Profile: Terry Griffiths

Name: Terry Griffiths

Nationality: Welsh (born Llanelli, Carmarthenshire)

Age: 62 (DOB: 16/10/1947)

Professional: 1978–1997

Highest Ranking: 3 (1981/1982)

Career Highlights: World champion 1979; UK champion 1982; Masters champion 1980; Irish Masters champion 1980, 1981, 1982; Pot Black champion 1984; World Cup team winner, 1979, 1980; Welsh Amateur champion 1975; English Amateur champion 1977, 1978.

Terry Griffiths enjoyed a long and successful amateur career, winning the Welsh Amateur Championship at the first attempt and, after claiming the English Amateur Championship, turned professional in 1978.

But little could have prepared the sport for the impact Griffiths would have on the pro ranks.

The Welshman signalled his intent by racing into an 8-1 lead against Rex Williams in his first professional match, before collapsing to a 9-8 defeat.

Griffiths had set his heart on the World Amateur Championships in Malta in 1979 but was denied the opportunity after losing to Steve Newbury in the 1978 Welsh Amateur Championship - a defeat which sparked his decision to turn pro.

And only 12 months after quitting his day job to concentrate on snooker full-time, in what was only his second professional tournament Griffiths went a whole lot better and wrote his name in the history books by becoming the professional champion of the world.

Griffiths proved he was no fluke by taking his place in the Welsh team that won the inaugural World Cup: he, Ray Reardon and Doug Mountjoy beating England 14-3 in the final.

His rookie run had to come to an end somewhere and he lost 14-13 to John Virgo in the UK Championship final - but bounced back with a vengeance as the new decade began to win the Masters and Irish Masters.

The former postman continued to strike success throughout his career, being pipped to the post by old rival Steve Davis in his second World Championship final in 1988 but claiming a World Cup win, capturing a hat-trick of Irish Masters titles and being crowned UK champion in between.

Best Moment: Griffiths began his journey to World Championship glory by beating both Bernard Bennett and Jim Meadowcroft in the qualifying rounds, before dispatching of Perrie Mans in the first round at the Crucible, followed by a tense 13-12 victory over Alex Higgins in the quarter-finals.

And Griffiths produced a remarkable victory charge to come from 17-16 down to beat Eddie Charlton 19-17 at 1.40am in the semis, the latest finish of any match at the time, to book his place in the final.

Griffiths then beat Dennis Taylor, who later became world champion in 1985, 24-16 in the final to become the first qualifier to triumph at the Crucible.

Worst Moment: Griffiths may have taken snooker by surprise in 1979, but his remarkable success immediately installed him as one of the favourites for the following year’s edition. But his defence fell at the first hurdle, losing 13-10 to eventual champion Davis as the Crucible Curse - which has seen no first-time champion ever successfully defend their title at the first attempt - struck once again.

After being knocked out of the 1980 World Championship, Griffiths spent the rest of the tournament with the BBC commentary team and remains a regular contributor.

In 1987, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening a top class snooker club in his home town of Llanelli and the Terry Griffiths Matchroom now has more than 2000 senior members and 800 junior members.

But it is as a coach that Griffiths has continued to build his reputation in the game, coaching Mark Williams to Crucible success in 2000 and 2003 while also guiding the careers of Stephen Hendry, Marco Fu, Mark Allen, Ali Carter, Joe Perry and Stephen Maguire.

Griffiths played his last match at the Crucible in 1997, losing to debutant Williams, to take his tally of frames at the historic venue to 999.