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ENGLAND’S snooker fraternity rose as one to applaud the achievement of a man who has done so much for the amateur game in this country.
John Hartley, the former competitions director for the English Association of Snooker & Billiards, has booked a place in a national final for the first time.
For the past six years, Hartley has organised the finals weekend. Now he will attend as a player.
The 35-year-old from Hartlepool progressed through the last-16 of the English Six-Reds Championship at Barratts Club, Northampton.
Players, parents and friends flooded his Facebook page with messages of congratulations.
Hartley only entered the qualifying event in Oldham last October because he took some of his lads there and admitted his main aim in Northampton was not “to embarrass myself”.
He said: “I only initially entered the qualifying competition because I was due to drive some of my coaching pupils. So I thought I might as well enter as well.
“I went to the last-16 thinking that I just didn’t want to embarrass myself.”
In the final in May, Hartley, who now qualifies for the 2016 European and World six-reds events, meets the 2004 champion Jake Nicholson, from Flamborough, Yorkshire, whom he beat in the group stages in Oldham.
All in all, it was quite a productive day.
Checking his four-team football accumulator bet before a 5-3 semi-final victory over the 2012 runner-up, Ryan Mears, Hartley discovered he had won £1,900.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.
John Hartley, the former competitions director for the English Association of Snooker & Billiards, has booked a place in a national final for the first time.
For the past six years, Hartley has organised the finals weekend. Now he will attend as a player.
The 35-year-old from Hartlepool progressed through the last-16 of the English Six-Reds Championship at Barratts Club, Northampton.
Players, parents and friends flooded his Facebook page with messages of congratulations.
Hartley only entered the qualifying event in Oldham last October because he took some of his lads there and admitted his main aim in Northampton was not “to embarrass myself”.
He said: “I only initially entered the qualifying competition because I was due to drive some of my coaching pupils. So I thought I might as well enter as well.
“I went to the last-16 thinking that I just didn’t want to embarrass myself.”
In the final in May, Hartley, who now qualifies for the 2016 European and World six-reds events, meets the 2004 champion Jake Nicholson, from Flamborough, Yorkshire, whom he beat in the group stages in Oldham.
All in all, it was quite a productive day.
Checking his four-team football accumulator bet before a 5-3 semi-final victory over the 2012 runner-up, Ryan Mears, Hartley discovered he had won £1,900.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.