Post a reply

I can't go along with the narrative

Postby shanew48

that Thorne would have in fact won that UK Championship final vs Davis if he had potted that blue, it seems to be an accepted narrative but Willie was well known for being affected by his nerves and getting over the line, Dave Gilbert is the modern day version of Thorne as things stand today.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby shanew48

Andre147 wrote:We'll never know...

But you can't disagree his chances of winning would be much greater.


I'm really not sure if that extra frame would have actually made a difference in the end but like you say we will never know.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby Dan-cat

Hahah love this. Great thread. I think about these things too.

Have you seen the Willie / Lineker documentary? It goes into this match in depth, and they talk openly about his clincher's disease. There also some great shots featured in there.

He really was a great player.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby shanew48

Dan-cat wrote:Hahah love this. Great thread. I think about these things too.

Have you seen the Willie / Lineker documentary? It goes into this match in depth, and they talk openly about his clincher's disease. There also some great shots featured in there.

He really was a great player.


I did see that doc, posted the link on a different thread in fact, as you know I like to spread a bit of lightness now and then on here, just to try and keep things positive if nothing else.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby Dragonfly

There's no guarantee that Thorne would have won if the blue went in. But it would have been a monumental collapse. I might be wrong but I think it would have put him 15-9 ahead needing just one more.

Instead it was 14-10. Still a big lead but Davis sensed Thorne was affected by the miss. And as long as your opponent needs 2 frames!. I don't think Thorne would have lost from 15-9 ahead

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby Dan-cat

shanew48 wrote:
Dan-cat wrote:Hahah love this. Great thread. I think about these things too.

Have you seen the Willie / Lineker documentary? It goes into this match in depth, and they talk openly about his clincher's disease. There also some great shots featured in there.

He really was a great player.


I did see that doc, posted the link on a different thread in fact, as you know I like to spread a bit of lightness now and then on here, just to try and keep things positive if nothing else.


:chuckle:

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby shanew48

Dragonfly wrote:There's no guarantee that Thorne would have won if the blue went in. But it would have been a monumental collapse. I might be wrong but I think it would have put him 15-9 ahead needing just one more.

Instead it was 14-10. Still a big lead but Davis sensed Thorne was affected by the miss. And as long as your opponent needs 2 frames!. I don't think Thorne would have lost from 15-9 ahead


My understanding was that he was 13-8 up at the time and the blue would have put him 14-8 up and it was first to 16 frames so he would have still required 2 more frames? Please someone correct me if I have the above wrong?

Obviously it went 13-9 and the rest is history, I still think from 14-8 up he may well have still found some way of letting that lead slip.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby TheRocket

14:8 or 13:9 in a bo31 is a massive difference, even more so when you have that sitter of a blue on your mind all the time. With a 14:8 lead he would have been full of confidence.

That missed blue destroyed him.

Re: I can't go along with the narrative

Postby Dragonfly

shanew48 wrote:
Dragonfly wrote:There's no guarantee that Thorne would have won if the blue went in. But it would have been a monumental collapse. I might be wrong but I think it would have put him 15-9 ahead needing just one more.

Instead it was 14-10. Still a big lead but Davis sensed Thorne was affected by the miss. And as long as your opponent needs 2 frames!. I don't think Thorne would have lost from 15-9 ahead


My understanding was that he was 13-8 up at the time and the blue would have put him 14-8 up and it was first to 16 frames so he would have still required 2 more frames? Please someone correct me if I have the above wrong?

Obviously it went 13-9 and the rest is history, I still think from 14-8 up he may well have still found some way of letting that lead slip.


Yes you are right. It would have put him 14-8 ahead. Still needing 2 frames. Still possible he could have lost though his confidence would be flying with that lead.

13-9 was a huge difference. I can remember saying Davis will win now when the blue stayed out.