FOR decades, football fuelled youngsters imaginations by turning working-class boys into superstars., but in the 1980s snooker was the glamorous sport. Having won seven world titles during the 1990s, few would have believed that Stephen Hendry's time at the top of the sport was approaching an end. I have been practising more than at any time in the last 20 years and I have really got the love of the game back. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Gary says: You wouldnt ever imagine snooker would become as popular as football but it did. Zhiwei Jin wins the World Seniors Championship Qualifier in Beijing, Alfie Burden credits WSS Tour for renewed motivation ahead ofQ-School, 2023 Seniors Crucible The line-up is nowcomplete, 2023 Seniors Crucible First roundSchedule, The Draw for the 2023 World Seniors Snooker Championship isout, 2023 Seniors Crucible news and GoldenTicket, Follow The WPBSA World Seniors Tour on WordPress.com. McLeod, a 46-year-old, 1,000-1 outsider, trailed 4-0 but fought back to seal what he called "the biggest win of his career" in a match that was extended because of slow play. Knowles was one of snookers biggest stars of the 1980s, winning the International Open, Professional Players Tournament and Australian Masters. In 2009, Knowles won the inaugural Snooker Super 6s tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. That didnt stop him becoming rich thanks to a game that took off with the growth of colour television in the Seventies. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Are you sure you want to delete this comment? It took Bingham another 11 years to win his first ranking title, beating Mark Williams 9-8 in the final of the Australian Open. Gods Of Snooker, which can be caught up with on BBC iPlayer, has unique access to greats of the baize including Jimmy Whirlwind White, 60, who provides a shocking account of how players winnings fuelled indulgence. Hendry would never win another world title. He remained in the top 16 until the 1990/1991 season, peaking at no. I had loads of drug dealers all over the place too. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. I always remember him arriving at the City Hall in Manchester. Im not playing no more.. [13] Meo recorded his third win against Virgo in the season with a 106 win at the 1981 World Snooker Championship, making a break of 134 during the match. Were looking at a way to develop it to complement the bar weve got next door, he said. Peter Stringfellow had a club called the Hippodrome and he used to have a champagne bar. He turned professional in 1979, and won the 1981 Australian Masters, 1983 Thailand Masters and 1985 Australian Masters. Ms Craig told the court she was owed 30,000 by Knowles, cash which he had invested in a hotel next to the winebar he owns at Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria. After one kiss-and-tell story claimed he enjoyed wearing womens underwear. In the latter, he defeated Davis 97 in the semi-finals, his first victory over Davis in their eleven professional matches against each other. A FORMER top snooker player hopes to raise his game in the Lake District hospitality industry after buying a second hotel and restaurant. In 1986, Meo was one of five players under Barry Hearn's management (along with Davis, Terry Griffiths, Willie Thorne and Dennis Taylor) who appeared on "Snooker Loopy", a hit single about the game recorded with Chas & Dave. Gary says: You wouldnt ever imagine snooker would become as popular as football but it did. Giving evidence from behind a screen she said: When I decided to take it, he lost it.. Tournament was a 5 player round-robin. His last attempt to qualify for the World Championship in 2009 saw him lose 10-9 against Tony Knowles. Knowles dropped off the main tour but remained involved in the game, serving briefly as a WPBSA board member and continuing to attempt to qualify for the Crucible well into the new century. What I need is more matches against other players on the Star tables, if I can get that under my belt then my consistency will improve, Ill cut out the mistakes and the break-building will come back. Veteran Tony Knowles believes he has a realistic chance of making it through Q School and achieving his ambition of regaining a place on the World Snooker If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Last year, Brian Viner interviewed snooker's world No 4 on the day he consulted his GP about stomach pains. On Monday night, the 27-year-old died of cancer before he could fulfil his dream of winning the world title Gods Of Snooker, which can be caught up with on BBC iPlayer, has unique access to greats of the baize including Jimmy Whirlwind White, 60, who provides a shocking account of how players winnings fuelled indulgence. WebThe only players the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) have successfully prosecuted for match-fixing are