Upton Cricket Club will be holding their 16th Annual Sportsman's Dinner on Friday 15th July (7.30pm start) and are pleased to announce that snooker legend, Willie Thorne will be the guest speaker.

One of the most talented snooker players of his generation, Willie is a renowned sporting personality.

Honing his skills as a junior player, Thorne became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards in 1970. In a career spanning three decades, Willie won a total of 14 tournament victories worldwide. Alongside players such as Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins, Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, Willie was a central figure in popularising snooker in the 1980s. During the pinnacle of his success, he featured in Chas ‘n’ Dave’s hit song ‘Snooker Loopy’.

"The Great WT", as he is affectionately known, was a regular in the Top 16 World Ranking players for well over a decade and is one of the top record breakers for the highest number of 147 breaks in the history of snooker (190), earning him his nickname "Mr Maximum". In his later career, he achieved the title of World Seniors Snooker Champion. During his time in the sport, Willie certainly established himself as one of the greatest characters in snooker for over 25 years.

After retiring from snooker, Willie became a celebrated broadcaster, TV and radio commentator for all major snooker championships including the World Snooker Championship on all major networks such as Sky Sports, ITV and the BBC, which all maintain his household name. He has also starred on various popular TV programmes including Strictly Come Dancing, Pointless Celebrities and All Star Mr & Mrs.

Tickets cost £45 each and include a three course meal with additional entertainment provided by a top comedian.

To book tickets, please contact Jez Lamb via email or 07887 743 230.