John Williams’ three-ball nightmare (From Daily Echo)

John Williams’ three-ball nightmare

2:33pm Friday 12th June 2009

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FORMER world championship final referee John Williams may have been number one in his field at snooker, but, according to a colleague, he knew sweet FA about the three-ball game.

Peter Marchi, life vice-president of the Southampton & District Social Clubs League, spent 12 years as a WPBSA referee working under Williams.

Marchi, now 80, said: “He was wonderful to me - but he knew f*** all about billiards. Because I didn’t take the mickey out of him, he took a shine to me.”

Williams was officiating the late, great former world billiards champion Norman Dagley. Marchi was scoring.

Dagley’s opponent had run a coup, putting his white in the middle pocket and leaving the red in baulk.

However, Dagley, from in hand, managed to go in off and completed 14 more hazards (pots or ‘in offs’).

He then stopped and looked at Williams. There was silence.

Williams said: “Everything all right?”

“No,” replied Dagley. “I’m waiting for you.” And he explained that the other cue-ball returns to the table.

“Where does it go?” asked Williams.

Marchi said: “It goes on the brown spot.”

Nowadays, Williams runs tournaments at Pontin’s world snooker centre in Prestatyn.