Lee, Leo Fernandez, Yu Delu, Cao Yupeng, David John, Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon and amateur player John Sutton. Knowles began playing snooker at the age of 3 on the tables at the social club run by his father, Kevin. He became the UKs richest sportsman at the time and the first player to clinch a seven-figure sponsorship deal. But Knowles established a 4-0 and then 8-1 lead as the 'Crucible Curse' struck Davis, and the winner headed to a nightclub before coming back to complete an emphatic 10-1 win the following day. He made a break of 147 in his 1988 Matchroom League match against Stephen Hendry, and won the 1990 International League. At the 1989 British Open he eliminated Colin Roscoe 53, then the defending champion Hendry and Peter Francisco, each by the same scoreline. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. A staggering one in five 16-to-24-year-olds have taken cocaine in the last year. Use has doubled in the last five years, and with young people the numbers are even worse. Cahill almost knocked out another seed in the second round but was beaten 13-12 by Stephen Maguire. Im not playing no more.. His addiction started by drinking copiously to celebrate or commiserate after matches. He won the 1989 British Open by defeating Dean Reynolds 136 in the final, and was runner-up to Steve Davis at the 1984 Classic. A year later, spurred by Englands success at Italia 90, football begun the resurgence that led to its dominant position today. Non-snooker fans, may remember the Tony Knowles Suite from Peter Kays comedy series Phoenix Night,in honour of the player. [26] In the post-match speeches, Reynolds complained that he had been "totally bored" by Meo's cautious style of play. Its an issue that is sweeping the UK and, unless its tackled now, means a mental health crisis is imminent. We went to Australia once and after I left, apparently the police came round in the early hours of the morning because hed pulled a gun on two girls in a bedroom.. And he tried to get off with the nurses.. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Knowles shot to prominence in 1982 when he defeated defending champion Steve Davis 101 in the first round of the World Championship, earning him overnight stardom in a period when the sport was reaching the peak of its popularity. And I havent lost the thrill that comes with playing in tournaments.. Webchampion has been defeated by Tony Knowles in a superb exhibition of:56:51.:56:53. match snooker. Did you know? But fans of the game will remember his legendary match against great Steve Davis in the eighties. He reached the semi-finals of the World Championship on three occasions, coming within a frame of the final in 1983, losing a decider to Canadas Cliff Thorburn. Snookers World Championships should be underway but have been postponed while the country due to the current crisis. Meo claimed the next four frames, to require just one more frame at 87, having recovered from more than 40 points behind in both the 12th and 15th frames. Tony Knowles was born on 13 June, 1955 in Bolton, United Kingdom, is an English snooker player. How well Tony will do remains to be seen of course, and, should he succeed, the hectic Main Tour schedule might prove difficult to cope with for a 65 years old. As a result, he moved to no. Thats why The Sun has launched its End Of The Line campaign, calling for more awareness around the drug. I couldnt believe that you could take this drug and it would straighten you up and you could start drinking again.. Did you know? If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to The three-part documentary, from Therouxs new company Mindhouse Productions, has rare access to giants of the game including Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Dennis Taylor, Cliff Thorburn and Ray Reardon. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Tony Knowles has relaunched The White House, in Bowness-on-Windermere, and plans to turn around its fortunes after the business went into administration earlier this year. He issued a public statement assuring the world he had no such fetish. Davis built a lead of 38 points, but Meo recovered to 12 points behind with a break of 26. Veteran Tony Knowles won the inaugural snooker 'Super 6s' tournament being trialled at the World Championship. Cocaine had come into my life. We will update Tony Knowles's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. He went on to win the UK Junior Championship twice, in 1972 (against Matt Gibson) and in 1974. Steve, another working-class London lad also nicknamed the Nugget for his ginger hair, said: I dont think the worlds a better place now because of it.. Tony is one of the many WSS players who will compete in Ponds Forge in the coming weeks. The court heard that Knowles threatened to call police and, following a struggle over the fax machine and phone, neither was aware a call had been made. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. He issued a public statement assuring the world he had no such fetish. In 1986, Meo was one of five players under Hearn's management (along with Davis, Griffiths, Thorne and Dennis Taylor) who appeared on "Snooker Loopy", a hit single about the game recorded with Chas & Dave. [3] He was a schoolfriend of Jimmy White at Ernest Bevin Comprehensive, and the pair regularly skipped school to play snooker together. [34] After retiring from snooker in 1997, Meo managed a wristwatch and jewellery store in Hatton Garden.[32][2]. File photo dated 10-10-1982 of David taylor, 39 (left) from manchester shaking hands with his opponent in the Jameson Irish Whiskey International Open Snooker final, Tony knowles, 27, from bolton - the trophy stands on the table in front of them. [23], The 1987 English Professional Championship saw him retain the title by defeating Les Dodd 95 in the final, but his ranking tournament performances in the 198687 snooker season meant he slipped from 11th to 20th place in the rankings, and his results in the following season saw him fall to 31st in the 1988/1989 rankings. Knowles is crowned Super 6 king. Before I knew where I was, Id see my best friend crawling around the floor trying to find little bits of rock and seeing someone who you trust with your life get a bit of a rock and hide it in his pocket. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. [6] With Davis, Meo won four World Doubles titles, and was also part of the victorious England team at the 1983 World Team Classic. [3] At the 1979 Canadian Open he was seeded into the last 16, where he lost 79 to Jim Wych. The 56-year-old, of Bowness, aims to develop the venue along with his professional snooker career. Fittingly, the man who dominated the game in its golden era won his sixth and final world title in 1989. Jimmy and Alex werent alone in their extreme behaviour. Booze led to drugs. People from all walks of life, from builders and labourers to celebrities like Jeremy McConnell who is backing our campaign have fallen foul of its lure. Cahill almost knocked out another seed in the second round but was beaten 13-12 by Stephen Maguire. [12] He reached the World Championship quarter-finals for the first time at the 1983 tournament, and finished the season by winning the 1983 Pontins Brean Sands tournament, with a 97 final victory against Silvino Francisco. He followed her and in and ensuing row punched her on the right arm. Editors' Code of Practice. As defending champion the 'Nugget' was the overwhelming favourite to advance against Tony Knowles, whose only other Crucible appearance in 1981 had ended in defeat by Graham Miles. Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news on the BBC app. But even Davis lampooned as the Romford Robot due to his emotionless demeanour and conservative style of play enjoyed the trappings of fame. [18] Meo also reached the semi-finals of the 1982 Masters. Knowles retired to run a hotel in the Lake District. [18] The following month, they faced each other in the final of the Lada Classic. He was a three times semi-finalist in the World Professional Snooker Championship in the 1980s. Amongst them,David Lilley the reigning Seniors World Champion will also be there, trying to regain his tour card. Meanwhile, the pressure is on Mr Knowles to bring his new business venture to the standard of Churchills Wine Bar, in Bowness, which he has extended and developed over the past 20 years. Higgins seemed to briefly calm down when he married his second wife, Lynn Avison, in 1980. I couldnt tell you the most outrageous thing I did! MASTERS HOPE: Tony Knowles takes on Jimmy White in Peterborough. More than 200 players will compete at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. And he tried to get off with the nurses.. The working-class lad from Belfast was always a rebel. Anthony Shimmin for Knowles, said: The whole event came about as a result of him doing Miss Craig a favour.. But in 1990, the troubled star quit the game, telling the world in a press conference: You can shove your snooker up your jacksie. Suave Tony Knowles, who is also interviewed in the new documentary, was a pin-up known for enjoying the company of the opposite sex. As runner-up in 1996, Peter Ebdon was expected to have few problems when he was paired with Stefan Mazrocis, who he had beaten 10-4 in their only other meeting. Away from the table he caused controversy with tabloid exposs, being pictured with topless women and was once fined 5,000 by the WPBSA for bringing snooker into disrepute. Jimmy and Alex werent alone in their extreme behaviour. The Northern Irish hellraiser and double world champ died in 2010 of throat cancer aged 61. Tony Knowles is hoping to reignite his snooker career (Picture: Andy Chubb/ROKiT World Seniors Snooker) Tony Knowles, icon of snooker s boom era of the 1980s, has returned to the spotlight thanks to the BBCs recent Gods of Snooker documentary and also because the veteran has got his cue out of its case once again. While Davis mounted a fightback to 8-7 down, Hicks held his nerve to pull off a famous victory. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. In 1990 he signed off from snooker in spectacular style. Leading 8-1 after the first session of his first round match against defending champion Steve Davis in 1982, Knowles headed for a nightclub until the early hours. Use has doubled in the last five years, and with young people the numbers are even worse. After bombing out of the World Championships in the first round he hit a press officer then stormed into a news Davis won the 16th frame with a break of 84 to force a deciding frame. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. [6], Meo defeated White in the final to win the 1977 Pontins Junior title as well as taking the Warners Pro-Am title by winning against professional Doug Mountjoy 54 in the final. In a match between Jimmy and Steve Davis, whom Higgins viewed as dull, Higgins took his protege to aside and advised him: Shove the f***ing cue up the ginger c***s a***.. It really boomed in the Eighties, with some matches gaining viewing figures that would compete with footballs biggest games. Facing Higgins, Meo was ahead after their first session, and at 98 was a frame away from winning before Higgins took the last two frames with breaks of 77 and 62 to claim victory. But at the same time, theres some joy in what they gave us during those magical times., Serena Williams, 41, makes shock pregnancy announcement at Met Gala, Vanessa Bryant remembers daughter Gigi on what would have been her 17th birthday, Olivia Dunne dubbed 'arrestingly beautiful' as LSU star debuts SI look, World's sexiest volleyballer sprawls on bed to show off curves in lingerie shoot, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Jimmy White playing in the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield in 1987, Hot shot snooker ace Tony Knowles in 1984, Alex Higgins drinks a pint of beer during his match at the World Championships in 1988, Alex Higgins and Jimmy White hold the trophy at the 1984 Hofmeister World Doubles Championship, Jimmy White and Alex Higgins at a party with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Alex Higgins and Oliver Reed pictured together in 1992 to record a new version of the 60's pop classic Wild Thing, White poses beside a new model Austin Montego in 1984, Tony Knowles with Alex Higgins, Kirk Stevens, and Jimmy White, An archway of snooker cues for Alex Higgins and his bride Lynn Avison, Mark Williams leaves Crucible stunned with snooker break shot that was almost banned. A Gannett Company. [21][22] He won the 1985 Australian Masters by defeating John Campbell 72 in the final,[12] and the 1986 English Professional Championship. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. It usurped it. In the second session, Davis took the first four frames, compiling six breaks of 35 or more. Did you know? Cocaine had come into my life. Meo acknowledged that "It wasn't very spectacular" and added that he felt that it was "the best tactical snooker" that he had ever player. I knew all of them. Suave Tony Knowles, who is also interviewed in the new documentary, was a pin-up known for enjoying the company of the opposite sex. Snooker changed in my era when the balls and cloth changed. [3] At 17, Meo became the then-youngest person known to have made an unofficial maximum break of 147. Prior to that, youd be lucky to see a little column on snooker. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. WebAnthony Christian Meo (born 4 October 1959) is a retired English snooker player. John Virgo, 77, as a player a contemporary of Higgins and later a respected commentator, says: It kept the game on the sports pages. Thats the problem. contact the editor here. Menu. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's But looking back, Steve, 65, doesnt think the money men then driving the game left a positive legacy. For other inquiries, Contact Us. But in 1990, the troubled star quit the game, telling the world in a press conference: You can shove your snooker up your jacksie. Tony Knowles (a) 4. The draw always provides plenty of intriguing match-ups and the potential for a star name to fall at the first hurdle. [3][4] When he was 15 (and White was 13), they were approached by "Dodgy" Bob Davis who arranged money matches for them and became their manager. Tony, now 67, posed with half-naked women in photoshoots alongside headlines like: Why girls call me the hottest pot in snooker.. He reached the final of the 1984 Lada Classic but lost in the deciding frame. Tony, now 67, posed with Please report any comments that break our rules. Please report any comments that break our rules. Tony, now 67, posed with One of the eras greats