The new season seemed to be another chapter in a familiar story for the world number 12. Two quarter final appearances in ranking events - the International Open and the UK Championship - and a run to the last 16 of the Rothman's Grand Prix, did little to suggest that Thorne was about to break his duck as the 1985 Mercantile Credit Classic neared.
Comfortable wins over Robby Foldvari and Kirk Stevens set up a quarter final clash with John Virgo, and the opportunity for Thorne to reach his first ranking semi-final since the 1983 Professional Players Tournament. A window of opportunity was opening.
A superb display against Virgo had his opponent singing Thorne's praises. "Willie's safety play was exceptional," Virgo said. "He kept putting me in trouble." Taking 103 minutes to defeat Virgo 5-3 - including a break of 100 in the fifth frame - there was just one possible problem looming on the horizon.
Steve Davis. The mere mention of the name spelt danger to most adversaries during the decade, and the world number one was showing no signs of letting his crown slip as the 1984/85 campaign progressed. With the Scottish Masters, International Open and UK Championship already under his belt, Thorne faced a daunting prospect in the best of 17 frame contest.
Thorne had never beaten Davis; Davis had not lost a match in the Classic in the three years it had been played at the Spectrum Arena in Warrington; if Thorne was to win his first ranking tournament then he would certainly have to earn it.
Despite a break of 120 in the fourth frame - earning Thorne £4,000 for the highest break of the tournament - the 30-year-old Leicester man was playing catch-up throughout. With Davis opening up a 7-5 lead, Thorne had arrived at the point of no return. Three frames on the bounce edged Thorne in front for the first time, but Davis took the penultimate frame to set up a decider.
If ever Thorne's confidence and temperament were to be tested, then it was during the final frame. A break of 62 appeared to push him to the brink of his first ranking final, yet a missed red, and another later on in the frame, naturally led to negative thoughts.
"In the last frame I missed the red twice and thought here we go again," Thorne would later admit, although this time the story had a happy ending. With Davis unable to take advantage, Thorne had just claimed the biggest scalp in the game. Unsurprisingly, the emotion of the moment got to him.
"It's unbelievable. I cried all the way to the dressing room," Thorne revealed. "But at least I proved a few knockers wrong." Thorne enjoyed a couple of glasses of Champagne to mark the occasion, sharing the moment with some of his followers. "What a bunch of supporters! They have never deserted me, even though I have spent so long trying to win something."
One friend who attended Thorne's matches was Leicester City striker Gary Lineker, or at least when his own schedule permitted. "I probably play with Gary four times a week," Thorne informed the press. "He's a good player, has scored a 100 break and regularly gets breaks of 60 and 70." Lineker was obviously delighted at his playing partner's success.
"Seeing Willie beat Davis is like him seeing me score a goal at Wembley," Lineker noted. "I wouldn't miss this final for anything," although training on Sunday January 13 almost scuppered his plans. British, European and Commonwealth middleweight champion Tony Sibson was also in attendance. Thorne would not be without support.
Having beaten Davis to reach the final, was there a danger that Thorne had nothing left in the tank? "I've got to come down to earth and concentrate on winning this last match," Thorne said in the lead-up to the final. "I know there is a fear that I could consider the Davis game my final, but I'm determined not to let that happen."
Facing Thorne in the final was Canadian Cliff Thorburn. Good friends - the two had joined forces to reach the 1984 World Doubles Championship final - Thorburn knew what it was like to be in Thorne's shoes. Having defeated Davis in the Rothman's Grand Prix semi-final, Thorburn went on to lose to Dennis Taylor 10-2 in the final. The only two men to have beaten Davis in 1984/85 would battle it out for the £40,000 prize.
With the opening frames exchanging hands, Thorburn took an early 4-3 lead. But a Thorne break of 105 restored parity, and from this point on he assumed control. Another century break helped Thorne establish an 8-7 overnight lead. His wobbly start on the Sunday may have previously seen the wheels fall off, but despite Thorburn levelling the match at 8-8, Thorne pushed all doubts to one side.
Thorne was simply unstoppable. Using a Walter Lindrum Maple cue that his Mum had paid £16 for 16 years before (joining a Christmas loan club to fund the purchase), Thorne rattled off the next five frames to claim his first ranking event. Thorne had silenced the voices in his own head and, as Michael Gouge wrote in the Express, "ended the jibe that he lacks big-match nerves."
"I still can't believe it has happened," Thorne said in the aftermath. "I didn't lose my nerve and everything worked out all right. I said I would cry buckets when I eventually won a tournament, but I must have shed all my tears after my win over Steve Davis in the semi-final."
Even though he had lost another final, Thorburn was elated for his friend. "I've never taken notice of all that rubbish about Willie not having any bottle because it just isn't true. Ask anyone who has played him."
Thorne immediately set his sights on a brighter future. "I might not be the best snooker player in the world but I'm sick and tired at hanging around number 12 or 14 or whatever. I badly want to get up into the top four or so, alongside my great mate Cliff. This was a great way to start."
Sadly, Thorne never really kicked on from this breakthrough moment, although he really should have won the 1985 UK Championship final against Davis. An infamous missed blue saw a potential 14-8 lead dissolve into a 16-14 defeat, as some of the old doubts resurfaced. However, Thorne did rise to world number seven after a fine 1985/86 season, even if he never did add another ranking title to his CV.
The very likeable Thorne fully played his role in the rise of snooker during the 1980s. His moustache and lack of hair made him an instantly recognisable figure during a time when snooker seemingly ruled the world. Never afraid to mock himself - witness his line in Snooker Loopy - the news of his death in June 2020 was greeted with many fine tributes.
The 1985 Mercantile Credit Classic might not sound too glamorous. Yet to Willie Thorne, it meant the world. A chance to convince himself and others that he really did have it in him, his ranking tournament win was just reward for a player with so much ability. RIP Willie.
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