Switch off the Power, says Pat.

And woe betide if the Southampton & District Social Clubs League adopts the jazzed up version of the game, which made its TV debut a fortnight ago.

Fitzgerald, 66, who plays for Premier side St Denys Cons C, said: “It takes away the ethos of the game. It’s not treated with respect by the fans. They were encouraged to behave like hooligans. It’s not snooker; it’s a different ball game.

“I wouldn’t watch it and I wouldn’t play it if it was introduced into the Southampton league.”

Team captain Martin Newington reckons his side are a “good bunch of lads” but, as he ran the rule over his teammates, he was at a loss to explain why they have picked up only two wins out of eight this season.

“Me and Mark (Emm) go one or two,” he said. “Mark’s playing quite well at the moment. Derek (King) is a handy player. He plays number three. He holds his own.

“Pat at four. He’s a fair player. He used to play number one for the A team. Graham plays number five usually. He came over from Bitterne Park. He usually gets a one-all.

“John (Windibank) is our reserve. Mike Allan is quite a handy player. He picks up a cue once in a blue moon and he still pots a good ball.

“I don’t know how come we’re down where we are actually,” he laughed.

And he added: “We have a few bevies. We all get on pretty well. We’re quite happy in this league, going to have a good night out.

“We’ve played all the top players and it was getting very difficult. The standard’s just gone up.”

Garside agreed: “The game’s changed. There doesn’t seem to be the same level of safety now. (The youngsters) are more open and attacking.”

Work commitments mean Allan is often unavailable “because I’m busy chasing the dream; chasing the debt”.

And Emm said he doesn’t practise at all “so when I turn up I don’t know what’s going to happen”.

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