He won four World Doubles Championship titles, partnering Davis, and the 1983 World Team Classic representing England alongside Davis and Tony Knowles. 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. He played snooker together with his schoolfriend Jimmy White as a teenager. struck Davis, and the winner headed to a nightclub before coming back to complete an emphatic 10-1 win the following day. 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. One of the eras greats missing from the doc is Alex Hurricane Higgins. 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. [3] He won a second Warners Open title in 1979, 52 against White in the final. But Higgins would also get himself into fiery rows. I tried smoking it and got completely addicted. Marc Shaw (a) Q School 1 (16-21 May 2022) Rd 2. Tony Knowles was born on 13 June, 1955 in Bolton, United Kingdom, is an English snooker player. Tony Knowles first turned professional in 1980, just at a time when snooker was experiencing its first major boom in popularity. 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. Theres a kind of sadness when you think that way. 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. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by 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 Facing reigning world champion Parrott in the final, Knowles fell 03 behind, but won three of the next four frames to trail 34 at the end of the first session. Parrott then won five consecutive frames in the next session to claim victory at 93. 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. means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. 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. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. [6] With Davis, Meo won four World Doubles titles, and was also part of the victorious England team at the 1983 World Team Classic. After some particularly sordid revelations he was fined 5,000 by the governing body for "bringing the game into disrepute". [12] The 1982 UK Championship was a repeat of 1981 in that he reached the semi-finals and lost to Griffiths, this time 79. The former world number two has entered Q School for the first time in four years, having rekindled his enthusiasm for practice. Meo was a frame ahead at 43 and 54, with Foulds then taking the next two frames to lead for the first time in the match at 65. He remained in the top 16 until the 1990/1991 season, peaking at no. 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. I had loads of drug dealers all over the place too. [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. Suave Tony Knowles, who is also interviewed in the new documentary, was a pin-up known for enjoying the company of the opposite sex. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. But in 1990, the troubled star quit the game, telling the world in a press conference: You can shove your snooker up your jacksie. 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. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. 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 In 2009, Knowles won the inaugural Snooker Super 6s tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. He earned millions but blew six-figure sums on drugs and booze. According to our Database, He has no children. New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking. I always remember him arriving at the City Hall in Manchester. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Higgins seemed to briefly calm down when he married his second wife, Lynn Avison, in 1980. It was like the devils dandruff but crack is like sucking the devils d**k. Its evil. A year later, spurred by Englands success at Italia 90, football begun the resurgence that led to its dominant position today. Davis arrived in Sheffield chasing Triple Crown glory having won the 1981 UK Championship and the Masters three months prior to the tournament. He beat the defending champion by 10-1 on the first day of the World Championship. As a star of the 1980s, when snooker was in its glory days, Knowles was a household name. [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. At 65, he still loves the game and has regularly been competing on the WSS Tour. 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. Jimmy and Alex werent alone in their extreme behaviour. [12], In the 198384 snooker season, he won the 1983 Thailand Masters,[19] and was a semi-finalist at the 1983 Professional Players Tournament. He won the British under-19 title in 1978, as well as other junior titles. The three-times world champion punched Nazma Craig while she was staying at his flat in the Lake District. He is the oldest in the draw. 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. Theres a kind of sadness when you think that way. Cocaine use is reaching epidemic levels in Britain, with the UK branded the Coke capital of Europe. Mr Knowles, an entrepreneur and three-times semi-finalist of the World Snooker Championships, revealed his intentions to The Westmorland Gazette ahead of the World Seniors competition. She was crying and went to the bathroom. "Wed turn up and thered be two or three hundred people at the stage door, trying to get in.. On occasions, the six-time world champ was booed by crowds for bored of his success. I knew all of them. Booze led to drugs. The court heard police were called but Knowles, 59, a three-times world championship semi-finalist in the 80s, refused to be arrested. 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. Three Lions hero Gary Lineker is among the talking heads on Gods Of Snooker. 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.. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. He became the UKs richest sportsman at the time and the first player to clinch a seven-figure sponsorship deal. [31] He became a wrist watch consultant. The Northern Irish hellraiser and double world champ died in 2010 of throat cancer aged 61. On occasions, the six-time world champ was booed by crowds for bored of his success. Hendry would never win another world title. He says: We decided we wanted to clean him up, so we put him in this hospital this nursing home to dry him out. Apparently people used to bring him vodka and God knows what. Tony Knowles (a) 4. It took Bingham another 11 years to win his first ranking title, beating Mark Williams 9-8 in the final of the Australian Open. Please report any comments that break our rules. He was critical of a change to the cloths on competition snooker tables in 1986, which led to the pack breaking open more easily. Tony is one of the many WSS players who will compete in Ponds Forge in the coming weeks. 