missing from the doc is Alex Hurricane Higgins. In a match where he was never behind until the the final frame, the 'Rocket' recorded breaks of 136, 123, 115, 102 and 101, as well as three half centuries, but still lost. Watch live coverage from the opening day of the World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield. It was like the devils dandruff but crack is like sucking the devils d**k. Its evil. They include Boltons own Tony Knowles, who made headlines in and out the Crucible Theatre during his colourful sporting career. means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. Snooker legend: Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, Tony Knowles and John Virgo. It took Bingham another 11 years to win his first ranking title, beating Mark Williams 9-8 in the final of the Australian Open. WebTwo-time ranking event winner Tony Knowles perhaps remains best known for causing one of the greatest upsets in Crucible history when he defeated Steve Davis 10-1 in the He earned millions but blew six-figure sums on drugs and booze. So, how much is Tony Knowles worth at the age of 68 years old? Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. A 2021 BBC2 show, produced by documentary maker Louis Theroux, shows how snooker stars turned to sex, drugs and booze as they struggled to cope with their new-found fame and fortune. But Higgins would also get himself into fiery rows. WebTony Knowles was born on 13 June 1955 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. He enters the qualifying event for the World Championship most years and managed to defeat tour professional Stefan Mazrocis in the first qualifying round in 2009. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Movies. They had daughter Lauren the same year. White faces Tony Knowles, while Hendry plays Patsy Fagan in the last-16. Higgins seemed to briefly calm down when he married his second wife, Lynn Avison, in 1980. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Anthony Christian Meo was born on 4 October 1959 in Tooting, London,[1][2] and started playing snooker aged 13. Comments have been closed on this article. It really boomed in the Eighties, with some matches gaining viewing figures that would compete with footballs biggest games. But everything comes full circle andyou saw at the World Championship this year a very controlled style of play from the likes of Mark Selby and Stuart Bingham. Sport doesnt go on for ever. He quickly became the Peoples Champion and claimed the games biggest prize, the World Championship, in 1972. The court heard police were called but Knowles, 59, a three-times world championship semi-finalist in the 80s, refused to be arrested. Architects are currently in discussion with Mr Knowles about potential expansion plans for the building and its surrounding gardens. Jimmy, whose speed and flair as a player earned him the nickname Whirlwind, was one of the sports most popular and gifted stars. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Hendry would never win another world title. Snooker star Tony Knowles has been fined 5,000 for a prolonged assault on an ex-partner. He quickly became the Peoples Champion and claimed the games biggest prize, the World Championship, in 1972. Did you know? [3] He won a second Warners Open title in 1979, 52 against White in the final. He finished tenth in the UK Tour standings, which meant he regained his full professional status for 199899 snooker season, losing it again at the end of 200001. He continued to play on the Challenge Tour and in World Championship qualifying. contact the editor here. Before the tournament, he had been rated as a 2001 outsider to win. But looking back, Steve, 65, doesnt think the money men then driving the game left a positive legacy. Mazrocis lost 13-9 to the Canada's Alain Robidoux in the next round. Thats the problem. Alex, a friend of hard-living actor Oliver Reed, once said: I like all the things a fella likes, including my wine, women and song. He went on to win the UK Junior Championship twice, in 1972 and in 1974, and continued to study graphic art. But Higgins would also get himself into fiery rows. White has been given an invitational tour card for the next two seasons on the World Snooker Tour. After snookers massive popularity in the Eighties, there was suddenly a little switch again. He says: We decided we wanted to clean him up, so we put him in this hospital this nursing home to dry him out. 2 (eclipsed only by Davis). We had Italia 90 and that transformed things. We didnt really take any notice of what was going on at the time, we just got on and played snooker, enjoying the razzmatazz of the Crucible," Knowles said. Tournament favourite Judd Trump tumbled out of the 2017 World Championship with a 10-8 defeat by world number 54 Rory McLeod. Ill be trying to win but Q School is gruelling.

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