Following the extremely sad news earlier today of the passing of six-time world champion Ray Reardon MBE, we spoke to WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson and former UK Championship winner John Virgo to reflect upon his unparalled life in our sport.
Ferguson, who was himself a professional snooker player from 1990-2004, was one of many to have himself been inspired by Reardon as a young snooker player.
“Ray was a great hero of mine,” said Ferguson. “He was always a jolly personality on and off the table, and in my younger days as a player he shared words of wisdom and encouragement with me on many occasions.
“Throughout his career he has inspired millions to take up the sport and I must thank him for the time he served as a WPBSA director and for everything that he gave back to the sport.
“I was honoured recently to see him at the RAC Club in London and of course he was practising in the billiard room, as well as speaking to members like he always did. It was a pleasure to catch up with him and he was overwhelmed to see how the sport has grown over the years and changed so much since his days.
“Ray will be sorely missed and I have no doubt that his undoubted contribution to our sport will continue to be felt for many years to come.”
‘The catalyst of the modern day game’
Virgo, who enjoyed many battles with Reardon during his distinguished career including at the Crucible in 1982, recalled how alongside John Spencer, Reardon played a pivotal role in paving the way for the game we know today.
“When Ray and John Spencer turned professional they opened up the game, it was a closed shop before that,” said Virgo. “But they opened the door and a few years after them Alex Higgins appeared, but if it hadn’t been for Reardon and Spencer I don’t think that door would have opened for another 5-6 years.
“Before then, occasionally you would see Joe Davis play Fred Davis or John Pulman on the TV on Grandstand, but what kept the grassroots alive was Spencer and Reardon’s exploits in the amateur game. They created this swell of popularity around the provinces and when they turned professional people got the chance to watch them and follow their careers.
“They were the catalyst for the modern day game and made it possible for any top amateur if they were good enough to turn professional and that was where the strength of the game came from and is still with us today.”
Virgo vividly remembers meeting Spencer for the first time at an amateur tournament in Manchester early in his career and remembers fondly how he was “approachable and very friendly,” as well as how he was marketed as the ‘classic professional’ during his heyday.
Several years on from the end of his own career, Reardon returned to the limelight in 2004 when he teamed up with Ronnie O’Sullivan on his way to what would be the second of his seven World Championship triumphs to date at the Crucible Theatre and Virgo remembers just how impressed Reardon was by the talent of the Rocket.
“I always remember Ray, he came up to the Crucible and had been down in the practice room with Ronnie. Ray said ‘I can’t believe it, I’ve been there two hours and he’s never missed one pot!’ It wasn’t as if they were all easy, there were long pots and all of the things you practice and Ray couldn’t believe the talent he had.
“It was Ronnie’s dad who said that he was not going to get consistent results playing his attacking game all the time, he needed to be more all-round and I know from the conversations I’ve had with Ronnie that he absolutely loved Ray. It was nice they got to work together and that way got the recognition he deserved.
“He was a great guy to be with and as Jimmy White said to me this morning, the phrase that just immediately comes in your head with him is ‘class act.’ He just was a class act was Ray Reardon.”