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. Magistrates listened to the call, in which screams and the sound of a mans voice could be heard. I dont think I should be deprived of that sort of thing just because I play snooker.. Jimmy admitted that his habit affected his performance. Meo had reached the final by eliminating Rex Williams 53, Kirk Stevens 52 and Mark Wildman 53. Anthony Christian Meo was born on 4 October 1959 in Tooting, London,[1][2] and started playing snooker aged 13. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The Legends Cup saw debuts for 10 times world champion Reanne Evans. Did you know? He ordered her out of the flat. When police arrived, Ms Craig was found shaken and with a bruise and scratches on her arm. 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. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 13 June. 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. He said he had ambitious plans for them both. Tournament was a 5 player round-robin. 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 himself as the hottest pot in snooker. Comments have been closed on this article. Canadian Kirk Stevens, 64, admitted spending 250,000 on his cocaine addiction. [34] After retiring from snooker in 1997, Meo managed a wristwatch and jewellery store in Hatton Garden.[32][2]. [16][17] He lost 39 to Griffiths in the semi-finals at the 1981 UK Championship after eliminating both Higgins and Thorburn. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's He reached the World Championship semi-finals on three occasions (in 1983, 1985 and 1986), but never the final. In the final, Meo led Neal Foulds 31, but the first session finished with the pair level at 33. [8], Meo turned professional in June 1979. Knowles retired to run a hotel in the Lake District. So its down to getting a good draw and playing consistently.. It really boomed in the Eighties, with some matches gaining viewing figures that would compete with footballs biggest games. I have still got the knowledge of the game. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. WebAlex Higgins, Jimmy White, Tony Knowles & Kirk Stevens attempted their own Snooker Loopy song. Thats the problem. But Higgins manager Harvey Lisberg maintains he was always a handful. FOR decades, football fuelled youngsters imaginations by turning working-class boys into superstars., but in the 1980s snooker was the glamorous sport. WebTony Knowles was born on 13 June 1955 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK. In 1990 he signed off from snooker in spectacular style. Something went wrong, please try again later. Rd 2. Snooker changed in my era when the balls and cloth changed. One of the eras greats missing from the doc is Alex Hurricane Higgins. 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. 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. At the 1989 British Open he eliminated Colin Roscoe 53, then the defending champion Hendry and Peter Francisco, each by the same scoreline. In the latter, he defeated Davis 97 in the semi-finals, his first victory over Davis in their eleven professional matches against each other. 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. It usurped it. There wont be any pool tables there though Ive managed to keep my interests quite separate and I think thats for the best.. But a staggering 18.5million viewers tuned in for the climax of his 1985 World Championship final against Dennis Taylor. 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But looking back, Steve, 65, doesnt think the money men then driving the game left a positive legacy. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's He was handcuffed, bundled into a police vehicle, taken to Kendal police station and detained overnight. He went on to win the UK Junior Championship twice, in 1972 and in 1974, and continued to study graphic art. A year later, spurred by Englands success at Italia 90, football begun the resurgence that led to its dominant position today. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. 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. 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 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. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Ive got to put a pair of glasses on to see your pretty face but Ive still got all the shots!. He will give it his best shot. White has been given an invitational tour card for the next two seasons on the World Snooker Tour. But Mazrocis, a 250-1 outsider, said he had "a few" beers to help him relax and he turned the tables with a 10-3 win. But fans of the game will remember his legendary match against great Steve Davis in the eighties. My business is well looked after and Im coming up to my pension," he said. Comments have been closed on this article. While Davis mounted a fightback to 8-7 down, Hicks held his nerve to pull off a famous victory. [12] Davis and Meo won the 1982 World Doubles Championship. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. I remember I had 35,000 in an account and I drained that on crack. The premises website is www.whitehousebowness.co.uk. And he tried to get off with the nurses.. Knowles was fined 5,000 by the WPBSA for the expose, of which more would follow. [11], At the 1980 UK Championship, Meo eliminated defending champion Virgo 91 before losing to Steve Davis in the quarter-finals. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can [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. Movies. [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. Knowles was one of snookers biggest stars of the 1980s, winning the International Open, Professional Players Tournament and Australian Masters. After bombing out of the World Championships in the first round he hit a press officer then stormed into a news A snookerlegends app was created to show live streaming with the 2014 legends cup shown on pay per view in the app. Knowles began playing snooker at the age of 3 on the tables at the social club run by his father, Kevin. 