Ken Doherty with Alex Higgins during their Sunday World exhibition match in 1997
Belfast’s Waterfront Hall has been the setting for some of Irish snooker star Ken Doherty’s fondest moments.
But his favourite occasion, when he took on Alex Higgins in 1997 at Higgins’s Testimonial match, arranged by the Sunday World, lives long in his memory.
And he told the Sunday World this week that when he walks back out in front of thousands of fans to compete in the Snooker Legends event at the Waterfront on Friday, he still thinks of ‘Higgy’ when he thinks of Belfast.
“That night back in ‘97 was a magical evening, particularly because I got to play against one of my heroes, Alex Higgins,” said Ken.
“I always remember Higgins coming out with the hat and the white jacket on that night. He did look a bit frail.
“After the match I was on my own in the dressing room. I went to Higgy’s room to say goodbye and when the door opened, this huge waft of smoke billowed out.
“When I looked in the beer, wine and champagne was flowing and he came out with a glass of champagne in his hand looking like a million dollars – like a Hollywood movie star!”
As a close confidant and friend of Higgins, Ken also spoke of his shock when the Belfast snooker legend passed away back in 2010.
While playing at a snooker tournament abroad Ken explained how, when he received the news of Higgins’ death, he initially thought it was a prank.
Ken said: “I was with Joe Swail and Jimmy White in a tournament in Thailand. We thought the news was a wind up, but when we rang back home it was very, very sad. When we went to the funeral and carried the coffin it was very special.
“At the funeral, even though everyone was very sad, we sat around a table in the Europa Hotel and we all told stories about Alex Higgins, and I think that’s what he would have wanted.
“The people of Belfast lined the streets for him and clapped him all the way down.”
Like Higgy, Ken found typically Irish humour in the gloom of a funeral, pointing out that is was quite apt that the late hell-raiser was drawn in a cart to his resting place by two horses.
He laughed: “He was taken through Belfast by two slow horses in a carriage. We were wondering which one he’d backed….”
Every snooker player and Northern Irish personality tends to have a favourite story about Higgy, but Ken’s is a personal, and somewhat lesser heard instance of the great player taking the mick out of himself, in a roundabout manner.
“Higgins came down to Dublin to practice with me for the Irish Professional Championship once,” told Ken, who’s also die-hard Manchester United fan.
“His picture had pride of place on the wall of my snooker room at the Radisson Hotel. He came across a picture of myself and George Best
that was taken back in 1988.
“He had a pint of Guinness in one hand, a smoke in the other, the glasses on the bridge of the nose and a copy of the Racing Post in his back pocket.
“I said to him, ‘there’s your old pal Georgie Best.’
“‘Geordie Best…’, he says, shaking his head. ‘What a waste.’”
Ken playing earlier this year
Ken’s latest trip to Belfast will be on June 7 – next Friday night, when he and his fellow snooker heroes travel to the Waterfront Hall for a few nostalgic games.
“These legends nights are fantastic form,” said an ever enthusiastic Ken.
“I think the one we had in Belfast last year had about a thousand people at it. It’s a great night out.
“As well as seeing really good snooker being played, you get to see a different side to the players as well. You get to see us ripping into each other.”
He also showed that the older generation of snooker stars still take the game seriously, even with a more laid back ‘showcase’ approach.
“I’ll be teaming up with the happy-go-lucky Stephen Hendry to take on Jimmy White and John Parrott,” said ken. “It’ll be like country clash for us!
“Jimmy is one of my heroes as well and JP, who I’ve worked a lot with and played a lot, is great fun as well. He’s a great lad and great fun. He’s a scouser though, but you can’t have everything can you?
“As much banter as we’ll be having, we’ll still be trying to beat each other. It’s still important for us to have those bragging rights!”
The Man U man also spoke of his huge disappointment at the season his beloved Red Devils have had both domestically and in Europe.
He joked: “Last season is a blur. It was very disappointing. To be so far behind was unfathomable, you can’t comprehend it. It was a bit of a shock to the system. I’m not sure whether Van Gaal is the right man for the job, or whether he’ll stick it out and last.”
Ken’s son Christian, now six, enjoys watching his play as much as anyone. But Ken revealed how his boy is “mad into tennis. He plays tennis about five times a week. He loves all sport.
“His mother said she doesn’t want him following in my footsteps because it’s a long road, it’s a very tough road and as all sports person’s lives are. Playing sport can only benefit him in the long run.”