A Senior Moment

Much has been discussed in recent years of how a player reaches the end of their career in their fourties but with players such as Ronnie, John Higgins and Mark Williams defying this belief, it seems unlikely that such players will hang up their cues in the near future.

The main tour may be a hard road to climb for an older player with less appetite to practice and travel but when they finally decide to close that cue case, don’t lock it because Jason Francis has helped create the Seniors tour where the players of yesteryear and a few who still play on the tour compete in various locations and snooker combinations. Many fans didn’t think they would see Taylor, Thorburn, Johnson or Hendry compete on the main stage again but this tour really does seem to work with investment, a tv deal and great locations.

The main aim of the Seniors is to showcase the players of the past but it also helps these snooker heroes to keep their hand in and regain their appetite to win. In a recent interview with Jason Francis, Dennis Taylor thanked him for inviting him to play again, despite aches and pains, Dennis now wants to compete and even spends time away from the commentary box and golf course to practice.

With triumphs at Goffs and last night in Belfast, Jimmy White has shown that he never has lost the ability to play. His game is superb for a man in his fifties and he can still blow a whirlwind around the baize. This is probably due to the fact that he has a two year wildcard place on the main tour with Ken Doherty, plays on the exhibition circuit and has a practice regime.Only when the desire to play goes will Jimmy put down his cue but even I might be drawing my pension when that finally happens.