Post a reply

Memories

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

Ah nostalgia

This was the decade when snooker really took off . I remember watching Pot Black at the tail end of 1979 then watched the 1980 world championship which made me fall in love with the game

This was the era when BBC 2 basically dedicated its entire schedule to snooker and coincided with the easter holidays from school so I just stayed in to watch the championship .

Anyone who remembers this decade will remember the hate filled matches between Higgins and Davis , the epic WC final between Taylor and Davis that attracted a tv audience of 18 million and of the UK Championship final being first to 16 frames

Having said that the rose tinted glasses shouldn't be too rosy . As a massive Alex Higgins fan I was often left very disappointed between his matches against Davis . As a Scot you'd never see one of my country men winning a game never mind a title since Murdo Mcleod , Jim Donnelly and Eddie Sinclair weren't world beaters and the game was much more tactical in those days . You'd see a player making a break of 30 then going for a safety shot . Cliff Thorburn and Terry Griffiths were torture to watch and frames lasting 30 minutes were pretty common . And Steve wasn't the likable bloke he has been very many years - he was a dominant force who was totally arrogant , a poor loser , and the type of person Brits love to hate

But for anyone who remembers the decade still feels a pang of nostalgia for the decade where snooker ruled the world <ok>

Re: Memories

Postby randall

this was my era, alex v reardon, cliffs 147, the alex v jimmy semi final, 1985 and all that, taylor with his hankey against mike hallet, joe johnson stunning davis and of course the songs with chas and dave! after that for me the 80's went a bit flat with challengers to davis falling away a bit. 88 and 89 finals were particularly flat.

anybody else of an age to recall all this and want to don the rose tinted specs with me?

Re: Memories

Postby Wildey

this was my era but i got to say today is better in all department of the game.

in the 80s you had players with a amateur outlook until Steve Davis came along and changed all that.

Re: Memories

Postby Wildey

randall wrote:thats rather burst my bubble then!


dont get me wrong i loved that time and i love today. snooker is still living in the shaddow of the 80s 20 years on. the popularity of the sport then was more to do with the amount of channels there was to watch compared to now....going live to venues was more to do with no red button or internet to watch live snooker.

today the game is as popular by die hards but what made viewing figures bigger during the 80s was less choice for casual watchers or people who couldnt care less.

Re: Memories

Postby randall

yes, i couldnt argue with any of those points.

its strange for a generation of players famed for exuberance and looked back on with envy was dominated by the dullest player of the lot!

were there really that many characters in the 80's? knowles, meo, foulds, griffiths,virgo,williams (rex) etc etc. you couldnt accuse any of them of being exciting!

maybe it was just something about those times?

games still doing well, audiences arent bad given the choice and my local club is always well patronised.

long may it continue.

Re: Memories

Postby Wildey

players you named there from the 80s were a miserable bunch at the table they actually makes Hendry look cheerful lol

Re: Memories

Postby randall

that was hearns first go at putting personalities into it as well!

can we expect the current players to be singing come april i wonder?

Re: Memories

Postby Wildey

randall wrote:that was hearns first go at putting personalities into it as well!

can we expect the current players to be singing come april i wonder?


"show me the way to sheffield"

could someone come up with rest of the words lol

Re: Memories

Postby Eirebilly

The 70's and 80's were also my era. I think the reason we lok back with such a fondness is because we are still confronted by them today. Most of the players we grew up with and supported are still in the game at some level (BBC comentators, pundits and coaches) so we are continually reminded of those days. The players from the 80's were also alot more busy on the exhibition circuits and were very funny which also plays its part.

Re: Memories

Postby SnookerFan

wildJONESEYE wrote:
randall wrote:that was hearns first go at putting personalities into it as well!

can we expect the current players to be singing come april i wonder?


"show me the way to sheffield"

could someone come up with rest of the words lol


"It's that way." *followed by a point*

Re: Memories

Postby Wildey

eirebilly wrote:The 70's and 80's were also my era. I think the reason we lok back with such a fondness is because we are still confronted by them today. Most of the players we grew up with and supported are still in the game at some level (BBC comentators, pundits and coaches) so we are continually reminded of those days. The players from the 80's were also alot more busy on the exhibition circuits and were very funny which also plays its part.


theres no doubt the players of the 80s had more life experience with most having had other jobs before snooker came along and to do a worthwhile exhibition tour you got to be a people person if you like where as todays players goes straight in to snooker and thats all they know.

being a brilliant player isnt enough for exhibitions but thats true in all sports not just snooker.

Re: Memories

Postby Caledonian Craig

Another aspect of the 80's I loved was there were characters and entertainers amongst a number of the players that brought their own style of laid back entertainment blending humour in there. I remember was it John Virgo and Ray Reardon entertaining the fans when a session finished early and JV impersonated the players of that time - very funny. Rex Williams, Dennis Taylor, Joe Davis were all players that liked to laugh their way through games. Lovely to see. As for the likes of Griffiths and Thorburn slow play I'd say it was more because they wanted to play ultimate safety shots - not necessarily a bad thing and was just a different style to the more dynamic players of that time such as Alex Higgins and Jimmy White. Not a lot different to nowadays where you have the dynamic play of Ronnie and Judd Trump and conversely the ultra cautious (at times) Mark Selby and Rory McLeod etc.


   

cron