By Elliott West
“Obviously I’m thrilled to bits to still be here.”
Brian Morgan talking about his 1999 China Open performance.
Introduction
Cast your minds back to the early 1990s and you will probably remember a snooker player called Brian Morgan. Born in 1968 and 53, Brian was a former World Under-21 champion, defeating Jason Peplow 6-1 in 1988 and turned professional in 1989, having a healthy spell on the tour until 2006. Morgan also entered the top 32 for several years, reaching 27th in the rankings twice between 1995-1996 and 1998-1999.
Career
Brian Morgan had an impressive run as a professional despite never winning a major title. Morgan reached the last 16 of the 1994 World Championship, losing to James Wattana 13-9. Despite losing the match, Brian produced a divine 134 break against the Thai, witnessed live on the BBC with commentary provided by John Virgo and Jack Karnehm and refereed by John Street. Morgan also qualified for the World Championship in 1993, 1995 and 1997.
In 1996 he reached his only professional final, the Asian Classic, held at the Riverside Montien Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. On route, he defeated Stephen Hendry 5-3, Tony Drago 5-4, Ken Doherty 5-1 before losing narrowly to Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-8 in the final. A tournament where he achieved a 146 break.
However, he did have some success in non-ranking events, winning the Benson and Hedges Championship in 1996. A tournament where he beat Scotland’s Drew Henry 9-8 and entitled him to a wildcard place in the Masters. He also reached the final of the Pakistan Masters the same year, finishing runner-up to Thailand’s Noppadon Noppachorn, losing 5-7.
In later years, he would also go on to win Event 2 of the WPBSA Open Tour, beating Ireland’s Leo Fernandez 5-2 in the final and finished runner-up to Luke Simmonds in the 2001 Pontin’s Spring Open, losing 5-7.
Now living in Tiptree, Essex, Brian has never lost his love of snooker and still enjoys practicing and playing. A former Basildon and Southend favourite, Morgan came from the dead at the 1999 China Open in Shanghai. In his match against Peter Lines, Morgan was 4-2 down in the match but produced a fightback that saw him three frames in a row to win the match 5-4. A win that saw Brian reach the quarter-finals. It was here that he met Ronnie O’Sullivan and so narrowly missed a win over his opponent, losing 5-6. This was only the second time that he reached the last four stages of a ranking event. Brian has added another string to his bow by competing in World Seniors’ events.
