‘I didn’t want to play’ – Snooker Shoot Out winner Tom Ford reveals wife made him play after pal’s funeral last week

TEARY Tom Ford admits he almost never made it to the Shoot Out after feeling “down in the dumps” following a pal’s funeral last week.

The Leicester cueist ended a 21-year wait for a first ranking title triumph when he lifted silverware in his home city on Saturday night.

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Ford, 41, won seven one-frame matches over three days, the climax being a 31-28 victory over young Scotsman Liam Graham in the final.

Yet he considered pulling out of this unique event when his sponsor and really good friend Brian Todd passed away.

Even before the last clash, he was struggling to control his emotions and was sobbing backstage at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.

Ford – who banks £50,000 in prize money – said: “Brian had been with me for eight years. He went everywhere with me. Apart from in China, he was everywhere.

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“His funeral was only on Wednesday. If I was set to play on Wednesday, I was pulling out of the event.

“I said to my wife on Thursday, I don’t want to go. I didn’t feel like playing. I was obviously down in the dumps.

“She encouraged me to go. She said: ‘Listen, it’s 10 minutes, go and play it, you never know what might happen.’

“The money and trophy, whatever people will say, is not what I have been thinking about this week. It has been so difficult.

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List of all-time Snooker World Champions

BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.

The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.

The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.

Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.

Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.

• 1969 - John Spencer
• 1970 - Ray Reardon
• 1971 - John Spencer
• 1972 - Alex Higgins
• 1973 - Ray Reardon (2)
• 1974 - Ray Reardon (3)
• 1975 - Ray Reardon (4)
• 1976 - Ray Reardon (5)
• 1977 - John Spencer (2)
• 1978 - Ray Reardon (6)
• 1979 - Terry Griffiths
• 1980 - Cliff Thorburn
• 1981 - Steve Davis
• 1982 - Alex Higgins (2)
• 1983 - Steve Davis (2)
• 1984 - Steve Davis (3)
• 1985 - Dennis Taylor
• 1986 - Joe Johnson
• 1987 - Steve Davis (4)
• 1988 - Steve Davis (5)
• 1989 - Steve Davis (6)
• 1990 - Stephen Hendry
• 1991 - John Parrott
• 1992 - Stephen Hendry (2)
• 1993 - Stephen Hendry (3)
• 1994 - Stephen Hendry (4)
• 1995 - Stephen Hendry (5)
• 1996 - Stephen Hendry (6)
• 1997 - Ken Doherty
• 1998 - John Higgins
• 1999 - Stephen Hendry (7)
• 2000 - Mark Williams
• 2001 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2002 - Peter Ebdon
• 2003 - Mark Williams (2)
• 2004 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)
• 2005 - Shaun Murphy
• 2006 - Graeme Dott
• 2007 - John Higgins (2)
• 2008 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
• 2009 - John Higgins (3)
• 2010 - Neil Robertson
• 2011 - John Higgins (4)
• 2012 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (4)
• 2013 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)
• 2014 - Mark Selby
• 2015 - Stuart Bingham
• 2016 - Mark Selby (2)
• 2017 - Mark Selby (3)
• 2018 - Mark Williams (3)
• 2019 - Judd Trump
• 2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
• 2021 - Mark Selby (4)
• 2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
• 2023 - Luca Brecel
• 2024 - Kyren Wilson

Most World Titles (modern era)

• 7 - Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 6 - Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
• 4 - John Higgins, Mark Selby
• 3 - John Spencer, Mark Williams
• 2 - Alex Higgins

“Winning that tournament for Brian just means so much.”

Seasoned pro Ford had lost in three ranking finals before this weekend, including two in 2023.

Even though the Shoot Out was staged 6-7 miles from his home, he said it did not feel like it was a proper tournament given its close location to his bedroom.

Ford, now the world No.20, explained: “It’s weird because I actually don’t like playing in Leicester!

“When we have qualifiers, I get up in the morning, I take my little boy to school, play in the match, go home, pick him up.

"Then we have dinner – it doesn't feel like I’ve played a match.

“I’m not used to those tournament conditions in Leicester – I feel like I have to stay in a hotel the night before.

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“I wasn’t actually thinking about money in the final.

"Maybe that has taken the pressure off. Luckily Brian wasn’t in my head at that point of the final.

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“When I first walked out, when I was backstage, I got a bit teary to be honest.

"I thought I have to put that to one side and try to get this job done.”