EX-PROFESSIONAL Neil Davies recalled being on cloud nine after a first ever pro-match victory but was swiftly brought down to earth by an elderly woman in a hotel.

Back in the days when the professional snooker ranks were open, Southampton’s Neil Davies joined the Main Tour and headed up to Blackpool for a qualifying tournament.

After a famous victory, he was interviewed by a reporter from the Daily Telegraph for a piece which appeared in the paper the following morning. Feeling rather pleased with himself, Neil put on his waistcoat and bow-tie ready for the next day’s play and headed down the stairs of the hotel.

As he was crossing the foyer he was beckoned over by an elderly woman seated at a small table. Puffing out his chest with pride, Neil strode over expecting to be asked for an autograph.

But Neil had his ego deflated when the woman demanded: “Two coffees, my man.”

Once ranked in the top 200 in the world, Neil retired from the pro circuit and now works as a staff trainer for Labrokes. After a few years away from the game he returned to play for Churchills’ in the Southampton League and was crowned Town Champion in 2004.

While the above story is absolutely true, Neil is known to have a wicked sense of humour and loves to entertain while practising at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club. The next two should be taken with a liberal coating of salt.

Neil popped in to the club this week after a night in the cells. Apparently he’d been in town to buy some wood and when asked by the lad behind the counter whether he wanted decking, decided to get the first punch in.

Neil entertained the lads on table-2 while the final was being played, with a break of 119 and tales of when he used to be a hunt saboteur. Apparently, he and his mates would go out the night before and shoot the fox.