OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE 

 World
Toads
Singles
Championship

Watch the WTSC24 Orientation Film
Picture
Click the pic to the DropBox link
''Genius film. What a great night. You really put the work in. Superb organisation.''
The NEXT WTSC
will take place on....

Saturday 4th
​October 2025

Join the Facebook group
​Game of Toads for updates.
First dibs will be to previous participants and then the WTSC Waiting List when the entries open in late April 2025 
@ St Marys Supporters Club, ​Lewes
''Actually, my favourite Toads tournament.''
3pm
​SIGN-IN and WARM-UP 
When you come in please walk straight through to the sign in room at the back.  Do not enter the the bar area
​until signed in.

4pm approx.
WTSC ORIENTATION FILM and
TABLE DRAW for ROUND of 64
​- no admittance before 3pm -

Straight Knockout.
Please be available for
​the Table Draw for each round.

We recommend spectators arrive at 
​4.30pm for the first matches

Please refrain from parking in St Marys car park as we need room for the helpers and the food truck to manoeuvre. There are plenty of weekend car park spaces around in Lewes.
''What a cracking evening, you absolutely smashed it , never had so much fun at a toads event (possibly even any night of my life), I can tell you put a lot of hard work in to it and thank you for that, but also know it definitely paid off.''
No Seeding
As an experiment for 2025 there will be no seeding, so this gives us a chance to experience what that looks and feels like. New players may feel they will benefit from this but now they won't be able to tell who the good players are to prepare for 😂 

Secret Seeding
Benton Wieldy will do a sealed secret seeding list which no one will see till after, just to see if the stats and form are replicated and help make a decision for the following year. For seeding details check Benton Wieldy's WTSC rules page.

The Draw
The WTSC25 Draw will take place the night before at a venue to be decided, with witnesses. It will be a completely fair and random draw. I will take a pic of the fixtures and send them via WhatsApp on the morning of the tournament. This means we can go straight knockout and save an hour chasing people and dropping bingo balls 😂 And please don't worry about the tension and drama, we'll still have the Table Draws for each round and the Randomizer x8 for the final 32. Once randomised the names in the knockout knockout will be left as is.

The Semi-Finals
... will be played at the same time like 2023. It worked really well then. This means spectators can watch the action of both matches at the simultaneously and we can save even more time.
''Brilliant.''

TRAVEL INFO

🚂Walk from Lewes train station

🚌​Bus from Brighton (Lewes Prison stop) Regency Route 28/29
​
🚗On-street parking in Lewes or outside the club, Christie Road. Saturday parking usually free. Check on Parkopedia.  Please refrain from parking in St Marys as we need room for the food truck to manoeuvre​
Picture
Join our Facebook group for more
updates and news about the leadtacular Game of Toads and the
​World Toads Singles Championship
Finest Neapolitan Pizzas
from 500 Degrees Sliced
In a collaboration with 500 Degrees Sliced there will be a trailer providing pizzas bespoke for the WTSC. 
Authentic Ten-inch Neapolitan Pizzas for a tenner each with vegan options in the flavours you see on their website.
Menu confirmation to follow.
''The pizzas were fantastic.''
WTSC Champions
2022 Ed Hill
2023 Richard Crossland
​2024 Richard Crossland

WTSC 
​Players​

1. David Crowther
2. Mark Powell
3. Reg Martin 2023 Runner-Up
4. Richard Crossland Double Champion
5. Wayne Saunders
6. Noel Wilkins
7. Jonny Wills
8. Ross Hossack 
9. Ed Hill 2022 Champion
10. Adam King
11. Rob Swabey
12. Roly Dean 
13. Matt Mahoney
14. Mark Doig
15. Damon Bloomfield
16. Chris Lloyd
17. Alex Wallace
18. Andy Sanders
19. Christian Cronauer 
20. Steve Burrlock
21. Declan Rowell
​22. James Porter
​23. Simon Barris
24. Harry Douch
25. Matt Douch
26. Ian Macquire
27. Laura Bellamy-Mockford
28. John Edmondson
29. Joseph Weller
30. Jake Saunders
31. Dan Saunders 2022 Runner-Up
​32. Josh Saunders
33. Christian Dew
34. Tim Parry
​35. Jordan Johnson
36. Ian Bliszczak
37. Ciaran Armstrong
38. Joe Mockford
​39. Guido Möller 
40. Leo Agthe
41. Edward Emmerson
42. Phil Smith
43. Misza Pawlicki 
44. Jerzy Pawlicki
45. Mark Bruce
46. ​Bekhim Dushkaja
47. ​Aaron Montgomery
48. Tom Marcus-Walker
49. Dan O' Shea
50. Toby Mariner
51. Ben Robinson
52. Will Entwistle
53. Pete Jarrett
54. Toby Lewis
55. Rachel Conway
​56. Dominic Tubb
​57. George Reynolds
​58. Louise Beck
​59. Toby Grimes
​60. Ross Ashley
61. William Platts
62. Tom Rogers 
63. Mark Brown
64. James Ward

