Willie Thorne

During snooker's heyday in the 1980s, Willie Thorne was one of the game's best-known and well-liked players. He won 14 titles, made a record 196 maximum breaks and, at the height of the game's popularity, famously appeared in the classic Chas 'n' Dave video Snooker Loopy ("e;Old Willie Thorne, 'is 'air's all gawn!"e;).But behind the happy-go-lucky smile lurked a dark secret. Willie was a gambling ...