SOME sports are not fashionable, yet are played by a huge amount of people up and down the country.

Angling, for example, is not to everyone’s taste but it is one of the most popular sports in the UK in terms of the number of those who participate in it.

Worcestershire has a thriving angling scene with contests taking place at fisheries on an almost daily basis throughout the year.

Likewise, hardly an evening goes by in Worcester without a skittles match being on the go — particularly during the winter months.

It is the same for snooker, billiards, pool, darts, dominoes, crib and the wonderful world of pigeon racing.

Now September has arrived and the nights begin to draw in, many of these indoor sports, games or past-times — call them what you will — come into their element in pubs and clubs.

This week saw the start of the Worcester and District Snooker League, a competition that has been running for the best part of 25 years. I’ve even been known to play a frame or two.

Perhaps it is time we started to champion some of these so-called lesser sports.

Just because they are not football, rugby or cricket does not make them any less appealing to the hundreds that play and administer them.