Waiting List
We're happy to put you on the list, in no particular order. I will put a note out in our Facebook Group there are updates about available spaces. When requested, the ten pounds will need to be paid immediately - this tells the tournament  you're definitely attending and this remunerates for the organisation, admin, facilitation and venue hire. It's more work than you realise, I'm writing this in January for example, so please ignore the drunken fools trying to misinform you.
​​
  1. Robert Bishop
  2. Boz Davison​​
  3. Tayla Evans
  4. Rachel Thomas
  5. Mark Jones 
  6. Conal Jacks
  7. John Miles ​​​​
  8. Paul Richardson
  9. Mat Smith
  10. James Edecki​​
  11. Thomas Andrei
  12. ​Paul Austen
  13. Steve Homewood​
  14. Noel Halleron

The 8 Tables Played 

Chosen to reflect the differences in the game in general, with the same distance kept from their respective venue and respect for play-developed leads.

​There is no league standardisation or house rules as these vary.
​
A World Champion would need to be able to negotiate and overcome any challenges.
1. St Mary's Supporters Club House Table: 6ft 9'' from the front
2. The Black Horse League Team House Table, Lewes: 7ft 1 and 1/2'' from front - a similar table exists at The Howard, Brighton
3. Country House 'Shelf' Table, Earlsfield, London: 7ft from the lead
4. WTSC Tournament Table w/ virgin lead: 7ft 3'' from the front
​5. Lincolnshire 'Roving' Table currently in situ at The Three Horseshoes, Waddington, Lincoln: 6ft 5'' from the front - similar to the Lewes Teams Worlds tables
6. The Hand in Hand Table, Kemptown, Brighton: 7ft 6 and ¼'' from the front 
7. Cast-Lead Black Table with Brass Front courtesy of Syc Toad Tables and Leads: 7ft 3'' from the front - sister table to the one at The Caxton Arms, Brighton
8. Rodmell Table by Wayne Saunders: 7ft from the front
Table Selection
​Methodology in Detail

We're simply looking for a mix of tables for fairness. They represent known venues, regions where players are from, lead type and oche distance, which in turn will reflect in the score by visits for each game.

A guesstimated optimum number for any table is of course assuming you have a seasoned player on form. In reality a whole afternoon and evening of the WTSC is also a test of nerve, nerves and stamina, as well as consistent accuracy.

Before assessing the ease or difficulty of a lead you need to look at the landing quality of the lead, the size of hole and the distance of the oche. One player's 5-visit can easily be another's horror-show.

The WTSC aims to represent the game as a whole, not cater to player preferences or regional league rules. If we listened to every single person's dislike, we would  end up with no tables. Incidentally, thanks to the random draws, table suppliers have a one-in-eight chance of playing their own table.

Players also have different definitions of a good table - it might be because it's easy or challenging that they like it, or say a table is bad, because the lead, distance or whatever doesn't suit the player or current form or mood😂.

​The intention behind the variations is to balance the score-ability over all eight tables to find the champion toads player who can master them all, and so the game. 
FYI: THIS IS NOT THE
​'WORLD' TEAMS EVENT. 
​CONTACT THE CSBS IN LEWES TO SIGN UP TO THEIR EVENT IN SPRING AND
​THE WAITING LIST. THANK YOU
WTSC NOW IN  OUR 3RD YEAR
'Impossible really to
​improve upon.''
Click for the RULES 
More REVIEWS for
​the WTSC
''Class.''