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. This Saturday the Bolton-born snooker player will take on The Whirlwind Jimmy White at the Peterborough event. The year before O'Sullivan's first Crucible triumph he fell to a dramatic 10-9 defeat by 200-1 outsider David Gray. It usurped it. A court heard earlier this month how Nazma Craig was staying in his flat above a wine bar as she had nowhere else to go, Lisa Hine told South Lakeland magistrates an argument began over a laptop as they wanted to watch different programmes.. Were looking at a way to develop it to complement the bar weve got next door, he said. So instead The Bolton News looksback at the Knowles career, a real Bolton legend. And I havent lost the thrill that comes with playing in tournaments.. Anthony Christian Meo (born 4 October 1959) is a retired English snooker player. The Seniors Tour has offered him playing opportunities as well as a renewed appetite for competition. Perhaps his greatest moment was beating defending champion Steve Davis 10-1 in the first round in Sheffield in 1982. Cocaine had come into my life. Tony Knowles is most famous at the table for inflicting the Crucible curse on Steve Davis in 1982. John Virgo, 77, as a player a contemporary of Higgins and later a respected commentator, says: It kept the game on the sports pages. 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. Davis built a lead of 38 points, but Meo recovered to 12 points behind with a break of 26. Knowles is crowned Super 6 king. 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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. We have estimated FOR every Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, snooker also boasted others players who left their own small but indelible mark upon the sport. Higgins threw his support behind his hellraiser heir Jimmy White. The working-class lad from Belfast was always a rebel. Jimmy said: We were partying all the time. The 'Ladies Man' from Bolton obviously hasnt lost his charm. -. Amongst them,David Lilley the reigning Seniors World Champion will also be there, trying to regain his tour card. He said: Cocaine was absolutely everywhere. Upon his return to the Crucible the following morning, the 26-year-olc duly polished off the two frames required to cause one of the sports biggest upsets, and his reputation as a mullet-haired lothario was born. Fittingly, the man who dominated the game in its golden era won his sixth and final world title in 1989. contact the editor here. Thats what crack did to you. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. I knew all of them. A Gannett Company. Tony Knowles has relaunched The White House, in Bowness-on-Windermere, and plans to turn around its fortunes after the business went into But Knowles established a 4-0 and then 8-1 lead as the. He turned professional in 1979, and won the 1981 Australian Masters, 1983 Thailand Masters and 1985 Australian Masters. He quickly became the Peoples Champion and claimed the games biggest prize, the World Championship, in 1972. Snooker legend: Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, Tony Knowles and John Virgo. That didnt stop him becoming rich thanks to a game that took off with the growth of colour television in the Seventies. Architects are currently in discussion with Mr Knowles about potential expansion plans for the building and its surrounding gardens. [9] He eliminated David Taylor from the 1979 UK Championship 97, and then lost to the eventual champion John Virgo 69 in the following round. I dont think I should be deprived of that sort of thing just because I play snooker.. They had daughter Lauren the same year. Thats the bottom line about what Alex did. Knowles, of Bowness-on-Winderemere, denied assault. Meo added the 12th frame, but Foulds moved ahead again by claiming the 13th. Editors' Code of Practice. "Im actually at the point now where I can go and play snooker and enjoy it. WebAnthony Christian Meo (born 4 October 1959) is a retired English snooker player. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 68 years old? To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. He won the 15th frame by a single point after requiring two snookers, then added the next two frames to win 98. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Sport doesnt go on for ever. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. [3] At the 1979 Canadian Open he was seeded into the last 16, where he lost 79 to Jim Wych. Snooker started to get slightly less interesting and football kind of re-emerged. Watch live coverage from the opening day of the World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield. FOR decades, football fuelled youngsters imaginations by turning working-class boys into superstars., but in the 1980s snooker was the glamorous sport. [21][22] He won the 1985 Australian Masters by defeating John Campbell 72 in the final,[12] and the 1986 English Professional Championship. But Higgins was also volatile, often having bust-ups with officials, fellow players and even spectators. The draw always provides plenty of intriguing match-ups and the potential for a star name to fall at the first hurdle. Knowles admitted one count of resisting a constable in the execution of his duty. The pair had been in an on-and-off relationship since 2011. Other big names playing include Ken Doherty, John Parrott, Dennis Taylor and Joe 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. I always remember him arriving at the City Hall in Manchester. Knowles will face Bradley Cowdroy in the opening round of the first of three events. 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. A staggering one in five 16-to-24-year-olds have taken cocaine in the last year. Editors' Code of Practice. His last attempt to qualify for the World Championship in 2009 saw him lose 10-9 against Tony Knowles. Lee's 12-year-ban, the longest ever handed down in the sport, will run until October 2024. Hicks, then 21 and making his Crucible bow, scored heavily and enjoyed the better of the tactical exchanges to construct an 8-3 lead. [26] In the post-match speeches, Reynolds complained that he had been "totally bored" by Meo's cautious style of play. Cocaine use is reaching epidemic levels in Britain, with the UK branded the Coke capital of Europe. Tony, now 67, posed with Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. [18] The following month, they faced each other in the final of the Lada Classic. He reached the:57:03.:57:05. quarterfinals that year and, indeed, came back to reach 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. Knowles began the 2011/12 season by entering PTC1. 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. 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.
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