But a staggering 18.5million viewers tuned in for the climax of his 1985 World Championship final against Dennis Taylor. Former player Rex Williams, 89, then chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, says of Higgins: He could cause a riot in 30 seconds. Higgins seemed to briefly calm down when he married his second wife, Lynn Avison, in 1980. The potter from Bolton was one of the main cast in the soap-opera decade that followed, with the sport featuring as much in the front pages of newspapers as it did on the back. After snookers massive popularity in the Eighties, there was suddenly a little switch again. Mazrocis lost 13-9 to the Canada's Alain Robidoux in the next round. There wont be any pool tables there though Ive managed to keep my interests quite separate and I think thats for the best.. When police arrived, Ms Craig was found shaken and with a bruise and scratches on her arm. Ill be trying to win but Q School is gruelling. [6] With Davis, Meo won four World Doubles titles, and was also part of the victorious England team at the 1983 World Team Classic. He quickly became the Peoples Champion and claimed the games biggest prize, the World Championship, in 1972. Ramped-up TV coverage made it a dream ticket to fame and fortune, while footie was marred by hooliganism. Davis arrived in Sheffield chasing Triple Crown glory having won the 1981 UK Championship and the Masters three months prior to the tournament. Discover Tony Knowles's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. At the 1989 British Open he eliminated Colin Roscoe 53, then the defending champion Hendry and Peter Francisco, each by the same scoreline. I have a table at home and Im using some of the practice methods I used many years ago, working on my long potting and cue action. [5] The players later signed to be managed, alongside the leading London amateur Patsy Fagan, by Henry West. Sports promoter Barry Hearn said: Alex was dangerous but that was also what made him exciting.. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I couldnt believe that you could take this drug and it would straighten you up and you could start drinking again.. Snooker star Tony Knowles has been fined 5,000 for a prolonged assault on an ex-partner. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Weve extended that over the years to add bedrooms and weve put in a restaurant. Cocaine use can cause mental health problems such as anxiety and paranoia, while doctors have linked the rise in cheap, potent coke to an increase in suicide rates. Jimmy, whose speed and flair as a player earned him the nickname Whirlwind, was one of the sports most popular and gifted stars. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please WebIn April the legends went back to the crucible with the addition of Joe Johnson and Tony Knowles and then in May moved onto Ipswich and Hamm in Germany. He went on to win the UK Junior Championship twice, in 1972 and in 1974, and continued to study graphic art. We had Italia 90 and that transformed things. She said he grabbed the laptop and threw it down before punching her arm and towering over her shouting abusive language. 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. Snooker Legends At 65, he still loves the game and has regularly been competing on the WSS Tour. The working-class lad from Belfast was always a rebel. Tony, now 67, posed with half-naked women in photoshoots alongside headlines like: Why girls call me the hottest pot in snooker.. 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 [24] He compiled a maximum break of 147 in his 1988 Matchroom League match against Stephen Hendry. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Thats what crack did to you. Did you know? Giving evidence from behind a screen she said: When I decided to take it, he lost it.. One of the eras greats missing from the doc is Alex Hurricane Higgins. He followed up his strong performance in the World Championship by winning the 1982 International Open against David Taylor, and a year later was victorious in the 1983 Professional Players Tournament and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship, leading Cliff Thorburn 1513 before losing 1516, with Thorburn getting a very fortunate fluke on one of the colours in the deciding frame. He is a member of famous Player with the age 68 years old group. 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. Knowles became the pin-up boy of snooker in the early 1980s and the club in the early 2000s television comedy, Phoenix Nights, had a room called the 'Tony He would turn up for matches wearing burgundy flairs and a matching fedora in stark contrast to the traditional black trousers, waistcoats and bow ties. He says: We decided we wanted to clean him up, so we put him in this hospital this nursing home to dry him out. Did you know? Thats the bottom line about what Alex did. But Higgins cleaned up his act enough to win his second world title in 1982, a decade on from his first. He played snooker together with his schoolfriend Jimmy White as a teenager. A FORMER top snooker player hopes to raise his game in the Lake District hospitality industry after buying a second hotel and restaurant. He was a complete loose cannon. Tony, now 67, posed with 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. Use has doubled in the last five years, and with young people the numbers are even worse. Knowles said: His love for the game is still second to none, despite the devastation of those