John Williams is a Welsh retired snooker referee. He presided over eleven World Snooker Championship finals, nine at the Crucible Theatre, including the 1985 final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis – the most watched snooker match in history. Having begun refereeing in the 1960s, Williams left the civil service in 1981 to work as a referee full-time. Having the chance to referee tournaments at Pontins, he quickly took charge and organised the events for many years. He gained national attention following a match between Fred Davis and Alex Higgins where the roof collapsed after rainfall and flooded the snooker table. Williams was pictured in many national newspapers after the event, resulting in more television coverage.
The 1984 Pot Black was the sixteenth edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament, which took place between 28 and 30 December 1983 but was broadcast in the summer of 1984. The tournament was held at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. For the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1969, the championship was reverted to a knockout format and players risen from 8 to 16. All matches until the final were one-frame shoot-outs, the final being contested over the best of three frames.
The 1985 Pot Black was the seventeenth edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament, which took place in December 1984 but was broadcast in 1985. The tournament was held at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured sixteen professional players in a knock-out system. All matches until the semi-final were one-frame shoot-outs, the semi-final was aggregate score of two frames and the final being contested over the best of three frames.
The 1970 Pot Black event was the second edition of Pot Black, a professional invitational snooker tournament which was first broadcast in 1969. The event was recorded in early 1970 at the BBC TV Studios in Gosta Green, Birmingham. The tournament featured eight professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1971 Pot Black event was the third edition of Pot Black, a professional invitational snooker tournament which was first broadcast in 1969. The event was recorded in early 1971 at the BBC TV Studios in Gosta Green, Birmingham. The tournament featured eight professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1972 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was broadcast in 1972. The tournament was held between 29 December 1971 and 1 January 1972 in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured six professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1973 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was broadcast in 1973. The tournament was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured eight professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1974 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured eight professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1975 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured eight professional players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1977 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and this year, the tournament expanded from 8 to 12 players. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs.
The 1978 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and this year, the tournament returned to 8 players competing in 2 four player groups. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs but the final this year was played in the best of 3 frames on a one-hour programme.
The 1979 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 8 players were competing in 2 four player groups. All matches were one-frame shoot-outs except the final which was played in the best of 3 frames on a one-hour programme.
The 1980 Pot Black event was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held at the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. The tournament began with eight players competing in two groups of four using a round-robin format. The matches were one-frame shoot-outs in the group stages, two-frame aggregate scores in the semi-finals, and best-of-three-frames in the final.
The 1981 Junior Pot Black was the first staging of the junior snooker tournament which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 12 young players were competing in a qualifying round before 6 of the winners go on to the round-robin stage of 2 groups of three. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs and 2 frame aggregate scores in the final.
The 1982 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held between 28 and 31 December 1981 in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 8 players were competing in 2 four player groups. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs in the group stages, 2 frame aggregate scores in the semi-finals and the best of 3 frames in the final.
The 1982 Junior Pot Black was the second staging of the junior snooker tournament which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 8 young players were competing in a knockout format reduced from 12 from 1981. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs and a 2 frame aggregate score in the final.
The 1983 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 8 players were competing in 2 four player groups. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs in the group stages, 2 frame aggregate scores in the semi-finals and the best of 3 frames in the final.
The 1983 Junior Pot Black was the third staging of the junior snooker tournament and last of the original run which was held in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. 8 young players were competing in a knockout format. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs and a 2 frame aggregate score in the final.
The 1986 Pot Black was the eighteenth edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament, and the last of its original run. It took place in December 1985, but was broadcast in 1986. The tournament was held at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, and featured sixteen professional players in a knock-out system. All matches until the semi-final were one-frame shoot-outs, the semi-final was won by aggregate score over two frames, and the final was decided by the best of three frames.
The 1991 Junior Pot Black was the fourth staging of the junior snooker tournament and the first since 1983 which was held in the Trentham Gardens at Stoke-on-Trent and was played alongside the senior competition which also got revived this year. 8 young players were competing in a knockout format. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs, a two frame aggregate score in the semi-final and best of three frames in the final.
Kirk Stevens (79)
