Many thanks for the upload. Off the table, I couldn't stand Higgins. On it, he was a genius. The very best. I don't care how many more titles Ronnie O'Sullivan wins, Alex is the best that there's been. He could make shots that Ronnie could never make.
I agree to a certain extent about off the table but unless one really knows another person it can be difficult to judge someone. You never know what's going on behind the scenes on any given day. I once asked Higgins for his autograph when I was about 16. He wasn't surrounded by people at the time, he was the only person there. He simply said to me "later, later" and walked off.
@@chrishearfield234 mate, I've just seen your channel 🤣🤣🤣 It looks like you're one of these irritating little people that comes on the Internet to wind people up, judging by the reactions on your content 🤣 What a sad existence I can imagine you crying like a baby if one of these people who you slag off, actually came face to face with you 😁😁😁
@@fruitmachineemptier7004 I managed to irritate two replies out of you and I never called you anything. Fact is Alex Higgins was a much loved legend and Bazs opinion ain't worth shit
I love watching the snooker from years gone by. I used to watch snooker with my mum and my uncle . Such happy times of being little. Thank You for putting up the video
@david vaughan yes david your are right there mate. Alex made them middle pockets look like buckets, he was not just, but by far the greatest ever middle pocket player. And his safety play was also second to none. He got a 142 break also, he was the greatest player i ever saw in the late 1970s and early 80s to late 1980s. Then his form really dipped. Not becouse aload of great players had arrived, no thats crap. Its just becouse i believe alex wasnt as commited by then plus he was bannend for nearly 2 years from the game. A mean thats a very long time to any player never mind the fast alex. Alex could play in any era, on form he was the greatest to watch. He should have won at least 6 world titles easy. Well he was in four finals and won 2 but it should have been 3, and it was against thorburn in 1980 as alex led 9-4 and was coasting but he played to the gallery and lost it. Or threw it away as they say!
Both Reardon and Davis said Higgins was very astute tactically. And that’s something coming from them. I think that’s what sets Higgins apart from White overall.
I really enjoyed watching this as Alex was in top form.we all know he was a natural in potting the balls but was also very good at playing the game safe.he was the man that got me into snooker.God rest his soul.so sadly missed.💕
Alex was a brilliant safety player, but I think the more he drank the more attacking he become. It's because of Alex Higgins and his popularity as 'The People's Champion', his exciting attacking play, potting balls others would'nt dare take the chance. He basically drew in the crowds, and took snooker from working men's clubs, into proper arenas to play snooker on better tables, more crowds and therefore the prize money was larger. I believe today's player's owe Alex a debt of gratitude, for the amount of prize money they get, and the popularity of the game.
@aiden brennan yes aiden thats true mate. Around 1979 or 80, i saw this guy going around the table so fast and smartly dressesd and doing amazing pots, thats how and when i got my first interest in snooker? Becouse his name was alex higgins and i was just age 6 or 7. By 1982 alex was sort of my hero as i watched all the players but only for a frame or two as it was boring. But never missesd alex. I got a 5ft table at age 8 mostly becouse we didnt have the space for a 6ft table, and even the 5ft one was a bit big, and even people in the shops would say to us you would be amazed how much bigger a 6ft table is to a 4ft or 5ft one, as people forgett there not just a foot longer but also wider? And it depends on what kind you get as some are bigger made than others at the cushions even though there 6ft, and with the cushions and wooden finish all round the table it was really 6ft 5 inches as its just the table thats 6ft alone? I thought it was the whole table but at age 15 i was 5ft 10" and when the pool table was deliverd and standing up i was shocked to see this huge table at least 7 inches bigger than me and i was nearly 6ft with shoes on, i grew to 5ft11" over the next year. But i was never off my 5ft table as an 8 year old alex higgins lol, i loved it, but wanted a bigger one as us kids then always did. lol. At age 15 i got a 6ft blue pool table and it was a big cracker, it seemend alot bigger than i thought it would be than my old 5ft snooker table? As there both made differently as well. The 6ft pool table was alot stronger made, you could hammer the balls into those pockets at any force and get position, every one loved playing on it. Then by age 17 i had stopped watching snooker becouse alex wasnt playing any more. Or so it seemend as you never saw him much playing, and this was 1991 going into 92. He had lost that magic that made us all laugh in pure admiration! But as a kid at age 10 to 14 a 6ft table is big enough to start with as its easier to learn the basic skills to then move onto the full size table wich is like a golf course, lol so its maybe too big till you learn alot about the game. And i became really good at it. Rip alex
Excellent match, demonstrating both amazing potting and safety of Alex's game. His middle pocket potting was jus excellent. Certainly, my favourite player, always fun to watch. RIP Higgins🙏
It was no secret that these 2 great players detested each other but if you notice in the interview Thorburn does a great job of subtly showing his dislike of Higgins whilst keeping calm - note the comment at 1:13:10 - a very subtle way of showing his dislike whilst keeping his digniity !!!!!!
