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Pro Snooker in the Early 1990s

Postby Dannyboy

I grew up in the 1990s. One of my earliest memories was watching the 1994 World Snooker Final between Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White. At that time, I was given a small book that I had for years and years, but eventually lost – the official world snooker almanac. This included photos and results of the top 100 players; many household names. Was evident how different the tour was than it is today.

Obviously the main flagship tournaments were still in their usual formats – the Benson & Hedges Masters, the Embassy World Championship, the UK Championship and the Grand Prix in its original guise. The tour was very UK-centric – the classics, the Regal Scottish, Regal Welsh all popular events, all bankrolled by tobacco money men.

I know very little about what the professional tour was like. I do know that there were a ludicrous number of “professionals” – 500 or so paying the £500 membership fee. Many of that seasons intake have gone onto become the household names of today. I believe Mark Williams and John Higgins took the opportunity to turn pro when you could effectively buy-in to the professional tour and play the qualifiers of all 10 pro events.

The Norbreck Hotel in Blackpool was the second home of many an aspiring professional player. I seem to recall Ronnie O’Sullivan, one of the youngest players on tour at the time having to play sometimes 11 qualifying matches to get to the venues. Possibly 8 or 9 of those match wins unpaid. I believe he still holds the record number of matches won in a row?

Was opening the game ever sustainable? What I’m trying to picture is the mind of the player back in 1993. What was the setup like? Was it organised chaos; a logistical nightmare?

Re: Pro Snooker in the Early 1990s

Postby snooky147

You had a 22 table setup in the Norbreck Castle in Blackpool. The draws were put up o large A3 sheets. So many rounds per tournament before higher seeds arrived and the 700 odd were whittled down that way. It was a logistical nightmare yes, but one that was largely handled well. You were right in saying that at that time you could buy into the tour but none of the players that you mention or indeed any still in the top 16 or 32 did so. They qualified by winning their National Championship. Many a month I spent at those qualifiers. Happy days as Hearn signed off in his letter.

Re: Pro Snooker in the Early 1990s

Postby Dannyboy

I just wonder how some of the 500 or so professionals actually afforded it? Prize money was better than the Rodney Walker reign, but playing possibly 10 days of qualifiers in a hotel before getting to a venue, possibly needing to win about 6-7 matches to actually get slightly paid sounds a recipe for financial disaster. Plus the fact these qualifying rounds were actually played in a huge big block in the summer.

Re: Pro Snooker in the Early 1990s

Postby Smart

Dannyboy wrote:I just wonder how some of the 500 or so professionals actually afforded it? Prize money was better than the Rodney Walker reign, but playing possibly 10 days of qualifiers in a hotel before getting to a venue, possibly needing to win about 6-7 matches to actually get slightly paid sounds a recipe for financial disaster. Plus the fact these qualifying rounds were actually played in a huge big block in the summer.


some worked on the Blackpool pleasure beach inbetween matches, others owned donkeys and made a living selling donkey rides in between matches. Blackpool also has a lot of fish and chip outlets and many players battered cod in between matches. <ok> :wave: