Yeah I was in bits for days even though he had behaved terribly when he did an exhibition for my dad back in 1990
Cliffs?
Turned up late, scruffy and pissed. Played 4 frames then did the offski for an hour or so around town, came back and played another 4 frames. Dad said what about trick shots and was told that he didn't do trick shots as we see them when he's playing anyway.
The asked my mum if she would write a letter to Barry Hearn saying how professional he was and how impressed they were with the exhibition. Dad didn't say much but mum told him to fk off
This was 1990 and for £3k plus vat you might have expected him to at least conduct himself well and put on a good show. By far the worst exhibition they ever had dad said and they had over a dozen through the years.
Tony Knowles came up the club the day after the exhibition and went around the club giving advice and tips to all the players who were playing and this was after having to fly down to Heathrow because of terrible weather on the day. He also played a dozen frames because he was playing well and said he wouldn't stop until he made a ton.
Higgins played about a dozen frames too and was pretty well behaved apart from getting into it with the manager who was also at the time British Karate Champion. It wouldn't have been right if in true Higgins style he hadn't gone off with one of the local party people which in turn led to the hotel ringing my dad the next afternoon asking him if he could help them get Mr Higgins out of his room.....
Cliff Thorburn played one of the best players in the club who happened to be celebrating his birthday on the night of the exhibition. He was only about 18 at the time, won the toss and chose to break. Cliff smashed in a 130 clearance turned to him and said 'happy birthday son'. He then stayed at the bar drinking all night with the members and was still there at 3am shitfaced doing Norman Wisdom impressions.
Terry Griffiths did the same stuff as Knowles in 94 coaching the players and even came up early to play the winner of the U14 tournament in the afternoon too. He also put a word in to Steve Davis for my old man as he said it was such a nice club and got dad a discount of £5k as Steve only charged £2.5k +vat on his recommendation.
The computers at the club had a billing system and when Bill Werbeniuk came the barman used it to tally his intake. He drank 18 pints of Carlsberg Export in 4hours and was so pissed he couldn't do his trick shots
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