until the final whistle has gone but I am assured by friends who know the water well that today's match, in terms of past form, is being fished at one of the very best times of season for this canal.

For some, today will be doubly exciting for they will be members of the ten teams who gain promotion to Division 1. Sadly, ten more will be relegated to Division 3. That, however, is all part of the excitement of today's NFA Championship system. All I will say is that, win or lose, I wish you all a pleasant day here in Lancashire. May the fish be obliging and may you make many new friends in this great sport of ours."

Micromesh and micro net keep nets were permitted. A minimum length of 1.5 metres was specified. Keenets, Polynet and Steade-fast all advertised ranges of keep nets in the programme. Bloodworm and jokers were banned and official transport by coach was mandatory. The Mitchell , the ‘Choice of Champions’, had more National wins than any other fixed spool reel.

This venue was the perfect opportunity for local sides who finished 1-2-3 in the team event with the wonderful Aintree related ‘Horses for Courses’ headlining in Angling Times. Southport stormed to an easy win off peg 70 with 687 points. Their squad targeted the canals tench in the first hour of the match as they felt they could not rely on small fish for good section points.

Rochdale Newtown who was prepared to finish mid-table came second off peg 1 with 663 points and home side Liverpool AS in bronze with 658. Marazion finished fourth on 654 points from an unfancied peg 47. One would have thought with three section winners that Liverpool AS would have walked it but. On weight with more than 58 lbs they would have but on points they had two poor returns from D and G section. Let's keep an eye on Liverpool AS in these Leeds Liverpool canal Nationals as they do remarkably well. Relegated to Division Three were Norwich, Whittlesey, with 1966 Champion Roy Jarvis in the side, and Spalding AC who all scored 268 points or less.

Out in front in the individual stakes was Luton and Districts Dave Sayce a 39-year-old Luton engineering worker whose catch of tench, as predicted by NFA President Joe Betteridge, secured top spot with 16-15-0. Dave started off at 2am in order to get to Liverpool in time for the draw. On his way to peg B62 his basket strap broke and when he arrived a pike lay in his swim. But Dave brushed this aside fishing caster over hemp to take 12 tench and three roach. For his trouble, he took home £462. On this occasion the ABU 501 closed face reel proved to be the winner used in conjunction with an Alan Brown carbon rod.

Barrie Eaton, a Northampton Company Director fishing for Welcome AC took a good second place with a well- earned 14-3-0 of tench, roach and perch from E37. Keith Gostling of Harleston Wortwell finished third with 12-14-8.