Ray Reardon: Six-times world snooker champion dies aged 91

Former world snooker champion Ray Reardon has died at the age of 91.

The Welshman had previously been diagnosed with cancer.

Reardon dominated snooker in the 1970s, claiming six world titles between 1970 and 1978.

Fellow Welshman Mark Williams, himself a three-time world champion, led the tributes on the World Snooker Tour: “Ray is one of the best sports people ever from Wales and the best snooker player.

“He’s one of the reasons why a lot of us started playing. He put snooker on the map, alongside Alex Higgins, Jimmy White and Steve Davis. Anyone playing now owes them a lot because they brought popularity to the game. He is a real inspiration.”

Jimmy White said on social media: “Gutted to hear my very good friend Ray Reardon has passed away. A total class act and very kind to me when I was making my way in the game. A giant of the game. Rest in peace mate.”

Neal Foulds praised Reardon as “a giant of our sport”, John Virgo said ” it was an honour to have known… a true great of our game”, while Mark Selby added “what a legend”.

Nicknamed ‘Dracula’ because of his distinctive widow’s peak hairstyle, Reardon became a star as the game enjoyed a television boom.

He won the first Pot Black series on BBC Two in 1969, and was made an MBE in the 1985 Queen’s Birthday honours.

His rivalries with John Spencer and the flamboyant Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins made for some of the most compelling sporting contests on television at the time.

Reardon’s first world title came in 1970 when he beat John Pulman by 39 frames to 34.

There followed a gap until 1973 when he beat Australian Eddie Charlton in the final, the first of four consecutive titles, culminating in his victory over Higgins in 1976 – the last Championship before the move to The Crucible in Sheffield.

Reardon won the title again in 1978, and topped the world rankings until 1981 when the emergence of Steve Davis heralded a new era.

The former coal miner and a police officer reached the World Championship final again in 1982, but lost to Higgins.

Reardon retired from the professional game in 1991 at the age of 58.

He was later hired by Ronnie O’Sullivan as a consultant and was credited with helping the talented Londoner claim the world title in 2004.

In 2016, the trophy awarded to the winner of the Welsh Open was named the Ray Reardon Trophy in his honour.