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Search forPotfather Davis backs city stop on snooker's circuit
Saturday, October 25, 2008, 07:00
Six-times world champion Steve Davis indicated he would come back tomorrow if the chance was offered.
Hopefully, they'll be back next season if Pavilions directors can successfully negotiate a date with Premier League officials.
There have been concerns over a fall in snooker attendances, but that was hardly obvious at the Plymouth Pavilions on Thursday night.
True, there were spare places, but the best seats had been eagerly snapped up well before the Plymouth leg of the Premier League got underway.
A late rush for tickets also bolstered a crowd which enthusiastically and loudly watched O'Sullivan defeat Davis 6-0 and the other act, former world champion Stephen Hendry being sliced and diced 5-1 by Joe Perry.
Davis, beaten or not, defended the game that has supported him for 30 years – and voiced his liking for the Plymouth leg of the Premier League competition.
Once snooker's Mr Invincible, Davis – now affectionately known as 'The Potfather' – is clearly enjoying the twilight years of his career.
At 51, he's far more relaxed about professional snooker, to the point where he can make and take jokes about his age in front of a Sky-televised live audience.
Davis insisted there was still strong support for snooker – a stance supported by the decision of Sky Sports to beam his match with O'Sullivan to 265 million viewers in 47 countries around the world.
The oldest player on the circuit, Davis said: "There's been criticism of snooker, because it's not as popular as it was, but I think it's still very popular.
"When you see the coverage that the game gets on the BBC, for example, a lot of other sports would love to have that sort of coverage.
"Of course, it's not going to go back to what it was several years ago, but there is still a lot of support for the game."
Davis admitted the game is a lot tougher for him these days – but said that can work out to be a benefit to him.
He said: "The pressure's off me now and it's really rather nice.
"I like playing down this way. People around here seem to regard me with affection because I'm now the underdog and I'm not at the top any more.
"I was playing in Cornwall a while back and it was exactly the same thing.
"I've been in the game for 30 years as a professional and that does count for a little, because I can still throw out a trick or two
"But it has got tougher because there are so many good players around now.
"Before, when you left a ball on the cushion, there wasn't any real need to worry about it.
"These days if you do that, your opponent is likely to clear the table."
The Pavilions, meanwhile, are aiming to get the Premier League back in Plymouth next season.
Spokesman Rob Maltby said the event was an important part of the Pavilions' line-up of sporting shows.
He said: "There's a definite hardcore of devoted snooker fans in Plymouth and if we can get the Premier League back here next season, we would be delighted."
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