I was surprised to hear he was only 66
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/53076861
Snooker Legend Willie Thorne Passes Away
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- Posts: 194
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:55 am
Very sad to hear this.
I met him once. He did a meet and greet at a betting shop I worked in. He was a really nice man, he was booked to be in the shop all day and in the morning he was going round doing his meet and greet bit and chatting to all the customers.
Then as soon as the racing started, all the regulars in the shop ignored him, and he just came and stood by the counter chatting to the staff until it was time for him to go.
He told some cracking stories about racing and his gambling. He told me that he used to own a snooker club in Newmarket which was very popular with many of the trainers. He said that was a factor in his gambling downfall as he was getting tips and whispers left right and centre on a daily basis. He sad none of the information was ever any good, and often led to him losing more money. I think maybe his meet and greets were in part to pay off some of those bets.
He was a class act though, will never forget that day.
I met him once. He did a meet and greet at a betting shop I worked in. He was a really nice man, he was booked to be in the shop all day and in the morning he was going round doing his meet and greet bit and chatting to all the customers.
Then as soon as the racing started, all the regulars in the shop ignored him, and he just came and stood by the counter chatting to the staff until it was time for him to go.
He told some cracking stories about racing and his gambling. He told me that he used to own a snooker club in Newmarket which was very popular with many of the trainers. He said that was a factor in his gambling downfall as he was getting tips and whispers left right and centre on a daily basis. He sad none of the information was ever any good, and often led to him losing more money. I think maybe his meet and greets were in part to pay off some of those bets.
He was a class act though, will never forget that day.