''Thank you very much for organising, as always''

''Great day. Thanks for hosting mate. Looking forward to next year already.''

''Why are you asking me? You knew it was good.'' 

''I've just watched the film ten times.''

''The smoking cage was funny. The atmosphere was brilliant. So different to other tournaments. Just nice to see everyone in that environment.''

WTSC MUSIC PLAYLIST

Here is the bespoke WTSC music playlist for this year.  Feel free to use it to enhance your practise. 
​
Let me know if there are any classic tracks you'd like added, bearing in mind there are 300 songs and seventeen hours on shuffle already. If you reach THE FINAL we will need to know your walk-on music, so have a think what that will be.
​EVENT DETAILS
​and FAQs
Where?
​St Marys Supporters Club
Christie Rd, Lewes BN7 1PL

When?
Saturday 4th October, 2025

Time
3pm
There will be an hour for warm up at doors open, and time to warm up before matches. There are no warm ups between rounds. Do not arrive before doors open, even if you are bringing tables. This year they will be collected if this is an issue.

FAQs

What do I do to sign up?
Please join the waiting list below, we now have sixty-four players, our cut-off number for tournament. Please do not send in money unless invited to confirm, you only need to contact us to get on the list.

To join the new Waiting List please email us through the DropBox page. Or if you know Jonny, (the main organiser) contact him direct via WhatsApp, in person or through the socials. 
​
Or you can try via Game of Toads on Facebook with an invite request. Please send us your number for WhatsApp and email address.

What's the likelihood of people dropping out? Ten per cent, so about five spots. Stay tuned to this site and the Game of Toads Facebook group and we will alert you. We can't stop those with unwanted spots passing them on though.

But you told me... All the info is here.  
Why is the format straight knockout?
The tournament is not a pub or taproom event designed to keep people drinking, despite the fact we enjoy those competitions very much as well. The WTSC however is a serious competition to find out who the best player is. We've gone for straight knockout as this is how most 'pro' tournaments are structured and the fact there's no debate about winning and losing. We make the matches best of five instead of three, so there is better chance to make a match of it.

Are spectators welcome?
Of course. Members get in free of course and for  guests of the club, entry £5 cash. Seats and tables are provided in a slightly different set up to a normal day, and most are geared for watching the matches. Last year there were lots of spare tables and chairs.

Can Club members enter the WTSC?
Of course. but we have to limit numbers for safety reasons. Club members are welcome and can put their names down for the Waiting List if they want to take part.  Please remember it's not a club-organised event and the entrance fee is ten pounds when asked to confirm. This covers the run-up year of admin, promotion, legwork, organisation leading up to the WTSC, not just event day facilitation. People send emails at eleven at night in a panic they have not entered, so this has to be dealt with.

Does the organiser have an advantage?
No. It's notoriously difficult to win your own tournament. To do so you'd need to be some kind of 'King', 'President' or 'God of Toads'. I won't be getting extra warm-ups, I will be too busy setting up. Saying that I will do my best to go as far as I can 🐸😂👑JW

Do people who provide tables have an advantage? Not really. There's a one in eight probability they will end up on their 'home' table and even then there's the added pressure of the expectation they will be good.

All player have a heads up about the tables and lengths so can prepare accordingly.
What's the history of the WTSC?
The WTSC - World Toads Singles Championship - is now in it's third year.
In 2022 sixteen of the best Toads players came together to compete rallied round by organisers Jonny Wills and host Gemma John. In 2023 that number doubled to 32. This year there will be sixty-four players, making it the largest singles tournament in the known history of the game.

The WTSC is held at St Marys Supporters Club in Lewes, a private members venue renowned for it's sport and games-playing history and it's famously long bar counter.

What are the WTSC's intentions and how does it distinguish itself? The tournament seeks to make itself a beacon for fair play and non-competitive edging and uses eight different Toads tables to represent the idiosyncrasies inherent in the game. As well as the general rules of Toad-in-the-Hole it has it's own WTSC Rules and Guidelines including self-governing oches where other players are invited to score or be the 'Toadrunner'.

