My Sporting Pilgrimage: What's A Trip To The World Snooker Championship Really Like in 2024?
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- Опубліковано 24 кві 2024
- Snooker fans from around the globe descent on Sheffield for the unique special atmosphere created at one of sport's most iconic venues - The Crucible. I managed to nab pretty much the last ticket available and head south to take in the action. You might even see me hit a few balls! Even if you're not interested in snooker, it's worth a watch to see the buzz building around this wonderful city. A bit of rain won't dampen things at all :) Enjoy the video...
Filmed mainly on Monday 22nd April 2024
Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
Thumbnail designed using Canva
This video is not sponsored and all opinions are my own
It features scenes from the WST event and BBC broadcasting, but only at times when this was permitted, no photography or filming was done during game-time/live broadcasting as stipulated by staff and announcements on the day
I don’t pretend to be a travel expert, but I love what I do and would be honoured if you came along with me. My channel focusses on the wide-eyed wonder and excitement of finding somewhere new, and my genuine reaction to it. You may not get a history lesson in my videos, but who knows, you might pick up some useful travel tips along the way, add a few destinations to your bucket list and hopefully be entertained by what you see. Thanks for watching, it means a lot to me :)
I do ALL of this myself. Planning, filming, editing, promoting, all with a weekly upload schedule, so please understand not every video will be an epic adventure. But my pledge is to always do my best in any situation and KEEP THE CAMERA ROLLING :)
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FAQs:
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I was born in Glasgow but have lived in Carnoustie, Dalgety Bay, Stonehaven, Edinburgh, Montrose, and further afield (Salamanca, Spain & Devonport, New Zealand)
WHEN DO YOU UPLOAD?
Saturdays at 10am Scottish time. Occasionally a bonus midweek video will pop up (in which case, likely to be Tuesday at 5pm)
WHY IS THERE A DELAY BETWEEN TRIP AND VIDEO APPEARING?
This is both my business model and a result of doing everything myself. Editing takes time and I also like to schedule videos a bit in advance in case of any problems/illness/cancellations etc. Keeping my uploads appearing every Saturday is important to me, so I don’t want anything to get in the way of it. Also, I occasionally need some time off to recover from trips! But more than anything else, it's about budgets. I generally need to film a number of videos on each trip to break even. And each one of these take a while to fall into place on a Saturday morning.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
I film with a GoPro11 and my iPhone12. I edit on iMovie and use epidemicsound.com for music. I also use canva.com for thumbnails etc. I also have a DJI Pocket 3 (bigger sensor) for nighttime, although I’m still getting to grips with it.
WHY DON'T YOU SPEND LONGER AT DESTINATIONS?
The usual suspects I'm afraid - time and money! Hotel prices, especially these days, make my eyes water like a true Scotsman. Also my weekly upload schedule means I need to keep on the move.
WHERE'S ALICJA?
Alicja will feature whenever possible, but she has her own life and a proper job so it can take a while for our schedules to match up. Trust me though, I prefer it when She is there too!
DO YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN TRAVEL?
Yes I do. I've only ever accepted a complementary ticket as compensation for a previous problem. All my opinions are frank and honest reflections of travel as I experience it.
WHY THE ADS?
It's my income, I can't do this for free. Notice I don’t have mid-roll ads though!
CAN I CONTACT YOU?
I used to list my email address but felt bad not having the capacity to respond to everything so took it down (and I got a LOT of spam so missed many genuine messages along the way).
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE CHANNEL?
Watching my videos is of course support enough, but if you'd like to support further, I'll pop links in here for Paypal and Patreon. All kind donations are super-appreciated and will go 100% towards future filming trips.
DO YOU ACCEPT SPONSORSHIPS?
I don't like to upset the flow of my videos, so I don't even include mid-roll ads anymore (at significant loss of income to myself), so I prefer not to include sponsorships either. I'm open to a small slide at the start/end of each video, but I don't want to get into talking about products, it's something I don't like as a viewer myself (especially as a viewer who pays for UA-cam Premium). So it's probably a polite no, although all of this goes out the window if you offer me something which can give me the chance to make a video for my audience that would otherwise be impossible.
#SteveMarsh #CrucibleTheatre #WorldSnooker
Thanks so much for the comments on this video! Snooker maybe isn't as popular as it once was in this country, but I just love reading all the stories and nostalgia for the game, especially from its golden era. I too would sit down and watch the greats of the game on TV with my family and it made snooker such an important part of my life, much more than just a sport. Really enjoying the comments section, and sorry if I can't respond to everything, but I do get round to reading them all eventually :) ps. if you play snooker and are local, let me know, I still have a cue somewhere...
I have been watching as a Dutch lad since Higgins and O Sullivan were young 17 year olds breaking into the scene , together with Mark Williams and the the already dominant Hendry. Can't believe 3 of them still play at the top 30 years later!
Thanks for the inside coverage, it really looks very small filmed that way. big TV camera's somehow make it look bigger.
And mister Hendry looks more and more like Sean Connery with his greying beard
My snooker started with 1980, one of the first live tv sports, and I remember the embassy siege during the final, and the quote from one embassy to the other. Do you remember David vine. And that icke. I much prefer the tactics of two reds left and a close match, these Ronnie one sided matches are just a BORE and the noise lol
@johnallan4826 yes I remember that siege interrupting the snooker . I was at my nans we were all watching the snooker . It was proper family entertainment back then
You sure know your way around a stick! 👏 Had to look up snooker, we always called it pool. Enjoyed the video!
