SENIORS SET FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (original) (raw)

The first World Seniors Championship for 19 years will be staged next season, featuring some of snooker's best known faces.

Seven world champions - Steve Davis, John Parrott, Ken Doherty, Dennis Taylor, Alex Higgins, Joe Johnson and Peter Ebdon - as well as Jimmy White will be seeded through to the final stages of the over 40s event in November.

A qualifying competition next month is set to include Tony Drago, Mike Hallett, Darren Morgan, David Taylor, Nigel Bond, Dave Harold, Tony Knowles and Joe Swail.

Cliff Wilson beat Eddie Charlton 5-4 in the final of the 1991 World Seniors Championship.

There have been other seniors events since but this is the first to carry the World Championship title and will carry prize money of £50,000.

Johnson, one of the co-organisers, said: “I have been working very hard to pull this concept together and I am glad that with World Snooker’s help we are making it a reality.

"I cannot wait to get out on the floor and battle it out with my old friends and adversaries. Snooker fans have been crying out for this type of event and I am sure that we will do our best to put on an entertaining Championship.”

The qualifiers will be held at Cue Gardens, Bradford from May 28-30.

The televised final stages will be held at Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford from November 5-7.