POT BLACK - TOURNAMENT HISTORY

When Ray Reardon won the very first Pot Black title in 1969 defeating the late john Spencer 88-29 in the final, it heralded the start of a snooker resurgence on the green baize and was the springboard from which the game has become one of television’s most popular sports alongside a huge public fan base.

That first series produced a break of 99 from Reardon in an earlier round and was filmed at the BBC TV studios in Gosta Green, Birmingham between Boxing Day and New Years Eve that year.

Tickets for all matches, space was limited at Pebble Mill Studios where Pot Black moved to, were like gold for an event traditionally held during the last week in December but not shown on TV until the following year.

The number of contestants has varied between six and 16 but the introduction of colour TV in 1969 signalled the birth of the Pot Black series which was to become a huge favourite among television viewers, particularly the ladies.

It remained a highlight of the TV sporting calendar until, temporarily, it was shelved in 1986 Eddie Charlton and John Spencer each claiming the most wins with three apiece and the high break standing at 123, recorded by the 1986 winner, Jimmy White.

Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor were two high profile players who never won the one frame shoot out.

Pot Black returned to the TV screens in 2005 with Matthew Stevens providing the Welsh with another champion as he followed in the footsteps of Reardon, Terry Grifffiths and Doug Mountjoy.

And Mark Williams provided the Welsh with a fifth winner 12 months later when he logged a break of 119 to beat John Higgins in the final which left the Scots still waiting for their first Pot Black champion.

Williams for his efforts collected £10,000 plus a further £2,000 for his high break, one of only five centuries constructed in Pot Black history.

A spin off to Pot Black was a junior and senior version. The juniors contested the event in 1981,1982 and 1983, Dean Reynolds winning the first and John Parrott the last two. The seniors held sway in 1997 and 2000 with Joe Johnson and Willie Thorne, respectively. taking the honours.

The event was staged again in 2007 this time with a new venue in the Sheffield City Hall, further confirming Sheffield's claim to be the 'home of snooker'. The event was won this time by Ken Doherty making him the first Irish winner in the history of the event. His opponent was the 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy. The match produced no high breaks and was fairly even until Doherty cleared to the blue to win 76 - 31 after Murphy missed a green.