Two days ago, it was exactly 50 years that BBC first aired the iconic Pot Black.
Here is Ray Reardon recalling that “legendary” program
Reardon recalls ‘Pot Black’ – 50 years on (BBC)
Next January the WSS ROKiT Tour will remember it, and somehow recreate it in Liverpool, at St Georges Hall, the venue where John Pullman became World Champion in 1966.
The picture above dates back from 1952, and features a match between Fred and Joe Davis.
The tournament starts tomorrow … and the WSS players are well represented in the draw! The venue is ready and the players are practicing. Richard Emery, Rodney Goggins and Lieven Vanthournout were amongst the ones first on the tables this afternoon.
Session 1
10am Thursday 15th Aug
Tony Knowles v Chen Gang
Tony Drago v Dene O’Kane
Session 2
2pm Thursday 15th Aug
James Wattana v Wael Talaat
Willie Thorne v Darren Morgan
Session 3
7pm Thursday 15th Aug
Joe Johnson v Wattana/Talaat
Cliff Thorburn v Knowles/Gang
Session 4
10am Friday 16th Aug
Aaron Canavan v Au Chi Wai
John Parrott v Thorne/Morgan
Session 5
2pm Friday 16th Aug
Leo Fernandez v Joris Maas
Stephen Hendry v Drago/O’Kane
Session 6
7pm Friday 16th Aug
Dennis Taylor v Stuart Watson
Jimmy White v Rhydian Richards
Session 8
2pm Saturday 17th Aug
Quarter Final 1 Canavan/Wai v Fernandez/Maas
Quarter Final 2 White/Richards v Taylor/Watson
Session 9
7pm Saturday 17th Aug
Quarter Final 3 Parrott/Thorne/Morgan v Hendry/Drago/O’Kane
Quarter Final 4 Johnson/Wattana/Talaat v Thorburn/Knowles/Gang
Session 11
2pm Sunday 18th August
Semi Final 1 Winner QF1 V Winner QF 3
Semi Final 2 Winner QF 2 V Winner QF 4
Former greats of snooker to battle it out as Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre hosts second tournament of the year
Sheffield will cement its place as the home of snooker when former greats of the game take to the baize at the Crucible Theatre next month.
By Sam Cooper
Tuesday, 09 July, 2019, 16:05
The city will play host to the ROKiT World Seniors Snooker as 20 players including Yorkshire’s only-ever world champion Joe Johnson and seven-time winner Stephen Hendry battle out between August 15 and 18.
The event will take place at the Crucible Theatre, which has been home to the World Championship since 1977 and will also include dedicated women’s and disability snooker sessions.
The draw was made for the 2019 ROKiT Seniors World Snooker Championship at Crucible Corner
Jason Francis, chairman of ROKiT World Seniors Snooker Tour, said: “I think there are certain places in certain sport that become hallowed ground. In football you’ve got Wembley and with snooker it’s always been the Crucible Theatre.
“Anyone who has grown up liking the sport, the ultimate place to watch or play snooker is the Crucible. The Seniors Tour is now in its second year so it feels right to bring the championships here.”
Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association; Simon Berrisford, vice chairman of World Disability Billiards and Snooker; joined Reanne Evans, ladies’ world champion and Daniel Blunn, who competes in the World Disability Billiards and Snooker competitions and Mr Francis and Mr Johnson for the tournament draw at Crucible Corner on Tuesday.
Competitors will also include Willie Thorne, Tony Knowles, 1980 world champion Cliff Thorburn and Dennis Taylor.
Joe Johnson was crowned World Snooker champion in 1986.
Mr Francis said: “We have to thank Sheffield Council for showing a vision and for making it happen. It’s important for our championships to be played there but it’s equally important for us to give the opportunity for the women’s and disability game to play at the Crucible.”
Mr Johnson, who was a surprise winner of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible in 1986 before reaching the final again in 1987, said he was looking forward to playing at the famous venue once again.
He was also victorious in the World Senior Masters in Sheffield in April.
He said: “It’s a really special place for me. The people come from across Yorkshire to support me and it was a great day when I won the Masters here.
Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry pictured after the World Snooker Championship in 1990. Both will take part in the tournament.
“Sheffield is great because it’s a vibrant city and I really enjoy coming here. The Seniors game can only go from strength to strength and having the Crucible behind us and having the tournament played here along with the World Championship gives it real credibility.”
Richard Eyre, Sheffield Council’s head of city centre and major events, said the tournament offered the city the chance to ‘shout’ about its snooker links.
He said: “Obviously we have had the World Snooker Championship for many years and have secured it for many more years but we have been saying for some time that we have got to shout about it.
“Inwardly we are very proud but we don’t shout about it and this is part of that.”
Willie Thorne vs Darren Morgan
Tony Drago vs Dene O’Kane
James Wattana vs Wael Talaat
Tony Knowles vs Chen Gang
Last 16
Aaron Canavan vs Au Chi Wai
Leo Fernandez vs Joris Maas
John Parrott vs WillieThorne / Darren Morgan
Stephen Hendry vs Tony Drago / Dene O’Kane
Joe Johnson vs James Wattana / Wael Talaat
Cliff Thorburn vs Tony Knowles / Chen Gang
Dennis Taylor vs Stuart Watson
Jimmy White vs Rhydian Richards
You will be able to follow the scores and find the detailed results on snookerscores.net
The mzatches times and schedule will be announced later.
This was announced today by Jason Francis on social media:
LINE UP COMPLETE!