Once again Stephen,thanks for all your superb work on here featuring my two favourite sports. Your snooker stuff,due to the rarity of so much of it,is particularly appreciated :) Just a quick question though-is this taken from the same website as your 1986 Masters final,also featuring Cliff? Keep up the superb work anyway mate.
@@digeme69 I love all the old eighties Alex Higgins stuff. He was my hero since the 1980 world final against Cliff So thank you very much for all your uploads
"The Methodical Mountie"....surprised that one didn't catch on. Weird seeing McCrirrick do any sport other than horse racing. Of course he'd have his eye on what the ladies in the crowd were wearing.
The last frame was great to watch. Two of the games best safety players going at it head to head. With no favours asked and certainly none given. Cliff was a great player but not my type of player to watch, as he was boring and i believe the slowest ever. And that included charlton, griffiths, reardon, maybe ray reardon was just slower as at times he put me off watching snooker and to think he won it 6 times, but against no one really except spencer, steve davis, dennis taylor, mountjoy, spencer, pulman, hendry, but steve davis said on a tv proggrame that alex was the greatest safety player he ever saw and played against. And that was from a man that had masterd the game! Steve said "when a played alex and it came to safety play a always felt the under dog, as he was maybe thinking 3 shots ahead even at safety play wich is unusual as its so hard to do that, you just think of getting the ball safe. A would snooker alex then he would get out of it and snooker me back and then again and again, and its a part of his game that is never really spoke about. But any player knew when playing alex you didnt want to go head to head with him at safety play as he could make a white ball talk. He rarely made a mistake playing safe, it was when he went for a crazy pot that he let you in if he missesd or ran out of position, and alot of people did find that strange that he gave you nothing when playing safe as its the hardest part of the game especialy the angles alex could find to get the white safe! Then when you made a mistake he would clear up, but he missesd alot of easy shots as well to let you in to clear up". He just wanted to play to the audience and it cost him so many titles, but if he played for himself and won the lot he wouldnt be as exciting to watch, he would just be another player, but with more titles, easy! Cliff thorburn could pull great long shots out the bag and once he got in he rarely missesd and cleared up. And it was good to see them talking again at the end, as if ok i got it wrong and spat my dumny out? He did say green, i remember watching that match at that time in the mid 80s. But i never heard him say "green ball" or just green, i did when they played it again and you hear cliff say "green" but it was very low and saying it as he was down on the shot isnt the best way unless you say it louder. And i noticed most players said there colour when down on there shot and am thinking why not say it before you go down to the shot? Then every one will clearly hear it. It was a bit strange when most players said it when down on the shot as if it was a rule. I believe alex didnt hear him as alex was further away from the referee and not paying that much attention really at that exact time he said it. And you cant listen to what the audience say, as of course they will say they didnt hear it when they did, and say they heard it when they didnt, and were 7 rows behind alex lol
I seriously doubt that. Higgins was a Purist in his way and would have relished the contrast in styles just as much as everyone else. Fights or no fights, Insults or no insults, he would have respected Thorburn too, who was a serious threat to him at all times and who taught him the most valuable of lessons in the 1980 WC Final.
Many thanks for the upload. Off the table, I couldn't stand Higgins. On it, he was a genius. The very best. I don't care how many more titles Ronnie O'Sullivan wins, Alex is the best that there's been. He could make shots that Ronnie could never make.
I agree to a certain extent about off the table but unless one really knows another person it can be difficult to judge someone. You never know what's going on behind the scenes on any given day. I once asked Higgins for his autograph when I was about 16. He wasn't surrounded by people at the time, he was the only person there. He simply said to me "later, later" and walked off.
He would be devastated I'm sure that off the table you couldn't stand him. The most popular and loved player ever.
The people's champion
You tit
@@chrishearfield234 🤣🤣💩💩 can't believe you just called someone a tit coz you didn't agree with him 🤣🤣
I bet you're really hard in reality ✊🏿
@@chrishearfield234 mate, I've just seen your channel 🤣🤣🤣 It looks like you're one of these irritating little people that comes on the Internet to wind people up, judging by the reactions on your content 🤣
What a sad existence
I can imagine you crying like a baby if one of these people who you slag off, actually came face to face with you 😁😁😁
@@fruitmachineemptier7004 I managed to irritate two replies out of you and I never called you anything.
Fact is Alex Higgins was a much loved legend and Bazs opinion ain't worth shit
I love watching the snooker from years gone by.
I used to watch snooker with my mum and my uncle .
Such happy times of being little.
Thank You for putting up the video
Thank you so much Stephen, I was a big fan of Alex Higgins and just cant find enough videos containing his matches.
No Problem
Higgins was amazing, tactically the best ever, his safety play was incredible and in my opinion was one of the best middle pocket potters ever
He potted himself out of trouble so many times. Brilliant to watch.
@david vaughan yes david your are right there mate. Alex made them middle pockets look like buckets, he was not just, but by far the greatest ever middle pocket player. And his safety play was also second to none. He got a 142 break also, he was the greatest player i ever saw in the late 1970s and early 80s to late 1980s. Then his form really dipped. Not becouse aload of great players had arrived, no thats crap. Its just becouse i believe alex wasnt as commited by then plus he was bannend for nearly 2 years from the game. A mean thats a very long time to any player never mind the fast alex. Alex could play in any era, on form he was the greatest to watch. He should have won at least 6 world titles easy. Well he was in four finals and won 2 but it should have been 3, and it was against thorburn in 1980 as alex led 9-4 and was coasting but he played to the gallery and lost it. Or threw it away as they say!
Both Reardon and Davis said Higgins was very astute tactically. And that’s something coming from them. I think that’s what sets Higgins apart from White overall.
I really enjoyed watching this as Alex was in top form.we all know he was a natural in potting the balls but was also very good at playing the game safe.he was the man that got me into snooker.God rest his soul.so sadly missed.💕
Alex was a brilliant safety player, but I think the more he drank the more attacking he become. It's because of Alex Higgins and his popularity as 'The People's Champion', his exciting attacking play, potting balls others would'nt dare take the chance. He basically drew in the crowds, and took snooker from working men's clubs, into proper arenas to play snooker on better tables, more crowds and therefore the prize money was larger. I believe today's player's owe Alex a debt of gratitude, for the amount of prize money they get, and the popularity of the game.
@aiden brennan yes aiden thats true mate. Around 1979 or 80, i saw this guy going around the table so fast and smartly dressesd and doing amazing pots, thats how and when i got my first interest in snooker? Becouse his name was alex higgins and i was just age 6 or 7. By 1982 alex was sort of my hero as i watched all the players but only for a frame or two as it was boring. But never missesd alex. I got a 5ft table at age 8 mostly becouse we didnt have the space for a 6ft table, and even the 5ft one was a bit big, and even people in the shops would say to us you would be amazed how much bigger a 6ft table is to a 4ft or 5ft one, as people forgett there not just a foot longer but also wider? And it depends on what kind you get as some are bigger made than others at the cushions even though there 6ft, and with the cushions and wooden finish all round the table it was really 6ft 5 inches as its just the table thats 6ft alone? I thought it was the whole table but at age 15 i was 5ft 10" and when the pool table was deliverd and standing up i was shocked to see this huge table at least 7 inches bigger than me and i was nearly 6ft with shoes on, i grew to 5ft11" over the next year. But i was never off my 5ft table as an 8 year old alex higgins lol, i loved it, but wanted a bigger one as us kids then always did. lol. At age 15 i got a 6ft blue pool table and it was a big cracker, it seemend alot bigger than i thought it would be than my old 5ft snooker table? As there both made differently as well. The 6ft pool table was alot stronger made, you could hammer the balls into those pockets at any force and get position, every one loved playing on it. Then by age 17 i had stopped watching snooker becouse alex wasnt playing any more. Or so it seemend as you never saw him much playing, and this was 1991 going into 92. He had lost that magic that made us all laugh in pure admiration! But as a kid at age 10 to 14 a 6ft table is big enough to start with as its easier to learn the basic skills to then move onto the full size table wich is like a golf course, lol so its maybe too big till you learn alot about the game. And i became really good at it. Rip alex
Fabulous upload this. Have only ever seen the big break previously on TH-cam although I remember watching this on ITV at night as a kid!
Yes you're right the break is already on youtube but this is longer coverage which should please most people :-)
@@digeme69 It pleases me, I'm watching it now!
Excellent match, demonstrating both amazing potting and safety of Alex's game. His middle pocket potting was jus excellent. Certainly, my favourite player, always fun to watch. RIP Higgins🙏
There was never anyone like Alex.
Even the way he moves was unique. Great to see they weren't enemies after all. "McCririck's got a hole in his sock!"
Two amazing players and great to see them smiling and joking
Great ❤️ game. Thank you ❤️ for the viewing pleasure.
That’s some of the best safety play I’ve ever seen in the last frame. From both players
It was no secret that these 2 great players detested each other but if you notice in the interview Thorburn does a great job of subtly showing his dislike of Higgins whilst keeping calm - note the comment at 1:13:10 - a very subtle way of showing his dislike whilst keeping his digniity !!!!!!
Loved the Taxi driver and a mention of the Virus 😁 the snooker hasn't even started 😃.
Great upload
Alex "McCririck's got a hole in his sock look" lol pmsl, priceless :))))
what a shot at 43:50. the crowd didn't even realise what he did
that first clearance was nuts. what an awkward table
Once again Stephen,thanks for all your superb work on here featuring my two favourite sports. Your snooker stuff,due to the rarity of so much of it,is particularly appreciated :)
Just a quick question though-is this taken from the same website as your 1986 Masters final,also featuring Cliff? Keep up the superb work anyway mate.
Yes it is. Chinese website. Quality of videos is varied (this is one of the better ones). Of my videos roughly 8 have come from there.
@@digeme69 I love all the old eighties Alex Higgins stuff. He was my hero since the 1980 world final against Cliff
So thank you very much for all your uploads
Alex so good to watch. Pots balls that other players simply wouldn't attempt. Belfast genius
At the Asmbley rooms in Derby
"The Methodical Mountie"....surprised that one didn't catch on. Weird seeing McCrirrick do any sport other than horse racing. Of course he'd have his eye on what the ladies in the crowd were wearing.
That 142....by higgy.... Class
If you have British Open matches of Paul Hunter from 2002 please upload
McCrirrick what a chancer. 3:21
With the miss rule the way it was or wasn't implemented back then, reminds me of a club game.
3.15....cue's cliff extension...!!!!!
The last frame was great to watch. Two of the games best safety players going at it head to head. With no favours asked and certainly none given. Cliff was a great player but not my type of player to watch, as he was boring and i believe the slowest ever. And that included charlton, griffiths, reardon, maybe ray reardon was just slower as at times he put me off watching snooker and to think he won it 6 times, but against no one really except spencer, steve davis, dennis taylor, mountjoy, spencer, pulman, hendry, but steve davis said on a tv proggrame that alex was the greatest safety player he ever saw and played against. And that was from a man that had masterd the game! Steve said "when a played alex and it came to safety play a always felt the under dog, as he was maybe thinking 3 shots ahead even at safety play wich is unusual as its so hard to do that, you just think of getting the ball safe. A would snooker alex then he would get out of it and snooker me back and then again and again, and its a part of his game that is never really spoke about. But any player knew when playing alex you didnt want to go head to head with him at safety play as he could make a white ball talk. He rarely made a mistake playing safe, it was when he went for a crazy pot that he let you in if he missesd or ran out of position, and alot of people did find that strange that he gave you nothing when playing safe as its the hardest part of the game especialy the angles alex could find to get the white safe! Then when you made a mistake he would clear up, but he missesd alot of easy shots as well to let you in to clear up". He just wanted to play to the audience and it cost him so many titles, but if he played for himself and won the lot he wouldnt be as exciting to watch, he would just be another player, but with more titles, easy! Cliff thorburn could pull great long shots out the bag and once he got in he rarely missesd and cleared up. And it was good to see them talking again at the end, as if ok i got it wrong and spat my dumny out? He did say green, i remember watching that match at that time in the mid 80s. But i never heard him say "green ball" or just green, i did when they played it again and you hear cliff say "green" but it was very low and saying it as he was down on the shot isnt the best way unless you say it louder. And i noticed most players said there colour when down on there shot and am thinking why not say it before you go down to the shot? Then every one will clearly hear it. It was a bit strange when most players said it when down on the shot as if it was a rule. I believe alex didnt hear him as alex was further away from the referee and not paying that much attention really at that exact time he said it. And you cant listen to what the audience say, as of course they will say they didnt hear it when they did, and say they heard it when they didnt, and were 7 rows behind alex lol
That barsted yellow ball
I remember this game very well. Thorburn had had a good season and reached a few finals so I had £20 on him at evens needless to say he lost
Quiff Thorburn.
Why does everybody need to cough 18 times every 16 seconds?
This of course, was the tournament where Kirk Stevens supposedly took cocaine in the toilets during the final against Silvino Francisco
A 142 yep... that qualifies for another pint 😂
Playing thorburn.. Just bored Alex to death...far too slow..
I seriously doubt that. Higgins was a Purist in his way and would have relished the contrast in styles just as much as everyone else. Fights or no fights, Insults or no insults, he would have respected Thorburn too, who was a serious threat to him at all times and who taught him the most valuable of lessons in the 1980 WC Final.