METRO badminton club had probably its best ever season last year. The club's A team won B Section to give them a first ever taste of A Section badminton. Metro B topped D Section and its C team, in third place, was also put into C Section in the reshuffled League.

Metro D was runner up in F Section to win promotion, and Metro E, which finished mid-table, went up to E Section alongside.

A new season, however, brings new situations, and this week, Metro's teams kicked off their Year 2000 aspirations with mixed fortunes.

For the A team, which lost only two matches during the whole of last season, there was a baptism of fire at the hands of League champions Leigh A.

Both Metro and Leigh clubs now play at Borsdane Brook High School in Hindley, so the venue was no problem. But, unfortunately, Leigh had out one of its strongest squads with its sprinkling of talented County players. Phenomenon

The result was an 18-0 win for Leigh, and a traumatic introduction to top flight badminton for Metro.

Chris McGowan, Wendy Bliss, James McCormack, Vicky Askew, Anthony Cassidy and Julie Lowe played for Leigh. And for Metro were Alan Parkinson, Jean Smith, Peter Preston, Jean Mealor, Mike Wood and Nicola Hill.

Unfortunately for Metro, their second match of the season could be just as tough as the first - against League runners-up Christ Church.

Metro B were opening their account on Friday, with an away match against Park B. And Metro C, also playing at home in Leigh this week, benefited from that regular phenomenon - a player getting lost.

The team was playing against Springfields C (formerly Thornleigh) in what was likely to be a very close encounter as the latter finished just below them last season. Unfortunately, Springfields' third man had trouble finding the High School venue, and the team had to concede two games.

In the event, and after an evening of taut, exciting badminton, Metro ran out the winners - 10-8.

Metro D enjoyed an E Section victory against Smithills C 12-6, but Metro E were on the receiving end of a 14-4 win by Markland Hill D in the same Section.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.