[Other Sport] RIP Willie Thorne

[Beach Hut]

Sadly passed away, fantastic snooker player in his time and great character

RIP

 

[Is it PotG?]

Amazing when he used to recall how his gambling got him in the doo-doos.

He was commentating on a game where his bet was going up in smoke.

Real character, RIP.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Big pals with Lineker, wasn't he?

 

[blue-shifted]

A sad loss to the snooker world.

 

[Lower West Stander]

RIP Willie.

Legend of the golden days of snooker.

Remember watching him way back on Indoor League in the 70s...

 

[ManOfSussex]

Part of sporting musical folklore too. RIP.

 

[OzMike]

One of the characters of the day in snooker, we don't have them anymore and the old guard are getting fewer, RIP.

 

[Jesus Gul]

RIP oh Willie Thorne, his 'airs all gorne'

 

[ManOfSussex]

Big pals with Lineker, wasn't he?

The did a documentary years back on Central called 'Best of Friends'.



Lineker just Tweeted this:

[tweet]1273163901245575171[/tweet]

 

[Pierre the Painter]

A big hero of my brothers and infamous winner of the 1985 Mercantile Credit Classic.

RIP Willie

 

[banjo]

RIP oh Willie Thorne, his 'airs all gorne'

Perhaps I ought to chalk it!

RIP

 

[Blue3]

Always seemed a nice guy very sad news thoughts and prayers to his family and friends RIP

 

[bobbab5]

The did a documentary years back on Central called 'Best of Friends'.



Lineker just Tweeted this:

[tweet]1273163901245575171[/tweet]

Featuring a Gary Stephens cameo.

 

[Goldstone1976]

It was only earlier this morning that I read about him being in an induced coma in hospital in Spain being treated with 3 different antibiotics for 3 different infections. I thought at the time that it didn't sound good. Very unfortunately, it's proven to be the case far too quickly.

I used to watch snooker on the tv with my Grandmother, who just loved it (almost as much as she loved wrestling). Willie was her favourite player and, through osmosis, became mine too. Apparently a really nice chap as well as being a very good snooker player.

RIP Willie.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Very sad, just reading about his gambling addiction and how it had blighted him throughout his life. Gambling debts of over a million pounds which led to a suicide attempt, he likened the Fixed Odds Terminals in the betting shops to crack cocaine.

Again highlights that gambling is equally as damaging as hard drugs and alcohol, yet that fact gets swept under the carpet as addicts are constantly bombarded with betting options.

But lets not stop people's lives get in the way of making money!

RIP Willie

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Big pals with Lineker, wasn't he?

Both from Leicester, I believe.

My brother used to be the spitting image of Willie Thorne, and was actually mistaken for him once or twice. He wasn't as good at snooker, though. Always liked Mr Thorne. I was never aware of the gambling thing with him.... not that it would have made me dislike him.

 

[Lankyseagull]

Had the pleasure of listening to Willie Thorne doing an after dinner speech at a Sports Club Dinner in Winchester years ago. He had everyone in stitches with some of his tales from the 'unseen' side of tournament snooker and his life. Engaging and funny man. RIP.

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

RIP

Maximum Man

 

[Lego-Stand]

RIP Willie , I bumped into him once in Sheffield a really charming man. I liked his commentary too . I think the book describing his battle against his gambling addiction was called Double or quits...

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

RIP Willie Thorne such a great guy and so funny. True Legend.