Wayne Cooper has received a sponsorship boost for next season - his first in the professional ranks.

The 21-year-old Bradford amateur champion will be backed by Queensbury firm Armour Leisure, who sell snooker and pool tables and gaming machines.

The deal is believed to be worth about £5,000, which will mean Cooper, who qualified via the 2000-01 Challenge Tour, will have his entry fees paid, as well as his travel and accommodation.

"That's a weight off my mind," admitted Cooper. "Otherwise I would have had to have found £675 in tournament entry fees by June 8 for the LG Open, the British Open and the UK Championship qualifiers, which are all at the Newport Centre, South Wales on July 23 to August 19.

"Now I can get down to some practice next month - three to four hours a day or more - with a clearer head."

A spokesman, who has connections with Cooper via Wibsey Con Club, said: "We cannot run top giving Wayne a salary, but we would love him to do well.

"He deserves this chance after everything that has happened to him, and if he gets his head down at the practice table there is no reason why he can't do well.

"Wayne is talented, he is a great break-builder so let's hope for the best."

Cooper finished off his amateur career with a 3-1 defeat partnering Kevin Firth (Wibsey Con Club) against Sheffield's Martin Finnigan and David Allender in the final of the Yorkshire Pairs event at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds.

"We only potted one red in the first two frames," said Cooper. "They played really good safety, and then just potted a red every time one popped out."

Finnigan made a 30 break, Allender clearing up with a 70 in the first, and adding a 68 in the second.

Cooper replied with a fine 70 to halve the deficit, but Finnigan and Allender won a scrappy fourth on the colours to cross the line.

Firth, a finalist for the last three years, had lost his Yorkshire singles quarter-final 4-2 to Carlo Giagnacovo (Sheffield) at Rockwell Social Club in Castleford.

The Tetley Team Tournament will again be played in Bradford this summer.

It starts on Thursday, June 14 with a full complement of 32 teams playing in four groups of eight.

Fixture lists and registration forms have been sent out to all participating clubs.

Opening fixtures in the Tetley Team Tournament (Thursday, June 14) - Group A: East Ward Labour A v Harold Club, Greengates Libs A v Lilycroft WMC, The Clubhouse In Cue Gardens v Undercliffe Cricket Club B, Laisterdyke WMC A v Low Moor WMC B. Group B: Chapel Green Libs v West Bowling Social B, Undercliffe Cricket Club A v Manningham Ward Labour B, East Bowling Unity v Greengates Libs B, Fairweather Green WMC v Regal. Group C: Low Moor WMC v West Bowling Club B, Upper Bolton Con Club v Bradford Snooker Club, Railway Social Club v Cuedos A, West Bowling Social B v Wibsey Cons. Group D: Great Horton WMC v Laisterdyke WMC B, Cuedos B v Fields Sports & Social, Chalks v Queensbury Cons, West Bowling WMC A v East Ward Labour Club B.