By Elliott West
“There’s been a lot of changes through the years, some good, some bad but on the whole its turned into a beautiful club. I would say that because it is mine”.
Darren Morgan
Introduction
Great snooker clubs are hard to come by especially today when so many have had to close their doors for good. However, there are still a number of hidden gems dotted across the country, one of which is the Red Triangle Snooker Club in Crosskeys, Newport owned by the former professional snooker player and still highly successful amateur, Darren Morgan. Originally opened in 1983 with Darren taking over the reins in 2002, this fantastic snooker club celebrates its 40th anniversary and 21 years since Morgan bought it. This club is unique because it had weathered the storm of the bad times and managed to stay afloat when all the odds were stacked against it.
Wales has long been an electrical hotbed of snooker producing the likes of Terry Griffiths, Doug Mountjoy, Ray Reardon, Matthew Stevens and Mark Williams. Still, the vibrancy of its surroundings shines on the snooker tables here. Darren Morgan has tapped into that rich Welsh vein and produced a local beacon of the community, very much how Mark Williams has in his own club not so far away. Consisting of a snooker and pool club with a sports shop underneath, the club hosts a number of tournaments and exhibitions, hosting the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, and Judd Trump and with a second future visit by John Higgins for two nights in April.
Outside Forces
One of the outside pressures of running any business is the state of the economy. Snooker clubs are no exception and the current Cost of Living Crisis hasn’t helped matters, mainly as it follows three years of restrictions and lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Darren Morgan recently wrote a post on social media confirming this fact. The rising costs of electricity, gas and rising day-to-day costs have had a detrimental effect on the club and its owner has had to turn to the support of the local community to keep prices down. Through the membership, Darren has tried to find a way forward, one that can cover the huge costs of putting in various competitions and exhibitions. Through monthly bashes and a loyalty scheme, Morgan is staying afloat but still warns that without support, the club could be gone for good. A big ask for everyone involved and especially for something that is essentially a leisure facility. However, snooker relies on these local beating hearts and it would be a tragedy if this one stopped beating.
Hustle and Bustle
Fortunately, if you look at any footage of the club, especially on a Saturday morning when a local bash is taking place, the snooker and pool rooms are a hive of activity. Quite a few people also come in when there is a snooker tournament on television, as was shown with the recent Snooker Shootout. Morgan hit his first competitive 147 break at the age of 56 in January at the WBSA senior event in Ammanford against Gareth Edwards in the second round. Darren who had hit a three-figure for 147 breaks in practice, said afterwards :
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have one in a match so late in my career, it just come out of nowhere and I could not believe how calm I was all the way through to completing it”.
Darren Morgan
A good precursor to his appearance at the World Seniors’ Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in May. Darren is probably one of the nicest people you can meet and I am truly grateful for his friendship and support over the years that I have known him. He is a joy to watch play and although he always thinks he could do better, his groaning trophy cabinet shows that he can still play snooker to a high standard despite his hectic life of juggling the club, his other business interests and his family life. A man who is just down to earth without any airs or graces and someone that is always a pleasure to spend time with. Someone who sees his wife Melissa as his rock and who is always there for her husband.
