By Elliott West
Introduction
Terry Whitthread is one of a number of London players who played snooker in one of the most exciting eras of snooker. Born in 1964, this young lad oozed flair and natural talent, growing up in an era of snooker where money was tight and had to be made in the various money games in snooker clubs across the country.
Career
Terry burst onto the snooker scene when he won the 1980 British Junior (under 16) snooker championship at the Isle of Wight, became the youngest player to win the London Championship in 1980 and took part in the 1981 version of Junior Pot Black, losing to New Zealand’s Dene O’Kane 0-1 in the qualifying round. At 14, he was one of a group of snooker players, known as the “Magnificent Seven” managed by Henry West, no relation to me, the others being Patsy Fagan, John Virgo, Joe Johnson, Tony Knowles, Tony Meo and Jimmy White. Aged 15, he defeated Terry Griffiths 3-1 at the Warners Holidays tournament in 1980. Described as an outstanding prospect, Whitthread looked like he was beginning to walk down the path of success.
In 1985, Terry won the English Amateur Championship, defeating Scotland’s Jim McNellan 13-4 in the final. He then went on to finish second at the 1985 IBSF World Snooker Championship to Jim McNellan in their round-robin qualifying group and then lost 2-5 in the quarter-finals to the eventual winner Paul Mifsud.
Turning professional in 1986, Terry recorded one match win (other than a walkover) in seven tournaments in his debut season, a 5-1 defeat of Dennis Hughes in the 1987 British Open. He never reached a quarter-final as a professional and ceased to be one in 1992. Whitthread’s highest ranking was 100. A great prospect but sadly one of those great players who could not quite cut it as a professional in this era.
