Longest break between top 16 appearances

[chasmmi]

Noticing the world rankings coupled with current form and it seems there may be a chance of players like James Wattana and Nigel Bond re-entering the top 16.

It's been quite a few years since they were last in snookers elite group so I was wondering what the longest period of time a player has spent outside the top 16 before returning and would either of these players be close to breaking that record.

Also are there any other contenders I havent noticed?

[..KiD DyNaMiTe..]

Joe Swail?

[Robert602]

The record is held by Rex Williams, he spent 8 seasons out of the top 16 before regaining his place in 1986 for two seasons. Hamilton and Swail are in joint 'second place', both spent 5 years out of the top 16 before rejoining it.

As for other contenders, Dave Harold isn't doing too badly on the quiet, he's sitting in a better provisional position than Bond. Wattana is doing best though.

[Obligation]

My money is most definately on Andy Hicks (no surprise there).

I still think he has a lot left in him, but with current standard so high I suppose it will be a tall order for him to break back into the top 16.

[Obligation]

(He was never in it of course )

Does anyone know the longest time on the proffessional circuit before entering into the top 16?

[Robert602]

(He was never in it of course )

Does anyone know the longest time on the proffessional circuit before entering into the top 16?

According to my data (which isn't quite complete or verified but close enough until Statman arrives), Ian McCulloch and Chris Small were professional for 13 years before making their top 16 debut. Perry, Carter and Hawkins follow.

The oldest top 16 debutant was Cliff Wilson, aged 54 when he achieved a ranking of 16 in 1988. He didn't turn professional until 1979 though.

That's excluding players like Fred Davis, who 'turned' top 16 in the first official ranking list (and so was technically professional for 39 years before holding a top 16 place).

[Obligation]

Thanks Robert

So if Hicks gets into the Top 16, he will break that record with 15 years between becoming a pro and getting into the T16.

Wouldn't that be amazing

[The Statman]

Robert is spot on. The full list of players who HAVE regained a top-16 spot is available here: http://www.thesnookerforum.com/showthread-t_1544.html

The footnote confirms Rex Williams as the longest gap, and also dispels the commonly held belief that Joe Swail is the only player to regain top-16 status after leaving the top 32.

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Somewhere in the same stats area is the list of players' career-highest rankings, I think (I have not checked but I'm fairly sure) that Hicks did make number 17 but was never in the top-16.

[chasmmi]

Being from Devon and therefore having Andy Hicks' progress rammed down my throat by local media for yeas (especially after the semi final outing a few years back) I am pretty certain he did reach 17 in the world. However I also remember that it took a real effort on his part at the end of that season not to make top 16.

Whatever happened to Gary Ponting and tai Pichit they were meant to be amazing.

[The Statman]

Tai Pichit was only professional for a few years, somewhat surprisingly. The year he got to the Crucible I think he won 8 or 9 qualifying matches to get there, which is an amazing achievement – so all the more surprising that he lasted such a short while.

Similarly Spencer Dunn, who won a record 11 matches to reach the Crucible in his début professional season. He entered the following year, and that was the last that was seen of him!

Seems odd that someone who reaches the Crucible so spectacularly early in his career should give up so quickly. Still, there could of course have been off-the-table reasons. And it does give Spencer Dunn a magnificent World Championship match percentage of something like 80%!