The Continent of Oceania will provide the final player in tomorrow’s draw for the 2019 ROKiT World Seniors Snooker Championship with the announcement today that Former Professional Dene O’Kane from New Zealand is coming back to the Crucible.
Dene is no stranger to the hallowed home of snooker having reached the quarter-finals of the World Professional Championships in 1987 and 1992. He appeared in the world championships six times, but never in consecutive years. He first reached the top 32 in the world rankings for the 1985/1986 season, returning 3 years later. In 1991/1992 he reached his career high of 18. He remained in the top 32 until 1996/1997.
He said “I am delighted to be a part of the new ROKiT World Seniors Snooker Tour. I must say a tour like this is long overdue and will be the perfect platform for many ex-professional players to compete again together with new opportunities for amateur players in participating countries. To be going back to the Crucible in little over a month is a dream come true”
Dene completes a field of 20 players from 13 countries across 5 continents and goes into tomorrow’s draw which is coming live from the Crucible Theatre at 11am. Matches start at 10am on Thursday 15th August with the Champion be crowned on the evening of Sunday 18th.
The draw will indeed be made tomorrow in Sheffield at 11 am. People who want to attend it life can come to the Crucible Corner on Tudor Square. There will be a press conference and opportunities for photographs. Amongst those present will be Joe Johnson (1986 World Champion), Reanne Evans (12 times and reigning Women World Champion and Daniel Blunn (winner of multiple WDBS events).
Together in Newbury you all raised over £1000 for the Sussex Snowdrop Trust. That’s not taking into account that some players have decided to donate their prize money as well, and that will add to the total.
Thanks so much everyone who participated
No launch dinner in Sheffield …
The players involved in World Championship 2019 at the Crucible in August take it very seriously and want to prepare properly. With the matches starting right in the morning, the decision was made – wisely – not to have a launch dinner on the tournament’s eve.
… Instead we will have a Champion’s PARTY!
Join all the legends at the Champions Reception party after the World Final on Sunday 18th August. Players Hotel Jurys Inn Sheffield.
DJ and Karaoke is the legendary Lee ‘The Shirt’ Richardson
Buffet included as well as the comeback performance of “El Legendaros” Thorburn, Taylor, Virgo and Johnson, the karaoke Kings!
Dance and singing till late.
Tickets are just £15 but limited numbers. Reserve yours now by messaging on here or email info@snookerlegends.co.uk
The ROKiT World Seniors Championships welcomes CHEN GANG from China. Chen is the nomination of the Chinese Billiard and Snooker Association. CBSA
Chen owns a snooker club in Hefei Anhui province and coaches in the club.
Chen was asked what it means to him to play in the ROKiT World Seniors Championship? He said…
“The Crucible Theatre is such a holy place for every snooker player. We have more and more players to play the professional snooker but not all of them has the opportunity to play at the Crucible, I never thought I would have this opportunity in my life, now I’m 42 years to get this opportunity, it’s more like a great encouragement for me after playing snooker over 20 years. I feel dreams can come true, I have no regrets for my persistence in this game these years. A great honour to show up in Crucible as a player. I will prepare for it, start to do exercises and adjust my daily schedule- get up early and go to bed early, and practice. ”
Chen joins the likes of Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White and James Wattana in the quest for the title and £25,000 winners cheque. The Event runs from 15th-18th August and you can get your tickets here. https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/snooker-seniors
Yes, we have the first event of the new season, in beautiful Bruges.
Here is the draw:
And the format:
Prelim Match: Ricky Sadhwani 0-3 Hans Blankaert (replaces Stephane Ochoiski) – winner to play Lee Richardson
Last 32
Patrick Wallace 3-0 Jan Mortelé Alain Vandersteen 3-0 Markus Silja Fischer Jonathan Charlton 3-0 Lee Taylor Gary Filtness 3-1 Simone Zappi Stuart Watson 3-0 Ian Spawton (replaces Garry Coulson)
Andy Turner 1-3 Wang-Chooi Tan Andreas Papaiacovou 3-1 George Apperley
Max Acquati 0-3 Rodney Goggins
Michael Judge 3-0 Philip Owen Blackburn Lieven Vanthournout W/O … Wasseem Shurih Les Dodd 3-1 Giuseppe Colonna
Saman Rasool … W/O Sean Lanigan Richard Emery 3-0 Jos Voets
Dean Sycamore 2-3 Ludovic Arnaert
Dharmendra Patel 2-3 David Coltro
Lee Richardson 0-3 Hans Blankaert
Last 16
Patrick Wallace 3-2 Alain Vandersteen
Jonathan Charlton 2-3 Gary Filtness Stuart Watson 3-0 Wang Chooi Tan
Andreas Papaiacovou 0-3 Rodney Goggins
Michael Judge 3-1 Lieven Vanthournout
Les Dodd 1-3 Sean Lanigan Richard Emery 3-1 Ludovic Arnaert
David Coltro … W/O Hans Blankaert
Belgian Referees on the final day
Quarter Finals
Patrick Wallace 3-0 Gary Filtness
Stuart Watson 1-3 Rodney Goggins
Michael Judge 3-2 Sean Lanigan
Richard Emery 1-3 Hans Blankaert
Semi Finals
Patrick Wallace 3-4 Rodney Goggins
Michael Judge 4-1 Hans Blankaert
The Final
Rodney Goggins 4-2 Michael Judge
Rodney will play in the UK Championship 2019 in Hull end October. Well done!
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour 