John Parrott's 10-6 defeat to Anda Zhang in the Betfred.com World Championship qualifiers this afternoon seems likely to herald the end of his professional career.
Parrott won the title at the Crucible in 1991 - a few months before his Chinese opponent was born.
But he will now struggle to remain in the top 64 and thus keep his place on the pro circuit after 27 years.
By my reckoning, if Jimmy White wins his match tonight then Parrott will be pushed down to 65th on the list.
This would be a considerable irony as it was White who the Liverpudlian beat 18-11 to win the title 19 years ago.
JP has long since become better known for his media work, in particular as a pundit alongside Steve Davis on the BBC's snooker coverage.
He hasn't been a title contender in over a decade but I'd imagine he'll still be sad if this is to be the end.
20 comments:
he'd have fallen off the perch if he wasn't nailed there.........
Like the headline Dave, very good.
I understand if you don't want to approve this but if anyone else is getting tired of the World Snooker freezing in the game's biggest event can you email them at:
http://www.worldsnooker.com/contact_WS.htm
In the slim hope that they might reply, or even better still fix it.
Thanks Dave, with your influence maybe this can get sorted out.
I'd be very interested in your thoughts on Drago by the way. I remember him stuffing his face with ice creams at Pontins once, he just seems to me someone who deserves a good old second chance at it.
live scoring NEVER works from EIS for some reason.
we are keeping you up to date frame by frame on global snooker - if I can stay awake for another looming post midnight finish - who makes these daft schedules!
8-8 now between Jimmy and Mark. Mark had to take time out mid frame to repair his tip after a drastic mis cue but all seems well now.
It's not just a teeny bit tense now is it!!
snooker backer i absolutley agree literally every day it freezes 3 or 4 times it is so annoying especially has you say in the biggest event of them all surely world snooker should of sorted this by now,
Congratulations to Jimmy for using his experience to grind out arguably his most important win ever tonight.
Tension was unbearable watching it in on LiveScoring (when it wasnt frozen GRRR!!) so can only imagine what it was like in the EIS.
Tour status secured. Pressure off now Jimmy, so 2 wins and a return to the Crucible. GO JIMMY !!! Its been a while since us Jimmy fans have had cause to celebrate but this is a momentus win.
best of luck on what you decide jp but well done to the likes of drago roe and the whirlwind for slugging it out.Hope to see you all in sheffield
Hi David,
Will be sad if it the last we see of the JP. As a 26 year old he was one of my favoruite players as a youngster. Happy memories of seeing him with my Dad down at the Wembley Conference Centre.
Also could you do an article on David Gray. I think his two wins (Wells and Hicks) have shown some real character given the season he has. I really hope he can make it to Sheffield.
Witz 78 Jimmy has'nt returned to the crucible just yet, Ken Doherty next..
Just realised Jimmy is actually back on first thing tomorrow morning, thats highly unfair and a major adavantage to Doherty. Poor Jimmy will be lucky to get any sleep at all with all the adrenalin after the marathon match hes just played in.
Will Parrott not get a wildcard?
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
How are you lad! The money shortage in snooker has nothing to do with the BBC Dave. The BBC has a football club policy with staff, though they only paid our Janie a mere £19 per week
Footballers do head the ball but BBC staff just keep there heads down. For the record Dave this BBC crisis will give Barry and Steve an acceptable but false reason for absent sponsors.
Dave the BBC is correct about the lack of entertaining value in televised snooker and the fact that the present “Snooker Players” plus Barry could scrape up about £30 million pounds from there waist coat pockets, yet never show any investment confidence in the games long term future.
For any one that’s got a few bob Dave snooker is a multi million pound industry just needing the honest broker that has the few bob. There is no cash investment required merely a “Wee bank Loan” and honest dealings.
Snooker coaching turns over billions of pounds each year and all countries would share in a world copyright.
I should have said that the professional game is “Deprived” of money by snooker cowboys without a permit. Mr hey you
PS One person paying one hundred pound annual coaching fee in each town would create enough revenue to make the game here in Blighty solvent. DM
Jp has other irons in the fire he will be fine. He makes a very good racing correspondant for the bbc and he has his website,plus the pundit work for the snooker.
If he calls it a day nobody will blame him. Rather go out on the main tour, than struggle to beat players on the support tour you would of beaten in your sleep ten years ago.
all the best JP
Surely Parrott like Jimmy would deserve the wildcard once for what he has acheived in the game. You need new faces, but you also need old stagers to get the blend right.
Parrott's manager has said he will apply for the wildcard, so it might not be the end for him
"...snooker coaching turns over billions of pounds a year..."
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
someone should tell Gates, Buffett and Branson that they're all clearly in the wrong business; they should sell up immediately and move into the more profitable snooker coaching market.
Oh no...they can't; i just remembered; they'd all have to pay to obtain copyright 'cause someone has that all sewn up.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hello Dave How are you!
Thanks lad for the posts, it’s great to see so much interest over the probable fate of Big John Parrott and Jimmy White. These two lads have been on snookers hobby horse for nearly thirty years and with age come redundancy.
Snooker buffs seem to be an unusual form of “animaloy”, similar to an old fashioned and prim house wife that detests change. The snooker game is full of elderly children still clutching there favour “Teddies”.
Big John will survive for another twenty years in “Hazels Corner” and Jimmy has two choices; change his job or change his style of play as there is no age limit to playing successful snooker.
Steve Davis of recent years altered and improved his game. Ray Reardon and the great Joe Davis were still playing successfully when much older than Jimmy.
The roar of the crowd will have gone at first, with it many bad habits and the hanger-on’s. Jimmy was so sheltered with money in the nineties he actually has forgotten how good he was to watch. The lads beautiful cue action is not gone just lost or misplaced. Mr hey you
Parrott is probably the most ungracious player in defeat I have ever seen.
Once a fine player, no wildcard for next season IMO.
I firmly believe that all ex-world champions should be granted lifetime immunity from relegation, a bit like the system for the Masters in golf, all ex-winners can play in it as long as they like. What's the problem with that? JP is a sore loser though I do agree and is very rarely happy with anything when he's playing.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hello Dave how are you!
Dear IanW. Thanks dear friend for the plug. I feel rather guilty Ian for taking this unfair advantage of your great merriment. Many fellow Dave Den bloggers, probable think I have you “Planted” I assure you folks that there is no cheating; Ian is a natural.
Just for you Ian! The whole world’s commerce, the legal system, and parts of the judicial system remain stabilised Ian, simply because of “Copyright” or the laws of copyright.
Now about the laughable Billions Ian! In England alone there are probable ten thousand coaching bandits. In China the total is multiplied by one thousand. We haven’t allowed for Scotland Ireland or Wales. There are also the new comers like Russia India and the Americas.
Please note Ian. No player should be discouraged from coaching the beautiful game; merely a small percentage of earnings to World Snooker annually.
Every country would gain financially with copyright status; with a proportion from each Country going back to World Snooker annually. Mr hey you
Post a Comment