Alan Chamberlain
Date of birth: January 1, 1943
Born: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Born: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Lives: Pemberton, Wigan
Highest break? Around about 80 at snooker and billiards-but a long time ago!
Qualified as a referee? Mid 60’s but became an examiner for billiards and snooker in 1981.
First pro match? Steve Duggan against Bob Harris at the Lada Classic in 1983; my first TV match was Mark Wildman against Cliff Thorburn at the Grand Prix in Reading.
Most memorable match? In more than 20 years I’ve been involved in a few: the 1997 world final between Hendry and Doherty, the re-spotted black finish to the Masters final between Hendry and Williams, Doherty missing a 147 at Wembley and Hendry’s 147 in the final frame to beat O’Sullivan in the Charity Challenge final.
Most embarrassing moment? Dropping the pink into the reds during an exhibition between John Spencer and Doug Mountjoy; leaving the green in a pocket for about three shots at another tournament.
If you weren’t a referee what would you do? I’d probably be in ladies underwear! I used to have my own agency selling ladies lingerie.
Which is the toughest rule to apply? Being from the old school I find the ‘foul and miss’ rule difficult because you know the majority of times a player has made a fair attempt to hit the ball. And when that’s the case it’s hard to then call ‘foul and a miss.’ When I first started it wasn’t in the rule book.
Which rule would you scrap? I know you can’t scrap the ‘foul and miss’ rule and I understand why it was adopted. But I think sometimes the referee should be allowed to use his discretion when a player has made a genuine attempt to hit the ball. In the old days there were a few players who might try it on but generally the players are very fair.
What do you carry in your pocket? A half crown piece and two ball markers.
Where do you get your gloves? The same source as most of the refs-from colleague Paul Collier.
Interests? I enjoy crosswords and sudoku. And while I don’t go very often I like to follow the fortunes of Wigan Athletic and Leicester City.
Highest break? Around about 80 at snooker and billiards-but a long time ago!
Qualified as a referee? Mid 60’s but became an examiner for billiards and snooker in 1981.
First pro match? Steve Duggan against Bob Harris at the Lada Classic in 1983; my first TV match was Mark Wildman against Cliff Thorburn at the Grand Prix in Reading.
Most memorable match? In more than 20 years I’ve been involved in a few: the 1997 world final between Hendry and Doherty, the re-spotted black finish to the Masters final between Hendry and Williams, Doherty missing a 147 at Wembley and Hendry’s 147 in the final frame to beat O’Sullivan in the Charity Challenge final.
Most embarrassing moment? Dropping the pink into the reds during an exhibition between John Spencer and Doug Mountjoy; leaving the green in a pocket for about three shots at another tournament.
If you weren’t a referee what would you do? I’d probably be in ladies underwear! I used to have my own agency selling ladies lingerie.
Which is the toughest rule to apply? Being from the old school I find the ‘foul and miss’ rule difficult because you know the majority of times a player has made a fair attempt to hit the ball. And when that’s the case it’s hard to then call ‘foul and a miss.’ When I first started it wasn’t in the rule book.
Which rule would you scrap? I know you can’t scrap the ‘foul and miss’ rule and I understand why it was adopted. But I think sometimes the referee should be allowed to use his discretion when a player has made a genuine attempt to hit the ball. In the old days there were a few players who might try it on but generally the players are very fair.
What do you carry in your pocket? A half crown piece and two ball markers.
Where do you get your gloves? The same source as most of the refs-from colleague Paul Collier.
Interests? I enjoy crosswords and sudoku. And while I don’t go very often I like to follow the fortunes of Wigan Athletic and Leicester City.
