Susannah Pressel playing pool at the Colours club in St Ebbe's
The Sheriff of Oxford, city councillor Susanna Pressel, has been blackballed and booted out of her pool league for forfeiting a game.
Trouble started when the Jericho and Osney Labour councillor, captain of the Great Western Railway Staff Association B team - also known as the Railway Club - refused to play a fixture against rivals The Kite pub.
Ms Pressel was barred from the Mill Street pub earlier this year for talking about politics too much and, as a result, claimed it was impossible to honour the fixture.
And in protest at being unable to play the fixture, Ms Pressel and her team effectively abandoned the match, which was a punishable offence.
The situation has caused chaos for the Oxford Mile Invitation Pool League.
After a unanimous vote by committee, members decided to discipline Ms Pressel's team with immediate expulsion. Ms Pressel, who has been playing pool for 10 years, said the decision was embarrassing and unfair - and she would appeal.
She has seven days in which to appeal to the league, in writing.
League secretary Malcolm Lewis said: "She refused to send a team to The Kite. For whatever reason, the landlord has banned her from the pub. And because she has been barred she refused to send a team.
"We sat in emergency session and unanimously decided to exclude the team from the league. All points will be deducted - this has never happened in our league before."
However, there might be more misery for Ms Pressel's team come the league's AGM next month, when a vote will decide whether the Railway Club is readmitted to the league next season. Ms Pressel said: "It's really embarrassing and I am going to appeal. The landlord (of The Kite) barred me earlier this year.
"That meant I couldn't go and play matches in that pub and other members of my team didn't want to. I think it's really unfair."
Ms Pressel, a talented pool player who represents Oxfordshire, is well known at the Town Hall and beyond for her forthright manner.
She was first elected in 1996 and earlier this year became Sheriff, a civic office with largely ceremonial duties.
Pete McGarry, landlord of The Kite, said: "There's no way I want the woman here."
Isty with that kind of answer you should run for Councilor thats an excellent write up that could have been said in 2 lines a typical politcicans statement.
"The captains been barred and so we could not field a side. Thus meaning we had to forefeit".
Personally I think Isty version is better if it has any truth in it......
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I understand the bite from this kind of spider is quite deadly unless you are lucky enough to have an antidote with you.
Isty with that kind of answer you should run for Councilor thats an excellent write up that could have been said in 2 lines a typical politcicans statement.
"The captains been barred and so we could not field a side. Thus meaning we had to forefeit".
Personally I think Isty version is better if it has any truth in it......
Beefy - the whole article has been cut/pasted from the Oxford MaiL
All that malarkey about her Councilorship and Sheriffness etc is absolutely irrelevant to the story about one lady being barred from a pub (which is every Landlord's prerogative) and a team being expelled from a local pool league due to rule infringements.
The fact that she is an "important" lady should have no bearing. Her being "forthright" doesn't make her "right".
Does someone from the Tuesday league committee want to comment on this as I will be surprised that a team has been expelled from the league for not turning up for just one game ?
Also, in the article, it says that Susanna represents Oxfordshire - at what ?
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Your only jealous because the voices only talk to me!
Does someone from the Tuesday league committee want to comment on this as I will be surprised that a team has been expelled from the league for not turning up for just one game ?
Also, in the article, it says that Susanna represents Oxfordshire - at what ?
As long as the League was acting wholly within its Constitutional rules and boundaries?
I think she's played once or twice for the Ladies EPA team. Hazel could probably confirm? To describe her as a 'talented player' though?! Either way, if you want to cause a stink and have 'contacts' then I guess you can try and cause "Chaos in the Oxford Mile Pool League". Personally I think it just sounds petty and childish.
I've just read the article in the Oxford Mail and it's pretty pathetic. In the first two paragraphs there is a massive (in my mind) discrepancy. It begins with saying she forfeited a game, then goes on to say she refused to play the fixture. These (despite the outcome of no match being played is the same) are different things.
"The situation has caused chaos for the Oxford Mile Invitation Pool". Really? Where's the chaos? Judging by the speedy return of a newly updated league table sans her team things are running pretty smoothly!
"After a unanimous vote..." so there is not likely going to be a reversal of this pending an appeal you'd think.
"is well known at the Town Hall and beyond for her forthright manner." Could that be a nice way of saying "is a pain in the a###"?
Giles Sheldrick was the reporter for this story. He is labelled as the Local Government Reporter for the Oxford Mail. Good work Giles.
Apparently when she had the photoshoot at Colours she went in-off on the break before failing to hit a cushion with her next shot. She complained so Jimmy barred her.
The Pool Shark wrote: As long as the League was acting wholly within its Constitutional rules and boundaries? I do believe we have
Personally I think it just sounds petty and childish. Couldn't agree with you more
"refused to play a fixture against rivals The Kite pub" being the captain of Kite B I even postponed our fixture against GWR in order for matter to be sorted. A new date was arranged – no show by GWR.
The Sheriff of Oxford, city councillor Susanna Pressel, has been blackballed and booted out of her local pool league
Another bloody WITCH HUNT!
that's what i say .....................................just because it's Halloween. You'll be paying for it with increased council tax bills.
Still, there's some interesting facts that have come to light...............................
"We sat in emergency session"
Bloody ell, I thought only the dis-United Nations sat in emergency session. Though I did hear that the emergancy was due to some of the elderly locals fainting when Malc accidentally got his wallet out, an event that occurs less often than Hailey's Comet
and unanimously decided to exclude the team from the league.
France and China vetod this decision, but Bush and Blair went ahead anyway. Sorry, wrong topic
All points will be deducted
To make sure the Osney win the league as GWR 'B' beat them earlier in the season
the situation has caused chaos for the Oxford Malci lewis Invitation Pool League
Certainly has..............Malc has 2 less free drinking nights.....................total chaos!
Ms Pressel, who represents Oxfordshire EPA Pool Team, said "It's really embarrassing and I am going to appeal. I think it's really unfair that we never have a full team every month.I'm gonna try the Blackball County Team next year"
My thoughts exactly
Pete McGarry, landlord of The Kite, said: "There's no way I want woman here."
Too bloody right...................................................get back in the kitchen
-- Edited by MING at 16:47, 2006-10-27
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Pathetic earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out there. If you had known anything about the true nature of the game, anything at all, you would've hidden from it in terror