By Elliott West
We can only just see what happens in a couple of years’ time. I have some exciting things coming up, and I’m also getting older. My eyes are getting worse, and I never had good eyes to start with. As you get older the determination and the fire goes”.
Stephen Lee
Introduction
This year Stephen Lee will celebrate his 50th birthday on 12 October. A date that is not only his birth date but also marks the end of his twelve-year ban for match-fixing. Lee always strenuously denied the charges laid at his door and depending on your take on the situation, you will have already made up your mind about whether he is innocent or guilty. Putting this episode aside, I feel it important to celebrate the player who was a marvel to watch. His timing, mastery of the cue and shot selection were second to none and are still talked about off-camera by players and fans alike. Forgiveness is a virtue and I do feel that Lee has served his inner sentence for what was a moment of madness that ultimately brought the sport into disrepute. He is not the first and as we have seen in recent events, won’t be the last to try and make some money by the wrong means.
Classy
Stephen Lee was a professional player from 1992-2014 with the highest ranking of 5th. A holder of five ranking titles, 1998 Grand Prix, 2001 LG Cup, 2002 Scottish Open, 2006 Welsh Open and 2012 Players Tour Championship. He also reached the semi-finals of the 2003 World Championship and the final of the 2008 Masters. A record that would have been much greater if the situation had been different. A player who made 184-century breaks in competitive play and who was noted for his silky smooth cue action. Someone who I am sure would have given Ronnie O’Sullivan a run for his money.
The Class of ‘92
Like it or not, Lee is a member of this exclusive club. This player from Trowbridge still sets a bar in snooker and made Shaun Murphy look like an amateur. I loved watching him and frankly, snooker has been left with a void without him. The dust may have settled on Stephen’s chapter in snooker but there is plenty of footage available on the internet to remind you of how good he was. Lee now spends his days in Thailand, coaching others and playing in various exhibitions. He is in a happy place, putting his ghosts to bed and trying to move on with his life.
The Burning Question
One question that a lot of people are still asking is whether Stephen Lee will attempt to rejoin the snooker tour after his ban finishes. If he decided to do so, he would have to qualify through Q School and we know how hard that process is. That’s not to say he is not fully capable of doing so. He has loads of natural talent and being 50 is no barrier as so many players in this age bracket have proven. I and so many people think he has served his term in the snooker wilderness and deserves a second chance. He may have hinted to the media two years ago that he was considering it but I am still not sure whether take up the opportunity. We all know what happens when players are tempted by a second wind and it could just further tarnish their reputation. Either way, Stephen Lee remains one of the greatest cueists in snooker and should always be remembered and applauded for that mammoth achievement.
