Book review: Tony Knowles - Heart Breaks

“He broke a million hearts on and off the table.” The words of Phoenix Club owner Brian Potter, as he opened his new Tony Knowles suite, were funny because they were true. So accurate in fact, that the title of Gareth McGinley’s new book on the snooker star of the 1980s is spot on.

Heart Breaks discusses the trials and tribulations of a rack pack member who played snooker during its heyday. Tony Knowles was undoubtedly a special talent – you don’t reach three World Championship semi-finals by chance – yet what McGinley’s book portrays is the frustration felt by many, including Knowles himself, at missed opportunities throughout his career.

The book starts by charting the journey of Knowles from promising youngster to his early struggles as a pro. Playing snooker from the age of 9, McGinley describes how Knowles was extremely confident – “a big-headed bugger” to use the words of his younger brother – and that a combination of arrogance and complacency held him back at the start of his playing days.

However, all of this was to change in 1982. Announcing himself my thrashing defending champion Steve Davis 10-1 in the first round of the World Championships, Knowles became an overnight sensation, as the chapter title in McGinley’s book suggests. His new found status as snooker’s pin-up boy was confirmed.

Female admirers flooded Cue World magazine with letters of appreciation. Knowles lapped up the fame and fortune, buying a villa in Tenerife, and using his good looks and charm to earn a reputation as a ladies man. It says a lot about Knowles when McGinley reveals that the Lancashire Hotpot reportedly had three separate lovers in the audience at his maiden professional win.

Regardless of all the tabloid inches Knowles covered away from the green baize, it is important to remember how good he was, and McGinley details his peak years when at one point he topped the provisional rankings. Indeed, Knowles would climb to world number two during a period that saw some tipping him as a future world champion.

You get the impression that Knowles was his own worst enemy, though. McGinley tells a tale of Knowles being “too satisfied with brief periods of success” and of a man who was near to the pinnacle but “wasn’t quite willing to devote the time and effort to remain there.”

You can almost hear the frustration in McGinley’s words as you read them; here was one of his heroes so close to success, but sadly unwilling to dedicate himself to the game in the same way as Steve Davis. “Knowles’ sexual boastings would become the stuff of snooker legend and perhaps sadly his most enduring legacy.”

Inevitably it is impossible to escape the lurid parts of Knowles’ story. The allegations that he wore women’s underwear; the headlines: “Why girls call me the hottest pot in snooker”, “What a break! Three birds in my bed”, “I sign their sexy bits”; his visits to Josephine’s nightclub during the world championship fortnight.

As the kiss and tell stories increased, Knowles’ form dipped, although he was still able to reach those three semi-finals at the Crucible. His 16-15 loss to Cliff Thorburn in 1983 would haunt him, and Joe Johnson almost conceded in 1986 when a cyst on his back caused him excruciating pain. But a final appearance in Sheffield alluded Knowles.

As Knowles dropped down the world rankings, his financial situation worsened, and the sport of snooker itself suffered a change in fortunes. The number of televised events decreased, with the stars of the 80s fading to make way for a new breed of hungry young predators. Time waits for no man, but those of us who grew up during this period of the sport will forever be grateful.

That’s what comes across a lot in Heart Breaks. McGinley is clearly a snooker obsessive, who, like the rest of us, obviously realises that he was fortunate to grow up in this era. His book on Knowles is painstakingly researched, explaining every missed ball along the way, describing the squandered chances.

The chronological account follows the rise of Knowles, his exploitation of fame, and his fall from grace. A really enjoyable and factual read, you end up feeling McGinley’s frustration relating to the near misses, the excuses of Knowles, and the perceived arrogance and complacency of such a talented player.

For snooker lovers young and old, McGinley’s story of Knowles provides a fascinating insight into the Green Baize Lothario. Playing his full part when snooker ruled the world, the career of Tony Knowles deserves to be celebrated, and Heart Breaks is a fitting tribute highlighting the ups and downs of a snooker player who could never be accused of being dull.