Recognising the success of the BARRY SHINE trophy (the restricted entry Snooker knockout competition) and that the entries for the open Snooker Pairs competition were dwindling, it was decided to start a restricted entry Snooker pairs knockout competition.
A year prior to its inauguration, ADRIAN SLADE retired as Match Secretary after a stint of 36 years and it was seen as fitting for the competition to bear his name.
The competition takes the form of an inter-club (ie both of the pair must be members of the same club) knockout, drawn each round, and is open to all regular league team players excluding those who normally play in the top two divisions.
Matches are the best of 3 frames in the early rounds progressing to the best of 5.
Players are required to contact each other to arrange their matches and to submit the results by a deadline date set for each round. Matches are played at the venue of the "first drawn" player except for the semi-finals and final which are scheduled to be played on a Sunday at a neutral venue.