At a meeting in The Creamery, Bainsford, this month the curtain was lowered on an association that was originally formed in 1972.
It began as the direct result of snooker's surge in popularity brought about by both Alex Higgins' World Championshi
p victory and the launch of 'Pot Black' on BBC2's new colour broadcast.
Originally encompassing a number of social clubs in its early years, John 'Shad' Cameron, representing ICI, claimed the honour of becoming the first ever Falkirk and District Snooker singles champion.
Over the following three decades many fine players would follow in his footsteps, Davie Sneddon, John Halcrow, Johnny Kemp, Paul Jelly and Geoff Dunn being among those who claimed the title on more than one occasion.
The real 'bread and butter' of the association was the team league, though, and, from a dozen teams in its early years, the emergence of a multitude of snooker clubs saw the organisation mushroom to 36 in the mid-1980s.
By this point, clubs were spread from Stirling to Hallglen, Alloa to Maddiston and Cumbernauld to Linlithgow as virtually every teenage boy owned a cue and played regularly.
This was not to last, however, and while the halcyon years of the 1980s and early '90s saw players such as Michael Valentine, Duncan Campbell, Billy Snaddon (pictured) and Chris Shade join Kemp and Dunn within the professional ranks, the game's popularity began a downward decline from which it has never truly recovered.
Having broken ranks from the social clubs in the mid-1980s, the snooker clubs eventually returned from their own league in 1998 to once again unite the association.
Yet the continued closures of playing facilities within both the social and snooker clubs saw numbers dwindle.
By 2005 only a dozen clubs remained, this number reducing by two-thirds over the following couple of seasons and, despite valiant efforts by the last four survivors – Creamery 'A' and 'B', Grangemouth Royal
British Legion and Carronshore Social Club – the concept of team snooker had finally run its course within the local area.
Thousands of players have competed over the years and many individuals deserve great credit for what they achieved in making the league one of the country's finest and longest surviving.
Alas, the game's popularity is not what it once was and it was indeed a sad night when the inevitable death knell was finally sounded for what had become a Tuesday evening ritual for many.
From the ashes, though, snooker's dedicated few intend to rise, and it's through such steely determination that a new streamlined event is being launched under the old title.
The team concept may have been banished to the history books, but a new individual league has been launched by the small band of enthusiasts still relishing those midweek winter duels on their beloved green baize.
The new Falkirk and District Snooker League will therefore commence with 16 players competing on the opening night of Tuesday, November 13.
A league championship of 15 matches will be augmented by a League Cup event, as well as a singles tournament – the self-funding organisation hoping to raise around £2000 in prizes once sponsorships are negotiated.
While the camaraderie of the old team format may have gone, those inaugural competitors hope to do their own bit to preserve the playing of competitive snooker in the Falkirk area.
The fixtures for Tuesday, November 13, are:
6.30 p.m. matches – Scott Hughes v Crawford Mitchell; Bob McCabe v Roy Easton; Ian McEwan v Dougie Melrose; Ian Carr v Duncan Foster; 8 p.m. matches – Dawson McNeish v Greg Murphy; Julie Gillespie v Billy Ferguson; Tom Smith v Colin Jackson; James Smith v John Halcrow.
