By Elliott West
Introduction
Nigel Gilbert is probably a face from snooker that you remember if you have watched snooker for a number of years. A sportsman who always played with a trademark white glove on his bridging hand to reduce perspiration. In a professional career that spanned from 1986-2001, Gilbert faired quite well in an era of snooker that was frankly a rat race of talented players and managed to conquer the top 64, having a highest ranking of 44 in the 1994-1995 season and achieved his best performance in 1988 reaching the quarter-finals of the Grand Prix.
Career
Born in 1959 and raised in Bedford, Nigel was first introduced to snooker at the age of 16 by a local Bedford butcher and it wasn’t long before school became second place to his love for the game. Initially practising at the Greyfriars Snooker Club, owned by Mick Fisher, it was here that Gilbert developed his game as an amateur, playing against Fisher to improve and build on his natural talent.
After leaving school, Nigel worked on the local market stalls in Bedford and then served an apprenticeship as an electrician with the London Brick Company. A job where he eventually got sacked for poor timekeeping. Like so many snooker players, he never worked outside snooker again and his poor timekeeping often became apparent in the various qualifiers and tournaments he entered throughout his career. A clear example being during the qualifiers for the 1987 Mercantile Credit Classic, held at the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool. To avoid travelling, Nigel stayed at the venue and ended up being late for his match against Jimmy Van Rensburg and was docked three frames. He ended up losing the match 5-3 but still claims that his reason for being late was due to his watch being wrong.
Turning Professional
Nigel Gilbert turned professional in 1986 but only just, scraping into the senior ranks via the back door after finishing ninth in the 1985 Pro-Ticket series. The top eight players from this series were eligible to become professional but because Terry Whitthread had already turned professional, Gilbert jumped a place and joined the other seven players.
Now 27, Nigel made his first professional appearance in the latter stages of a tournament at the 1987 International Open. Here he defeated Ian Black 5-3, Jack McLaughlin 5-4, Murdo MacLeod 5-1 and Wayne Jones 5-4 before losing to Eddie Charlton in the last 16.
The following year, Gilbert reached the quarter-finals of the 1988 Grand Prix where he defeated Bill Oliver 5-4, Silvino Francisco 5-4, Eddie Charlton 5-0, a transformation from his match against the Australian that previous year and Tony Knowles 5-4 before losing to Alain Robidoux 5-4.
His best performance at the World Championship came in 1990, reaching the last 32 of the prestigious event. A run that was eventually ended by Terry Griffiths. Gilbert had led the match 3-2 but ended up losing 4-10.
Poor Form
Like most snooker players, poor form creeps into your game and Nigel was no exception. Despite reaching 44th in the world rankings, Gilbert hadn’t reached the last 16 of a ranking event since the 1991 Dubai Classic and by the end of the 1996-1997 season, he had slipped down to 111th in the rankings and was relegated from the tour for one season. Rejoining the tour, Nigel wasn’t able to improve and only managed to get to 119th and eventually lost his professional status in 2001, aged 42.