finals. The recent BBC documentary Gods of Snooker reminded us of how the mullet-haired pin-up, aged 26, burst onto the scene by sensationally thrashing defending champion Steve Davis 10-1 in the opening match of the 1982 World Championship. From 8-5 behind O'Sullivan rallied and made breaks of 104 and 89 on his way to levelling the contest. Tony, now 67, posed with 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. WebTony Knowles was born on 13 June 1955 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK. [2], By 1981, Meo had married Denise,[33] and in 1991 they had their fourth child. Cocaine had come into my life. [12] In December 1983, Davis and Meo retained the World Doubles Championship. Tony Knowles | WSS | Seniors Snooker Meo only needed to clear the colours to win the title, but missed potting the yellow ball after being distracted by a shout of "Come on, Tony" from a spectator. More than 200 players will compete at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. Fittingly, the man who dominated the game in its golden era won his sixth and final world title in 1989. In the final, he played Dean Reynolds, and won each of the first two sessions 52, thus leading 104 by the third session. Did you know? He had a green suit on and hes got a couple of girls on his arms, real rocknroll.. I knew all of them. Snooker started to get slightly less interesting and football kind of re-emerged. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, 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, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He earned millions but blew six-figure sums on drugs and booze. The premises website is www.whitehousebowness.co.uk. [15], At the start of the 198182 snooker season, Meo won the 1981 Australian Masters, a short-format competition that saw two groups each of four professional players play one-frame round-robin matches, with the group winners then playing the final over three frames. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. The event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989), Dubai Classic (1989/901994/1995) and Thailand Classic (1995/1996), The event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/831983/1984), The event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986), The event was also called the Thailand Masters (1983/19841986/1987 & 1991/1992) and the Asian Open (1989/19901992/1993), The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/19821983/1984), The event was also called the Professional Snooker League (1983/1984) and the Matchroom League (1986/19871991/1992), The event was also called the Canadian Open (1978/19791980/1981), The event was also called the Australian Masters (1979/19801987/1988) and Australian Open (1994/1995). 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. However, he missed a relatively simple pink in the 17th frame allowing Cahill, the first-ever amateur to make it through qualifying, to regain the lead. He is the oldest in the draw. But looking back, Steve, 65, doesnt think the money men then driving the game left a positive legacy. Amongst them,David Lilley the reigning Seniors World Champion will also be there, trying to regain his tour card. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. [16][17] He lost 39 to Griffiths in the semi-finals at the 1981 UK Championship after eliminating both Higgins and Thorburn. CueTracker - Tony Knowles - Snooker Results & Statistics [31] He became a wrist watch consultant. They had separated in the summer of last year while Knowles View our online Press Pack. World Seniors Snooker Head Office: World Seniors Snooker, 75 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2NT, Welsh Winners on Opening Night of World Seniors Championship, Wins in Sheffield for White and Figueiredo. The Legends Cup saw debuts for 10 times world champion Reanne Evans. The former world number two has entered Q School for the first time in four years, having rekindled his enthusiasm for practice. [2] He was nicknamed "The Cat" and "Meo, Meo". He issued a public statement assuring the world he had no such fetish. I like being competitive, having something to play for," he said. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Tony Knowles Q-School Ambitions | The WPBSA World Seniors Tour Comments have been closed on this article. The controversy helped him become one of the games first real celebrities, with a profile on a par with musicians and movie stars. John Virgo, 77, as a player a contemporary of Higgins and later a respected commentator, says: It kept the game on the sports pages. The event was also called the Hong Kong Open (1989/1990) and Australian Open (1994/1995), The event was also called the Dubai Classic (1989/901994/1995), Thailand Classic (1995/1996), and Asian Classic (1996/1997), "Premier/Matchroom League, Matchroom Championship League", "1982 Tolly Cobbold Classic Results Grid", "Other Non-Ranking and Invitational Events", "1987 Matchroom Professional Championship Results", Brief History of Major Events in Australia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_Meo&oldid=1150040680, Sportspeople from the London Borough of Wandsworth, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, lost in the early rounds of the tournament. Tony Knowles created one of the great stop sets in Crucible history:56:59.:57:02. and he went onto prove it was in fluke either. Comments have been closed on this article. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Tony Knowles in February 1984 (Picture: Eric Whitehead). Its not a finished hotel by any means but as a snooker player Ive learned to think ahead and Im confident that we can make this venue a great place to stay in the coming year. 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. WebSnooker player Tony Knowles's professional Match results, Frame scores, centuries, prize money, statistics from season 2022-2023 - Snooker Database of Results & Statistics Booze led to drugs. But looking back, Steve, 65, doesnt think the money men then driving the game left a positive legacy. Peter Stringfellow had a club called the Hippodrome and he used to have a champagne bar. 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 Suave Tony Knowles, who is also interviewed in the new documentary, was a pin-up known for enjoying the company of the opposite sex. Knowles became the pin-up boy of snooker in the early 1980s and the club in the early 2000s television comedy, Phoenix Nights, had a room called the 'Tony Knowles Suite' in his honour. Fined: Snooker ace Tony Knowles The pair had been in an on-and-off relationship since 2011. The 'Ladies Man' from Bolton obviously hasnt lost his charm. 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. means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. Anthony "Tony" Knowles (born 13 June 1955, in Bolton, Lancashire) is an English former professional snooker player. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. It usurped it. Tony Knowles In 1990 he signed off from snooker in spectacular style. He turned professional in 1979, and won the 1981 Australian Masters, 1983 Thailand Masters and 1985 Australian Masters. As a star of the 1980s, when snooker was in its glory days, Knowles was a household name. The Match Of The Day presenter is a huge snooker fan and recalls how the sports fortunes switched following the football World Cup in 1990. Thats the problem. That didnt stop him becoming rich thanks to a game that took off with the growth of colour television in the Seventies. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. "I speak to Ronnie all the time and he might even come up to Q School and watch me if he can get in!. But Knowles established a 4-0 and then 8-1 lead as the. Standing. The draw always provides plenty of intriguing match-ups and the potential for a star name to fall at the first hurdle. He ordered her out of the flat. Ive got to put a pair of glasses on to see your pretty face but Ive still got all the shots!. [26] In the post-match speeches, Reynolds complained that he had been "totally bored" by Meo's cautious style of play. He took the 1986 English Professional Championship title, and retained it in 1987. FOR decades, football fuelled youngsters imaginations by turning working-class boys into superstars., but in the 1980s snooker was the glamorous sport. A year later, spurred by Englands success at Italia 90, football begun the resurgence that led to its dominant position today. But fans of the game will remember his legendary match against great Steve Davis in the eighties. Theres a kind of sadness when you think that way. -. Former snooker star buys his second place in Bowness Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 68 years old? 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. But Higgins was also volatile, often having bust-ups with officials, fellow players and even spectators. Hicks, then 21 and making his Crucible bow, scored heavily and enjoyed the better of the tactical exchanges to construct an 8-3 lead. 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. 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. He said: Cocaine was absolutely everywhere. 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. I could barely stand up at the end. Hendry would never win another world title. [1] He began playing snooker at the age of 9 on the tables at the Tonge Moor Conservative Club, which was run by his father, Kevin. struck Davis, and the winner headed to a nightclub before coming back to complete an emphatic 10-1 win the following day. 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.. Snooker changed in my era when the balls and cloth changed. Weve lost some great personalities. Result: Lee Walker (Wal) 3-0 Tony [12] Meo finished as runner-up, losing 39 to Davis. My business is well looked after and Im coming up to my pension," he said. Did you know? In the latter, he defeated Davis 97 in the semi-finals, his first victory over Davis in their eleven professional matches against each other. 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. 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. He reached six World Championship finals including five in a row between 1990 and 1994 but lost them all. Thats what crack did to you. 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 He earned millions but blew six-figure sums on drugs and booze. 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. His performances in ranking tournaments led to him moving up from 31st place to 14th in the rankings for the following season, during which he won the round-robin 1990 International League by winning four of his five matches, and drawing the other one. Tony Meo - Wikipedia But Higgins would also get himself into fiery rows. But Higgins would also get himself into fiery rows. 