Hello

[G williams]

Hi all, just joined up as been a snooker fan since I was about twelve and keen player as well, also coached by Tony Glew around 1989.

[Cue crafty]

Hi all, just joined up as been a snooker fan since I was about twelve and keen player as well, also coached by Tony Glew around 1989.

Hello, didn't he have a glass eye? Think he's over Bracknell way isn't he?

Welcome to the forum.

[G williams]

Hi, yeah Tony had a glass eye he lived in wokingham where I'm from. He coached me at the phoenix club, I would be interested to know if he's still alive he was an interesting man, he worked for karnham and hillman during snookers rise and was a good friend of Jack karnham who lived in Crowthorne a few miles away. I bought my first decent cue off Tony, he also put me into an under 18 tournament in Chichester around 1990, I remember saying to him how are we getting there? We he asked? I got the train by myself in the end, happy days.

[Neil Taperell]

Welcome to TSF :snooker:

[Cue crafty]

Hi, yeah Tony had a glass eye he lived in wokingham where I'm from. He coached me at the phoenix club, I would be interested to know if he's still alive he was an interesting man, he worked for karnham and hillman during snookers rise and was a good friend of Jack karnham who lived in Crowthorne a few miles away. I bought my first decent cue off Tony, he also put me into an under 18 tournament in Chichester around 1990, I remember saying to him how are we getting there? We he asked? I got the train by myself in the end, happy days.

Dean H who is a moderator on the forum may know this guy, think he is closer to your neck of the woods.

[Stevie1]

Welcome pall

[DeanH]

G williams, welcome to TSF
Yes I am from your neck of the woods
And have seen the name around but I dont think I know Tony.
I am down the club tonight so will have a look and ask around

G williams get some posts on other threads to get your count up and get PM function.

I used to live just round the corner from Jack K, and now I know work "round the corner" from where his workshop was.
Phoenix Club - good old days indeed - changed a bit know of course

[DeanH]

I have heard from the family and unfortunately Tony died 4 years ago, sorry.

[G williams]

Hi Dean, thanks for letting me know Tony must have been a good age he was at least in his sixties when I knew him. R.I.P Tony. I have lived in Cornwall since 2002 but I have heard the Phoenix club has changed through the years, believe it's some mega bowl type franchise now and the upstairs snooker, having been mothballed and padlocked for years is now a laser Quest?
I have so many memories of that place from '88 to mid nineties, I played in their league from age 17 (Mike Winkleman the owner bent the over 18 rule for me) I made a 107 against a chap called Gordon Weston aka Wally around 1990, the league moved to Colours in Reading mid '90s when the Phoenix snooker finished and that's when my practicing diminished and my standard dropped. I play very rarely now, family commitments etc but still get a buzz when I get the old Burwat pieced together, think once you've got the fire in you for snooker it's there for life.

[DeanH]

I remember the place being Kings Club night club (IIRC)

My boys enjoyed the LaserQuest when they were younger; and we did that and the bowling as birthday parties

[G williams]

You're right Dean it was The King Of Clubs, before my time there but it was definitely that until probably mid 80's.

[DeanH]

That's it
oh, they were the days

[G williams]

It really was a great place for snooker one private table (the burgundy room) slick cloth and tight pockets and 22 tables over two floors, 11 upstairs and 11 down. I started earning table time by brushing and ironing after school, then the truancy started, school got involved then it was 4pm table time only for me a well worn path !

[Cue crafty]

Hi Dean, thanks for letting me know Tony must have been a good age he was at least in his sixties when I knew him. R.I.P Tony. I have lived in Cornwall since 2002 but I have heard the Phoenix club has changed through the years, believe it's some mega bowl type franchise now and the upstairs snooker, having been mothballed and padlocked for years is now a laser Quest?
I have so many memories of that place from '88 to mid nineties, I played in their league from age 17 (Mike Winkleman the owner bent the over 18 rule for me) I made a 107 against a chap called Gordon Weston aka Wally around 1990, the league moved to Colours in Reading mid '90s when the Phoenix snooker finished and that's when my practicing diminished and my standard dropped. I play very rarely now, family commitments etc but still get a buzz when I get the old Burwat pieced together, think once you've got the fire in you for snooker it's there for life.

Nice memories!

Sorry to hear that about your old coach. Sounds like the kinda guy we need more of today, I say that after reading Snookerdads post "where are the juniors" earlier today.

Be Careful talking about Burwats , ol JRC on here will sniff that out in a jiffy and be offering you a second hand Swiss watch for it!

[jrc750]

....

Be Careful talking about Burwats , ol JRC on here will sniff that out in a jiffy and be offering you a second hand Swiss watch for it!

Did someone mention Burwats ?
Mind you he said "pieced together" which i took as a centre split cue maybe, so i lost interest