By Elliott West
Introduction
I never get tired of writing about Cliff Wilson, one of the most exciting snooker exports that have ever come out of Wales. A good friend and adversary of Ray Reardon, Cliff came from Tredegar, a Welsh town in the valleys where life was a constant struggle and coal dust was ingrained in the souls of those who lived there. A town divided between gaslight and electricity, Wilson had to tread the exhibition boards and play the money games to survive, places where the cigarette smoke filled the air and the beer pumps never ran dry.
Career
A talented junior player, Cliff was quickly talent-spotted by the legendary Joe Davis and was a dominant force in Welsh snooker in the 1950s, winning the British Under-19 Championship in 1951 and 1952 and a finalist in 1950 and 1954. He also won the Welsh Amateur Championship in 1956, a title that he would later regain for three years in succession in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He also reached the final of the English Amateur Championship in 1954, losing to Geoff Thompson 9-11.
Wilson had learnt his craft in a steel-works club room and despite being almost totally blind in his left eye, this formidable potter weaved his way between being a storekeeper and a spell in the Royal Airforce for National Service to play the game he lived and breathed for. Cliff was a break builder, who wasn’t afraid to take on that risky pot and left a snooker table feeling like it had gone twelve rounds in a boxing ring.
However, after a very promising start in snooker, Wilson gave up the sport or the game as he preferred to call it. This was due to a combination of factors but largely due to his main rival, Ray Reardon deciding to move away from Tredegar. The vacuum created by this departure, caused the edge to go out of the Welshman’s game and wasn’t helped by the death of his father, a man who had been a supporting pillar of stone during his early career. Snooker was on the decline during this time with its popularity waning. Cliff felt that the mountain would be too high to climb to gain access to the small and closed professional circuit and so decided to continue working at the steelworks in Llanwern. This led to Wilson being removed from the sport from 1957-1972, playing only in a few matches, including the Snooker Foursomes in 1960 where he partnered with John Price.
However, in 1972, Cliff was persuaded by a friend to join a works team in the Newport League after a place became vacant. A wise decision that quickly led to pastures new with Wilson being selected for the Welsh team for the 1973-4 International Series and again in 1976-77. This acted as a major springboard with Wilson going on to win a string of amateur titles and eventually led to him turning professional in 1979, aged 45.
A regular participant in all of the tournaments during the 1980s and early 1990s, reaching a ranking high of 16th in the 1988-89 season, reaching the final of the 1981 Welsh Professional Championship and numerous quarter-finals. A winner of the 1976 Pontins Autumn Open and the 1991 World Seniors Championship, Cliff was described as a “phenomenal talent” and has been described as being one of the greatest long potters that snooker has produced. A proud tea drinker, Cliff continued to play snooker late in life despite a range of health problems. A health kick had caused him to give up smoking and he was aiming to become more active but we sadly lost this Welsh great in 1994, aged 60 after developing an inoperable disease of the liver and pancreas.
Summary
Cliff Wilson was a Welsh force that lit up any room he played in. If you were lucky enough to have seen him play, your Christmas had come early with the Welshman have a style of play that took no prisoners and relied on natural instinct, taking on the pots that few would attempt. His shot choice was amazing and when he potted a ball, it hit the back of the pocket with a force that could have created an additional pocket. He was witty and entertaining and had a sparkle in his eye that often mesmerised his opponent, leaving them with a thumping headache and a shattered soul. A loveable Welsh uncle with a killer punch.
