Snooker

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glenshena
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Snooker

Post by glenshena »

I've never been a fan of snooker, but as the Scottish open is being held in Glasgow this week I decided to watch it with my grandson. Scotland versus China. We tried to learn all the different moves,the values of the balls, and were mesmorised by Scotsman John Higgins. What a player, will be very hard to beat, never missed a ball. A real pleasure to watch.
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Re: Snooker

Post by michaelm »

Yes glenshena, John Higgins is a fantastic player, who with 4 World Championship titles and countless other major pro tour wins to his name is up there with the very best of the modern era and second only to Stephen Hendry as Scotland's greatest ever. He hadn't been in the best of form in recent season's though and as a result of that recently admitted to struggling with the mental side of the game.

I didn't see his win against the young Chinese player today but this 147 maximum break from his match yesterday (his 9th in pro competition I believe) must have did the world of good for his confidence. The pot and positional play to get on the black ball off the final red alone is awesome stuff.

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creamolafoam
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Re: Snooker

Post by creamolafoam »

Gave up watching snooker after the Stephen Hendry yrs. Remember getting into it as a lad, watching the old pot black programmes with my old man. Great players they were too. The likes of Fred Davis, Ray Reardon, John Spencer, Eddie Charlton, Rex Williams & the like.
But in recent times snooker has been throwing up some shady characters in the sport. Allegations of match fixing has become a norm within snooker. In fact the very player you mention, John Higgins, brought the game into disrepute, was banned for six months & fined £75,000 a few yrs back.
Will stick to Darts thanks very much :wink:
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Re: Snooker

Post by Hughie »

Eddie Charlton's headstone in Melbourne General Cemetery is in the form of a snooker table. Remember seeing it some years ago while researching for a friend who had a relative buried there.
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Re: Snooker

Post by michaelm »

Re. John Higgins .. He's proved himself on the table to be one of the greats and to be honest I doubt if there's ever been a pro sportsman or woman who's been 'whiter than white' all of the time.

I also think footballers in particular are far worse than most as they routinely cheat in an effort to con referees, thereby influencing the results of matches - aided and abetted by their fellow team mates - and then happily picking up their win bonuses afterwards.
Going back to the snooker, I think the golden oldie players mentioned from years ago all played in the era before the 'Miss' rule was introduced so I'd also be very surprised if some of them at times didn't attempt to gain the odd dodgy advantage whenever the opportunity arose.

I was a keen amateur snooker player myself some years ago.
No' that good, but I had my moments and remember one year reaching the quarter finals of the Ayrshire Amateur Championship in Irvine. Best of 5 frames and after knocking in a 60 break (my highest in competition) to square the match at 2-2, I was full of confidence going into the final frame. Unfortunately I still ended up losing 3-2!
There were actually quite a few very talented local amateurs who I could name from around that time - the mid to late 80's - all far better players than myself. :)
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brian f
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Re: Snooker

Post by brian f »

michaelm wrote: Thu Dec 13, 2018 7:15 pm Yes glenshena, John Higgins is a fantastic player, who with 4 World Championship titles and countless other major pro tour wins to his name is up there with the very best of the modern era and second only to Stephen Hendry as Scotland's greatest ever. He hadn't been in the best of form in recent season's though and as a result of that recently admitted to struggling with the mental side of the game.

I didn't see his win against the young Chinese player today but this 147 maximum break from his match yesterday (his 9th in pro competition I believe) must have did the world of good for his confidence. The pot and positional play to get on the black ball off the final red alone is awesome stuff.

Thanks for that michaelm .Not been watching much snooker recently- That 147 break was brill ,thanks for sharing. :D
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brian f
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Re: Snooker

Post by brian f »

michaelm wrote: Fri Dec 14, 2018 2:37 pm There were actually quite a few very talented local amateurs who I could name from around that time - the mid to late 80's - all far better players than myself. :)
That takes me back michaelm- To the snooker place in Canal street i used to go to and the one in the church in Largs about mid seventies. I think my highest break was 15 but not to sure.
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Re: Snooker

Post by michaelm »

brian f wrote: Fri Dec 14, 2018 10:49 pm That takes me back michaelm - to the snooker place in Canal street I used to go to and the one in the church in Largs about mid seventies.
Brian, think I did hear of a snooker hall that used to be in the Canal street area - though I was never in there.

The one in Saltcoats I played at a few times in the 80's was called The Westbury and used to be the old St Mary's school ? That particular building is no more though, but I think there's still a fairly popular venue near the sea front in Saltcoats named the 'Nonsuch'.
My old haunt was and still is located in the former Co-op building at Stevenston cross. It was initially called 'On Cue' snooker club and at one point had 12 full sized tables. We had two 6 man teams and played home and away in the Ayrshire Snooker league on a weekly basis during the season. Those competitive matches definitely helped to improve my game at the time. On Cue is now known as 'Potters'.
It's been donkey's years since I played the game though and to be honest I doubt if I could string two pot's together these days anyway. :)
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bonzo
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Re: Snooker

Post by bonzo »

I think the snooker hall in canal st was beside Terry Erskines barbershop.
Those wimin were in the nip.
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Re: Snooker

Post by Hughie »

I remember playing in the Canal Street snooker hall in the mid fifties - I think it was a car repair place the last time I past it a few years ago. Around 1960 I seem to recall it being a betting shop - the name Kelly springs to mind though I believe unrelated to the Ardrossan bookie.

I played in Benaldies too back then which was upstairs above the Eglinton cafe. Another was in Factory place off Raise Street. Uncle Joe was the influence - it was a long time ago. Joe's story here.
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Re: Snooker

Post by michaelm »

Hughie wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:40 pm Uncle Joe was the influence - it was a long time ago. Joe's story here.
I first heard of Joe's exploits from his son John a few year's ago and also remember reading that particular story about him on here round about that time.

Think the Unionist Club in Ardrossan still has a Snooker table. The old Ardeer Rec Club in Stevenston also had at least a couple as that's where some of us initially started playing the game.
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Re: Snooker

Post by Hughie »

michaelm wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:11 pm The old Ardeer Rec Club in Stevenston also had at least a couple as that's where some of us initially started playing the game.
Yes, remember getting signed in and going upstairs where they had coin in the slot billiard tables - the table's lights came on when the money was deposited - can't recall what time was allotted.
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