The WTSC is aware the game is both multi-levelled and absurd and welcomes serious competitors finding their Toads home among friends. To this end the event itself celebrates the game with humour, a bespoke orientation film and soundtrack, keen organisation and solid structure for serious competition.

Players meet with other enthusiasts in the community in an atmosphere geared towards fellowship and fair play and tend to have a brilliant day regardless of how far they progress in the tournament. This year the tournament brings together all the communities of Toads, including Brighton, Lewes, Lincoln and London; East, West and Mid-Sussex, plus players for the first time from Germany.
Will there be filming this year?
There may well be a documentary film-maker who makes stuff for the BBC and Ch4. They are instinctively discreet and still. They are professional and friendly people with a genuine interest in the game. Please feel free to talk to them and share your stories, if they attend.

​Why aren't there more women in the tournament? There have been six female players involved in the WTSC. When people blame men for the lack of female entries that is just sexist. All players just need to practise more if they want to compete in the top hop flight. Perhaps boys are predisposed to chase games and sport techniques more like they did at school, but that is a societal issue and we believe that is changing right now. As far as Toads is concerned it's already inclusive, and there is seldom judgement or resentment, where the better players practise a lot and enter competitions and leagues which are open to all genders and persuasions.

What do you win?
Along with the honour of being crowned "World Champion", you'll receive the gold-leafed Toadstone Trophy aka Mr 'Bufo' Toad to guard over for a year, picture left. It weighs just about a kilogram less than the football world cup. 

Layered with bufonite and gold leaf the oak-disc base represents the four coins used in Toad-in-the-Hole. You'll get your name on the trophy engraved on a special tag placed on the oak coin stack that Bufo sits on.

​Legend has it his bufonite-layered centre will protect you from poison (!) 😂 Above Bufo is pictured on his visit to the trophy and engraving shop in Hangleton, where upon its arrival, the owner said: "I was not expecting that!'

We have some sponsorship things in the pipeline, it just takes a bit of negotiation and organising.
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How do we facilitate the members of St Marys? 
Please be aware we have hired the space for a tournament and this year we will have double the amount of competitors. Some tables and chairs are by oches for spectating and some are standalone. Last year there were at least four empty tables and twenty spare seats all day and night. This year will be much busier so we're asking members not there for toads to please work with us and not begrudge our special day.

The help we have received through our friends at St Marys in making the event a success has been outstanding and we are very grateful.  Obviously we have paid money to hire the main room of the venue, so we assume that everyone wants us there and for all to have a good time. 

Prior to the event, we submit a plan that is ratified by the club committee and organise the room accordingly.  As it is an important event for the Toads community and Sussex, now gaining a niche amount of national and international traction, we hope members will understand the room will be a little different to other days and refrain from playing on the toads tables - as they don't belong to us - when the event is in progress.

​If any members still have a problem please contact organiser and St Marys club member Jonny Wills directly and he will gladly answer your questions, or he will come and find you and address the matter in person. We have instructed our welcome hosts to invite everyone to remember to sign in: players, members and spectators, to insure accountability and a cordial atmosphere, so that we know everyone is there to make the day a nice one for all.

How can I guarantee entry if a space comes up? By paying to confirm you're coming when asked to do so. Please bear in mind this is a standalone private club event not a pub or league one.

​If you do miss out come along and support your favourite player, watch some amazeballs Toads skills or just come for the nail-biting tension and booze.  You may just want to see if its for you next year. There is space to allocate spectators who can also get in to St Marys from four pm for just £5. 
Facebook Group
Scan the QR code (right) to go to the Game of Toads Facebook group, or click this link and ask to be join and get the latest updates.
Remember: There Can Be Only One!
Are all abilities welcome? Yes. Toads is an inclusive and levelling game. We will spread out the levels and draw out of a hat to balance things out and give everyone a fair crack. The standard though is generally very high. The tables are diverse, but of course there many variables with how players enjoy the game, and the best the WTSC can do is facilitate eight different tables to reflect that. The tournament is not just for the best players, it's for all competitors. The hop flight players already get their due as seeds.

