Snooker news - All-time top 10: Who does Barry Hearn rate as the greatest players in history?

ByDesmond Kane

Updated 23/05/2020 at 09:08 GMT

World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn, Britain's legendary sports promoter, talks Desmond Kane through his all-time top 10 list of green baize greats. Hearn, who has managed a myriad of snooker icons including Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan, has never missed a World Championship since the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield first hosted the blue-chip event in 1977.

Barry Hearn names his greatest players of all time.

Image credit: Eurosport

Barry Hearn at the Crucible Theatre.

Image credit: Eurosport

You've got to be careful you don't miss someone out as people can get mortally offended. I don't really value the older players as I don't think they were particularly good in comparison to what we witness in the modern game. Guys like Cliff Thorburn and Dennis Taylor had some wind behind them on their day, but technically we live in a different world.

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When you watch the old snooker today, it looks terrible in comparison. They miss balls, the cue action looks different and they move on the shot. This is the best era of all time in terms of ability and in my 45 years of watching world-class snooker. Forgive me if I'm going to be brutal with the older players, I just don't think they would have survived in today's game.

When you talk about the greatest, you also have to consider their legendary status, the iconic moments you want to watch over and over again. That's what we are trying to do by releasing a lot of those clips with the launch of Matchroom Live from all the sports I've been involved in. It will allow the fans to enjoy some wonderful moments for free.

In these days of inactivity and boredom, we thought it would be a good chance to catch up on all those memories that we've helped to create over the past 40 years.

I wouldn't be here without snooker, I have to be honest about it. It is a great sport and I got lucky because nobody else recognised its potential at the time. Thank God it was put on mainstream television.

Apologies to anyone I've left out of my top 10. It is only a personal opinion. This is how I see it since I started snooker promotion in 1975. I've worked with most of the greatest players. They've shared my house, my heart and some of them have shared my wallet.

I'm 45 years in and this is an honest appraisal.

1. Ronnie O'Sullivan (England)

World champion 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013
Masters champion 1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017
UK champion 1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Barry Hearn.

Image credit: Reuters

Number one is Ronnie O'Sullivan. He is a genius, an unbelievable talent. He has been winning matches and events since he was 12 years old. And he's still winning now at the age of 44.

I've worked with most of the greats of the game, but I don't think I've seen a greater natural talent. His achievements speak for themselves really including that unbelievable 147 in the 1997 World Championship that will probably never be bettered.

Watch Ronnie O'Sullivan make the fastest 147 in snooker history on Matchroom Live

2. Stephen Hendry (Scotland)

World champion 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999
Masters champion 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996
UK champion 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996

Stephen Hendry and Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins in 1987.

Image credit: Eurosport

Hendry was the greatest winning machine of all time. Unmissable, unbelievable in his prime. He looked like would never miss when he was among the balls. He had a mental strength, desire and an ability to win like no other player.

3. Steve Davis (England)

World champion 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989
Masters champion 1982, 1988, 1997
UK champion 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987

Barry Hearn and Steve Davis.

Image credit: Eurosport

Steve Davis had the greatest concentration and temperament in the game during his domination of the 1980s. Like Hendry, a winning machine that just wanted to get inside your brain. He'd leave his opponent's brain in a jam jar. A ruthless operator.

You could bet your last fiver on him, and 99 times out of 100 you were going to get paid. That's why he was called 'The Nugget'.

I met him in 1975 and we started our adventure in 1976. There was a lot of gambling back then before snooker really exploded on television. I'd promise him a £25 appearance fee every night, and would cut him a share of the winnings if he won which he nearly always did.

Watch Steve Davis win his first world title in 1981 on Matchroom Live

4. John Higgins (Scotland)

World champion 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011
Masters champion 1999, 2006
UK champion 1998, 2000, 2009

John Higgins celebrates with his fourth world title.

Image credit: Eurosport

Higgins is such a great all-round match player. Probably the greatest match player the game has produced. An outstanding temperament. Capable of escaping almost any situation. Like the others I've mentioned, Higgins also has the unique killer instinct of a champion.

Watch John Higgins win a thriller at the Masters in 2006 on Matchroom Live

5. Ray Reardon (Wales)

World champion 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978
Masters champion 1976

Ray Reardon

Image credit: Eurosport

Reardon would come in at number five. Ray was ahead of his time. He was an unbelievable competitor. He is probably the greatest player to come out of the post-Joe Davis era.

6. Judd Trump (England)

World champion 2019
Masters champion 2019
UK champion 2011

Judd Trump and Barry Hearn.

Image credit: Eurosport

I'm going to go for Trump at six. He is on his way to becoming a true great of the sport. He may well shoot up the top ten in the next few years.

This kid has the potential to be perhaps the best of all time. There is a long way to go, but he's got everything from the winning ability to the flair. He's a wonderful mixture of a player.

'Wow!' - Judd Trump's best shots of the season

7. Mark Selby (England)

World champion 2014, 2016, 2017
Masters champion 2008, 2010, 2013
UK champion 2012, 2016

Barry Hearn and Mark Selby.

Image credit: Eurosport

You look at somebody like Selby and you see a cast-iron winning machine. The key to his success is a formidable mental approach to the game. He absolutely never gives up.

He perhaps does not have the excitement or flair of others on the list, but is absolutely ruthless. Ruthlessness is a key component of all these guys, but especially so when you don't have the natural ability of say a Ronnie or a Judd.

8. Paul Hunter (England)

Masters champion 2001, 2002, 2004

Paul Hunter lifts his third Masters title in 2004.

Image credit: Getty Images

I'm going to put Hunter in at eight. I'm including him in my all-time list because he was an unbelievable talent. He was getting better and better and could really have gone on to become one of the leading all-time greats.

Unfortunately, we tragically lost him to cancer at only 27, but that doesn't stop us recognising the talent that he possessed. He is well worth his place in the top 10.

Watch Paul Hunter win his third Masters title in 2004 on Matchroom Live

9. Alex Higgins (Northern Ireland)

World champion 1972, 1982
Masters champion 1978, 1981
UK champion 1983

Alex Higgins in 1988.

Image credit: Eurosport

Simply because of his charisma and his effect on the game, I'll go with Alex Higgins at number nine. I don't think he would have won much today because he went for so many risky, outlandish shots and missed. The professionals in this era don't miss.

You can't give them chances, but a top 10 of all time without Alex Higgins in there wouldn't make sense.

10. Jimmy White (England)

Masters champion 1984
UK champion 1992

Jimmy White with the 1984 Masters trophy.

Image credit: Eurosport

There are so many contenders for the final place when you think of fabulous competitors like Mark Williams, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and Peter Ebdon. The list goes on. All great players, but I'm going to go for my old mate Jimmy White.

When I watch the old school snooker, how this bloke didn't win a world title is beyond me. I keep watching it still expecting him to win. He's in positions where you wonder: 'how can you fail Jim?'

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He's got solid technique and a sound temperament, but when he saw the land of milk and honey and Moses was leading you across the river bed in the greatest scene in the movie, he stayed a bit too long there and the water crashed down on you. I think I'm being kind, but the game owes him because he was such an amazing, exciting player.

He's a great bloke and a true ambassador for snooker.

Desmond Kane

Sports fans can enjoy classic snooker, darts and boxing action. Matchroom Sport is delighted to announce that Matchroom Live, a platform giving sports fans worldwide access to its portfolio of events, is now available.

Peter Wright is presented the trophy by Charlotte Emery, William Hill Global Brand and Marketing Director and PDC Chairman Barry Hearn after victory in the Final of the 2020 William Hill World Darts Championship

Image credit: Getty Images

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