By Elliott West
“When you feel you can’t miss, you go for them, that’s the first time I have ever felt like that on television”.
Joe Johnson
Introduction
Every so often in snooker history, an epic clash occurs and for the purpose of this piece I want to concentrate on a meeting of two snooker minds that occurred in a quarter-final bout at the Crucible. So let’s pull out the video cassette and concentrate on the draw between Terry Griffiths and Joe Johnson. A clash where Terry had everything to lose and Joe, everything to gain.
Griffiths had already completed the Triple Crown crusade several years earlier, first lifting the World Championship trophy in 1979, after famously beating Dennis Taylor 24-16 and taking home a cheque for £10,000. Griffiths had the upper-hand on Joe with Johnson admitting that Terry had beaten him on numerous occasions. So for Joe, this was a match that he desperately wanted to win, not only to reach the semi-final but to put to bed, the domineering record that his opponent had over him. A match where the lads from Llanelli and Bradford met on this Sheffield stage for a performance that felt so much like a final encounter.
The Crucible Clash
Joe had up to this tournament, rarely performed well in front of the television cameras. However in the 1986 World Championship, it was as if someone had flicked a switch and Johnson fired into life, producing snooker that was worthy of the snooker gods. On this occasion, the Yorkshireman sprinted out of the starting blocks and gave his Welsh opponent, a tactician’s headache as he cruised into a three frame advantage. Griffiths then came back at him but Joe kept the former postman at bay, notching up a 6-3 advantage.
Despite this lead, Joe struggled in the middle session to maintain his stranglehold on the Welshman. Twice Griffiths had the opening to level but both at 5-6 and 6-7, failed to complete a winning clearance. A feat that achieved so brilliantly on his Crucible journey in 1979. Leading 8-7, Johnson was fortunate enough to cover the last red with the black when it was hanging over a baulk pocket. He went on to lead 9-7 going into the final session, having split the middle period 4-4.
Playing with his ordinary bridge hand but using the extending cue, Joe missed a straight black to a baulk pocket which would have given him the first frame of the morning session. Terry fought back and used his inner-strength to draw the match back to 8-9 and then levelled it up to 9-9 by winning an hour long frame on the blue. He then carried on his winning streak by taking a three frame advantage.
With four frames to play, Griffiths made a fatal error that would haunt him for many years to come. Every match has a turning point and on this occasion, centred around a shot involving the green. Screwing back from a green, Terry had a choice of easy reds at the top of the table but rushed the shot. This was the kind of chance that Joe had been waiting for and with the mistake being made, the fire returned to this player’s belly, a fire that had previously been drained out of him. Johnson produced a divine break of 102 and his opponent sat stewing in his chair, contemplating the enormity of his error. Griffiths later reflected after the e match saying:
“When someone thinks they’ve lost, they relax and if you give them a chance off they go”.
Terry Griffiths
Johnson then displayed his true skill in potting and break-building, capturing two more frames with frame-winning breaks of 44 and 110, taking the match to a deciding frame. At 12-12, the Crucible was engulfed in a deathly silence, one where you could hear a pin drop. Not phased, Joe kept his cool and held back the tension in his cue arm. He got in first and made a break of Johnson made a mistake when he got to the table a couple of visits later, going in-off, giving his opponent a flicker of a chance. Terry chose a safety shot instead of a risky long pot but caught it all wrong, allowing his opponent to make a 33 break. This was the sucker punch and won Johnson the ticket to proceed to the semi-final, one that completed a fifty-two minute, four frame burst. A disappointed Griffiths was left licking his wounds in a match he could have won but lady luck decided to shine on Joe. Johnson left the arena elated, punching the air as he exited and with an audience that had leapt to their feet, applauding.
Summary
Joe Johnson’s victory in this 1986 World Championship quarter-final was no coincidence. This gritty player had the hunger and was prepared to play out of his skin to carry on his crusade for the title. Johnson possessed a fire in 1986 that was impossible to extinguish and left his opponents, contemplating in their chairs. Joe went on to raise the trophy after another beating Tony Knowles 16-8 in the semi-final and a scintillating battle ensued , this time with Steve Davis in the final, where Joe beat his rival 18-12. Joe Johnson went on to reach the final in 1987, losing to Steve Davis 18-14.
Joe Johnson remains a brilliant player. His eyes may be older but he still can’t resist a double to the middle bag and still has the fancy shoes he wore in 1986.. Having been lucky enough to spend time with my dear friend, I have experienced the warmth and humour of his personality. He can still make a 147 in practice and having been lucky enough to play a frame against him at the Faversham snooker club several years ago for an exhibition, I have experienced his dogged determination on the table and someone who goes fully into the zone in practice and play.