How do you do the draw?
Out in the open. No secrets here. This stops doubts that the event is being fiddled in some way, or to the advantage of those running it. Well it's just me and my sister, so.... eh-hum. The plan for the draws is above under the heading: FORMAT

Do you take toads seriously or is it just fun? Be aware this is a serious yet friendly event and draws the connoisseurs and competition-orientated players of the game. Everyone wants to win, you can see that on their faces when they do. And we all already know it's an absurd, beguiling game,  so at this level the absurdity of Toads is even more refined! Don't be put off though, because you couldn't meet a profoundly cooler bunch of people. 
What happens if I'm late?
Matches will carry on regardless of a no-show or if you are late. Please don't wander off if you have an imminent match. Just listen out for when the music goes off and announcements are happening. BTW: There are no refunds, as we blew the budget long ago. Examples are: doing at admin at midnight for players paying after the pub, talking in venues to explain everything, social media posting etc. The list is as endless as you want to make it.
What tables are being used?
We will earmark 8 traditional-style cast, sheet or wrapped-sheet lead tables and they will be a range of styles.  

We are happy to receive any other tables you might want to bring in to the mix, for the sake of fairness and regional representation. As long as its a fair standard played table and toads can go down the hole. We can put them all into a draw to see which ones are played... if there are no objections to the quality of the table! Nearer the time we will try and let people know what tables are being used, the criterion is that they are all different, so be prepared to adapt your game.

Provision of tables does not guarantee earlier entry and extra warm-up, thank you.

The broader the range the better for more equitable play and the diminishing of 'home-table advantage'. Of course the table draw every round should also help reduce this.

There is an argument for having a sheet lead and alloy top table represented and we are constantly debating this. Please let us know your thoughts either way. Currently people are leaning towards traditional cast leads. We won't be using sheet or alloy lead tables, although there is no reason to exclude them from a future tournament in my humble opinion, as one of each may give players a new puzzle to work out. 
What's the difference between the 'Lewes Worlds' in April and the WTSC 2023 in October?  Yes, we have been asked this question 😂 Ours is a singles event designed to find the best player and 'World Champion' across 8 different tables, principally how the game is normally played – one on one – when you walk into different venues. The oche lengths respect the original venues.

The WTSC is held at a private members club and from a competition point of view separates out the home-table champions to see who has really got game. For some it works like a New Year celebration for the new season.

​The Lewes Worlds in April is like a brilliant 'Toads Christmas'  end of season event at Lewes Corn Exchange with approximately 200 in attendance. The matches are for teams of four – like a last round league match – on eight near-identical sheet-lead tables, so strategically, it's a different approach.
Where does my entry fee go, I usually don't have to pay for toads etc?
We've hired a private club and spend the year organising the tournament. A normal pub or taproom puts on events to make a great day and sell beer and food. They are designed to keep you there, so they are mostly free. Or of course, maybe your admin fees for other events are paid for by someone else?

The WTSC is a standalone private event to facilitate toads-playing connoisseurs to enjoy their beloved game of 'drops' in an optimum environment without distraction or yobbery.

The ongoing work I do as WTSC Organiser throughout the year equates to admin, emails, SMSs, FB messages, WhatsApp messages, social media, promotion, marketing, artwork, website hosting, networking, data curation, liaising with facilitators, discussing seeding with experienced players, and fielding questions from potential participants - every time I go out😂.

There is always something to update every week. Plus, in the build up, the tournament has expenses for preparation, transport, event set-up and set-down, and of course the making of player framework and infamous orientation film. Still, Benton Wieldy, Jim Rosentode and Sean Connery have all kindly waived their fees.

All of the above is done as a passion hobby and there is no profit, as you can calculate by adding up the hours from all the activities. Please don't be flippant and start rumours, just imagine if you want to bother doing it. And no, I didn't nick this idea off anyone. Ideas for events are in the air, so why not organise something yourself?

All in all, the entry fee total comes to three days full-time freelance work at my usual rate before tax, and the actual work I put in is from three weeks up to a month full-time. And I do all this in my spare time after work.

This year we are looking for sponsors and ways to grow the WTSC.
Does the WTSC Toadstone say 2023 or 2025?
The trophy says 2023 in a traditional engraving font.  The misreading and subsequent rumour may have been caused by light conditions, age-related eyesight, inebriation, the lateness of the hour, sledgey-banter: or all five.