Alexander Gordon Higgins was a Northern Irish professional snooker player who is remembered as one of the most iconic figures in the game. Nicknamed Hurricane Higgins because of his fast play, he was World Champion in 1972 and 1982, and runner-up in 1976 and 1980. He won the UK Championship in 1983 and the Masters in 1978 and 1981, making him one of eleven players to have completed snooker's Triple Crown. He was also World Doubles champion with Jimmy White in 1984, and won the World Cup three times with the All-Ireland team.
Steve Davis, is an English retired professional snooker player from Plumstead, London. His professional playing career spanned 38 seasons from 1978 until 2016, but he is best known for dominating the sport during the 1980s, when he reached eight World Snooker Championship finals in nine years, won six world titles, and held the world number one ranking for seven consecutive seasons. The first player to make an officially recognised maximum break in professional competition, and the first to earn £1 million in prize money, he famously was runner-up to Dennis Taylor in one of the sport's most memorable matches, the 1985 World Snooker Championship final. Its dramatic black-ball conclusion attracted 18.5 million viewers, setting UK records for any broadcast after midnight and any broadcast on BBC Two that still stand to this day. Davis was named the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year in 1988, and he remains the only snooker player to win the award.
Anthony Meo, professionally known as Tony Meo is a retired English snooker player. He won the 1989 British Open by defeating Dean Reynolds 13–6 in the final, and was runner-up to Steve Davis at the 1984 Classic. He won four World Doubles Championship titles, partnering Davis, and the 1983 World Team Classic representing England alongside Davis and Tony Knowles.
Raymond Reardon, is a Welsh retired professional snooker player. He turned professional in 1967 before going on to dominate the sport in the 1970s, winning the World Snooker Championship on six occasions, and more than a dozen other tournaments. He was world champion in 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978, and runner-up in the 1982 event. He won the inaugural Pot Black tournament in 1969, the 1976 Masters and the 1982 Professional Players Tournament.
Terence Martin Griffiths, is a retired Welsh professional snooker player and current snooker coach and pundit. In his second professional tournament, he became world champion as he won the 1979 World Snooker Championship as a qualifier, defeating Dennis Taylor by 24 frames to 16 in the final. Nine years later, in 1988, Griffiths reached the final of the competition again. He was tied with Steve Davis at 8–8, but lost the match 11–18.
Doug Mountjoy was a Welsh snooker player from Tir-y-Berth, Gelligaer, Glamorgan, Wales. He was a mainstay of the professional snooker circuit during the late 1970s and 1980s, and remained within the top 16 of the world rankings for 11 consecutive years. He began his professional snooker career by winning the 1977 Masters, which he had entered as a late replacement. He won the 1978 UK Championship and the 1979 Irish Masters, and reached the final of the 1981 World Snooker Championship where he lost to Steve Davis. He was also runner-up at the 1985 Masters, but by 1988 he had dropped out of the top 16.
William Joseph Thorne was an English professional snooker player. He won one ranking title, the 1985 Classic. He also reached the final of the 1985 UK Championship, losing 16–14 to Steve Davis after leading 13–8. He was noted for his break-building, and was among the first players to compile 100 century breaks. He earned the nickname "Mr Maximum". After retiring as a player, Thorne became a snooker commentator, primarily for the BBC.
Anthony Knowles is an English former professional snooker player. He won the 1982 International Open and the 1983 Professional Players Tournament, and was a three times semi-finalist in the World Professional Snooker Championship in the 1980s. His highest world ranking was second, in the 1984/85 season.
Steve Duggan is an English former professional snooker player.
The 1988 Rothmans Matchroom League was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that was played from January to May 1988.
The 1982 Jameson International Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 27 September to 10 October 1982 at the Assembly Rooms in Derby, England. This was the first tournament outside of the World Snooker Championship to be given ranking status.
The 1984 Jameson International Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 24 September to 7 October 1984 at the Eldon Square Recreation Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.
The 1981 Jameson International was the first staging of the professional non-ranking snooker tournament that took place between 2 and 20 September 1981 at the Assembly Rooms in Derby, England. with television coverage on ITV from 14 September right up to the final.
The 1985 Goya Matchroom Trophy was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 23 September to 6 October 1985 at the Eldon Square Recreation Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.
The 1986 BCE Canadian Masters was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that took place between 28 October–1 November 1986 at the CBC Television Studios in Toronto, Canada.
The 1987 Matchroom Welsh Professional Championship was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament, which took place in February 1987.
The 1986 Matchroom Professional Championship was the inaugural edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament which took place in September 1986 in Southend-on-Sea, England.
The 1987 Matchroom Professional Championship was the second edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament which took place in October 1987 in Southend-on-Sea, England.
The 1988 LEP Matchroom Professional Championship was the third and final edition of the professional invitational snooker tournament which took place in October 1988 in Southend-on-Sea, England.
The China Masters was a non-ranking snooker tournament staged on three occasions in 1985, 1986 and 1996.
Steve Davis 