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. He was a complete loose cannon. But when he started winning tournaments in the Seventies, he suddenly had the money to feed his love of booze, women and, later, drugs. Tony Knowles Sport doesnt go on for ever. He issued a public statement assuring the world he had no such fetish. [6][20], The non-ranking 1984 Malaysian Masters was the only final that Meo reached in 198485 snooker season, but he retained his ranking of tenth for 198586. I had loads of drug dealers all over the place too. He quickly became the Peoples Champion and claimed the games biggest prize, the World Championship, in 1972. But even Davis lampooned as the Romford Robot due to his emotionless demeanour and conservative style of play enjoyed the trappings of fame. He will give it his best shot. That didnt stop him becoming rich thanks to a game that took off with the growth of colour television in the Seventies. And I havent lost the thrill that comes with playing in tournaments.. Apparently people used to bring him vodka and God knows what. He has yet to make a second appearance at the Crucible. Three Lions hero Gary Lineker is among the talking heads on Gods Of Snooker. From Bolton, Tony rose to a career-high ranking of number two during the 1984/5 season, courtesy in part to his victories at both the 1982 International Open and 1983 Professional Players Tournament. In the semi-final against Mike Hallett, Meo was two frames behind with three to play at 68. I had a blast. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. [21][22] He won the 1985 Australian Masters by defeating John Campbell 72 in the final,[12] and the 1986 English Professional Championship. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Reynolds reduced his deficit to 610, but Meo won the next three frames to claim victory at 136 and achieve his first ranking title victory. Canadian Kirk Stevens, 64, admitted spending 250,000 on his cocaine addiction. 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. Use has doubled in the last five years, and with young people the numbers are even worse. Tony Knowles explains bid to return to pro snooker at 65 The working-class lad from Belfast was always a rebel. How the sport of snooker turned working class lads into cocaine But he is best remembered for a series of lurid tabloid exclusives, not least the story he sold for 25,000 prior to the 1984 Championships, in which he described He is from United Kingdom. contact the editor here. 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. 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. [32], In 1982, Meo signed up to be managed by Barry Hearn, Davis's manager. Menu. The Northern Irish hellraiser and double world champ died in 2010 of throat cancer aged 61. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Tony has entered the 2021 Q-School and has been speaking to WST about his expectations and ambitions: 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 Tour at the age of 65. One thing however is certain: snooker is in his blood. He was also ordered to pay 120 victim surcharge and 625 costs. He reached the World Championship semi-finals on three occasions (in 1983, 1985 and 1986), but never the final. Over the years there have been a number of upsets - which of these is the greatest first-round shock? 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.. We will update Tony Knowles's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. So instead The Bolton News looksback at the Knowles career, a real Bolton legend. His last attempt to qualify for the World Championship in 2009 saw him lose 10-9 against Tony Knowles. [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. [12] The 1982 UK Championship was a repeat of 1981 in that he reached the semi-finals and lost to Griffiths, this time 79. 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. Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news on the BBC app. I couldnt tell you the most outrageous thing I did! After losing the first two frames in the final, Meo established a 42 lead, which was reduced to 43 after Davis won the concluding frame of the first session with a 122 clearance. Knowles, of Bowness-on-Winderemere, denied assault. 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. Snookers World Championships should be underway but have been postponed while the country due to the current crisis. Gray's time at the tournament soon ended as he was thrashed 13-1 by Dominic Dale with a session to spare, scoring just 208 points in their last-16 meeting, a record low for a best-of-25 match. Tony is one of the many WSS players who will compete in Ponds Forge in the coming weeks. [12] Davis and Meo won the 1982 World Doubles Championship. I remember I had 35,000 in an account and I drained that on crack. Tony Knowles is most famous at the table for inflicting the Crucible curse on Steve Davis in 1982. Jimmy White v Tony Knowles - World Seniors Snooker The adrenaline was flowing and I was nervous when I played Jimmy at the Crucible, perhaps because I expected too much. He last played on the tour in 2001 and was unable to progress beyond the last 64 at his most recent attempt at Q School in 2017, but Knowles remains optimistic. I tried smoking it and got completely addicted. [28][29] However, in the following years, he failed to reach as far as the quarter-finals in any ranking tournament, and his ranking fell one place to 15th, then out of the top 32. Tony Knowless income source is mostly from being a successful Player. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 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.