Patsy Houlihan?

[GrahamMiles]

I was having a convo with some snooker buddies in the 80s and they said that they'd seen a hustler called Patsy Houlihan play around various billiard halls around South East London in the 60s and they reckoned he was the best player they'd ever seen. I said "better than Spencer, Reardon or Davis?" they said "yes"

I never really believed it, but a few years ago when I read Jimmy White's book he said the same thing. And that took me back to that convo.

What I've heard about this player was that he played fast and loose and was a short guy with a lot of front and a great character, apparently he was a rag n bone man from Deptford and very rough around the edges and as a consequence was turned down pro status at a time when the pro circuit had a gentlemans reputation.

Apparently he'd walk into a hall usually with a minder and say "who want's a 60 start?" He was seen on the BBC in 78 or 79 playing Cliff Thorburn. Unfortunately I never saw this match. Apparently he was passed his best at that point.

He played a very small part in the 1984 Bob Geldof film, Number One. Other than that I've seen no footage of him.

He beat Spencer 11-5 in the final of the English ams in 1965. Also he had a victory over Reardon around this time.

Can anyone add to this and shed some light on Patsy Houlihan?

[mythman69]

There are a couple of threads on this:

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...2-Pat-Houlihan

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...Patsy-Houlihan

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...al-playing-cue

[Byrom]

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2007...dersobituaries

I think it a shame players like him and Cliff Wilson to name another - possibly others too never got the chance to shine in the pro game during their prime due to the state of the game lack of backing and the bad decisions made by people running the game at the time who had the power to invite you in and I have to say also it was also a bit of his own fault - read somewhere on one of these threads that he did a bit of bird for a house break-in roughly around this time John Spencer the guy who he had just thrashed in the final of the English Am got the pro ticket instead.

Both this guy and Cliff Wilson would have done great things in snooker had they been given a proper chance in their prime.

[pottr]

Is he related to Dodgeball legend Patches O' Houlihan?

[Sn00kered]

There's a couple of items on the interweb. Certainly seems a bit of a character but most clubs/ areas had them back in the day!


http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/yoursay/b...___s_hind_leg/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Houlihan

[mattyshinobi22]

would love to see footage of him

[spike]

Hi and welcome to the forum Graham. It's fascinating to hear what Jimmy had to say at the speed Houlihan use to play at, and just how good a player he really was. Graham, do you have any recollection/memories of your match with Houlihan in one of the qualifying rounds of the UK Championship from 1986/1987? Can't remember exactly the year.

[DeanH]

CueTracker has two matches between Graham and Pat, both at the UK Championships, 1981 (9-5 to GM) and 1987 (9-3 GM)

[mattyshinobi22]

wish someone upload to youtube

[roykay]

Patsy Houlihan, a legend.
I was lucky enough to get know Patsy quite well from the early 70's.
One day he walked into our club in Essex and drank tea and chatted at the bar, I knew who he was as I was up to speed with the who's who of snooker.
We played most days for a while, allways for £20 best of seven. I received 14 start and won about one in three but usually won my money back from playing his driver, a guy named Derek from Harold Hill.

Patsy didn't drive and he was in our area due to a local girl he was "seeing" so that was lucky for me as for a while I was entertained with his stories of has adventures in life and snooker.
He wore an overcoat which he sometimes opened to reveal half a dozen watches pinned to the inside and he would have many rings in the pockets, all for sale of course.
In Lewisham where his local club was he used to handicap himself to only score off the yellow or play with the half but, the window would have to be opened for some shots. He was a very classy player with great cue ball control, with a different background he would have had his time at the very top of the game.
One day while we were chatting about young up and coming players he said "Ronnie (Gross) tells me he has a player over there (Neasdon) by the name of White. Jimmy of course.
Soon after I watched an exhibition match between Jimmy and Patsy.
He tells the story of a match he played with Joe Davis, Joe after losing apologised to the audience saying that he had been playing golf all day. Patsy said, yes and I carried his clubs for him all day.
He was a great character and good fun. A natural London wheeler and dealer with a gift at snooker.

I'm glad I got the chance to know him.

Roy Bacon

[jb134]

I remember reading a book called The Cruel Game which was written during a season when Patsy mush have been past his prime (early 80s) in which Patsy is interviewed. I remember him saying how disappointed he was that Spencer in his own book described his loss to Patsy in the English am as "the worst match I ever played". Patsy said something like "he didn't have to say that".

It always reminded me how important it is to try to be gracious in defeat.

An art which I have subsequently mastered through practice.

[jb134]

Ps. Patsy beat Reardon 6-5 from 5-1 down in the semis before beating Spencer in the final.

Bad players don't do that!

[Byrom]

Patsy Houlihan, a legend.
I was lucky enough to get know Patsy quite well from the early 70's.
One day he walked into our club in Essex and drank tea and chatted at the bar, I knew who he was as I was up to speed with the who's who of snooker.
We played most days for a while, allways for £20 best of seven. I received 14 start and won about one in three but usually won my money back from playing his driver, a guy named Derek from Harold Hill.

Patsy didn't drive and he was in our area due to a local girl he was "seeing" so that was lucky for me as for a while I was entertained with his stories of has adventures in life and snooker.
He wore an overcoat which he sometimes opened to reveal half a dozen watches pinned to the inside and he would have many rings in the pockets, all for sale of course.
In Lewisham where his local club was he used to handicap himself to only score off the yellow or play with the half but, the window would have to be opened for some shots. He was a very classy player with great cue ball control, with a different background he would have had his time at the very top of the game.
One day while we were chatting about young up and coming players he said "Ronnie (Gross) tells me he has a player over there (Neasdon) by the name of White. Jimmy of course.
Soon after I watched an exhibition match between Jimmy and Patsy.
He tells the story of a match he played with Joe Davis, Joe after losing apologised to the audience saying that he had been playing golf all day. Patsy said, yes and I carried his clubs for him all day.
He was a great character and good fun. A natural London wheeler and dealer with a gift at snooker.

I'm glad I got the chance to know him.

Roy Bacon

Nice story and lovely memories Roy

[Byrom]

wow this guy's legend is growing - sounds a bit like a cross bettween George Cole -from Minder or Del Totter - and Alex Higgins.

He sold lots of watches stuff and beat people using one hand for money at snooker

Has no-one got any video footage?

[GrahamMiles]

I'm not thee Graham Miles. I'm just a massive Graham Miles fan, as he was the player that inspired me to take up the game in the 70s.

Graham Miles was not the same player in the 80s and Houlihan was near 60 with eye trouble so I wouldn't imagine the play was a high quality match. I think Miles won 9-4 or 9-5.