I go all the way back to "Pot Black" . . . and "YES" . . . I watched "Pot Black" on a black & white TV! But it was such a frustrating programme in that it always left you wanting MUCH, MUCH MORE!
In the 1980s, I moved to the USA, so I totally MISSED the Stephen Hendry decade, and still have never quite "got" Hendry as a "phenomenon" as a result.
I was a huge Alex Higgins fan: while my mother was one of the LONG-SUFFERING BAND . . . of Jimmy White supporters.
Those were the days: Terry Griffiths on the 'gaspers' . . . and "Big Bill" Werbeniuk averaging a pint of lager PER FRAME (so the story goes, TAX-DEDUCTIBLE as a "business expense" as it was needed to calm a muscle tremor in his arm).
There was a snooker hall I frequented in New York (Chelsea Billiards) in the 1980s, but the 12-foor tables were often commendeered by wild bands of (extremely inebriated--goes without saying, I suppose) Russians, who played some totally opaque gambling game, involving wads of 100-dollar bills, and not snooker at all.
I really did enjoy visiting the Crucible vicariously with you today!! Thank you!
You need not worry that a trip of yours will be too arcane for your audience. We will always go along for the ride and be better off for it. Thanks again!
Thank you :)
I'm Swedish, I was never a snooker fan, but one time I ended up living in Sheffield (mostly by accident), so I naturally bought a ticket to the Snooker championship because it was something big happening in the city. I must say that found the snooker game to be much more entertaining watching it live and became a bit hooked. So much better than TV.
I also sat down beside and had a long chat with Ronnie O'Sulivan in the Winter Gardens, which at the time I didn't understand who it really was lol. I was just wondering who this nonchalant snooker player was until someone told me.
You were so lucky to get a chat with the Rocket! Wow!
Wow that’s a great story. To have a casual chat with Ronnie was special I’m sure
Wow, you looked and played very professional Steve, I'm thoroughly impressed👏🤩👏
professionally *
Haha cheers!
A bit of a snooker bandit by the look of it Steve....😅
Not being a Brit, I'm not that into snooker, but Steve you really made it come alive for me. We're all passionate about something, and it's fun when people share their passions with others. And of course, we would follow you anywhere, Steve!
Thanks so much!
I watched all of this Steve as my late grandad was Southland Billiards and Snooker champion for years here in NZ. He had a billiard room in the basement of my grandparents home in Bluff, complete with a full sized billiard table that was imported from England. He traveled to Sheffield in the mid '80's after my grandmother died to see the world championship... a bucket list wish fulfilled in his late 60's. We were so proud of him traveling all that way by himself, though he let the side down by going to McDonald's for dinner when he got to Paris 😅 Thanks so much for bringing back lovely memories of my beloved grandad ❤
Forgot to add, I served Eddie Charlton in a shop that I worked in, in Auckland (early 80's) I was so excited that I phoned my grandad in Bluff from work.... collect of course lols 😅
“For those of you watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.” Great video. My memory of the world championship was Cliff Thorburn's historic 147 break - only on TV though, I've never been. I was always mesmerised by his finger tapping on the table right after he played the cue ball.
You forgot to mentione the best part! Thorburn is Canadian!!! OH CANADA! LOL!
Memories of watching snooker with my father who passed away in recent years,now I am watching it with my 8 year old son and he loves it,the cycle of life.Hopefully they don't leave iconic Sheffield for the big bucks of Dubai or China. Shame to see snooker dying on its feet in UK and Ireland,clubs closing or near empty.Enjoyable video as ever and at least now you can say you played snooker at Sheffield.
Cheers Paul! Aye, they'll follow the money and it'll be a bigger pilgrimage after 2027! So glad your lad is helping keep the sport alive :)
@@steve-marsh If your ever in Dublin there is a great little snooker club steeped in history right on the banks of the Royal canal in Phibsborough called Crossguns snooker club. Very friendly place and the owner Finn is a good mate of Ken Doherty. Its first in best dressed, no booking or private tables. The canal goes from Dublin to Longford and actually the Royal Canal Greenway is the longest greenway in Ireland stretching from Maynooth to Longford. Could be worth a trip some summer as there are lovely pubs and restaurants dotted along the locks.
@CabOnTarget that's a video that I would like to see ❤
Crucible holds 900 people. The demand is simply for more. If they build something bigger it will stay, Hearn already said as much. World championship needs around 2.5k minimum.
@@justthetruth1 even if building did start they would miss at least one year away from the crucible. Once it moves temporarily it's gone. So it's built and Barry is on the ventilator what then. The son makes the decisions and isn't fond of snooker, it's too low ball for him. He would move in a heart beat.
Even look at the big event tournaments already in china. Empty they are. I would prefer it to stay, snooker is a niche sport and can never be replicated just because it's a bigger stadium in Asia just to facilitate bigger live audience.
Hi Steve, great video, glad you were able to come to one of the snooker sessions at the Crucible. My wife and I live in Sheffield, we came here from Scotland in 1983 (my wife from Irvine and me from Glasgow) and we made the city our home. There have been a lot of changes in the city over the years and many places my wife and I loved to go to have disappeared, closed down or changed hands; which is so sad. There is a currently a major development programme under way in the city centre to revitalise that part of the city. It looks impressive so far and will be glad when it's all done; it's been going for a wee while now. I have years of memories of the World Snooker Championships being hosted by Sheffield at the Crucible; that's the home of world professional snooker and I hope it will always return here for many, many more years. They can't take that away from us.
After being allowed to stay up to watch Dennis Taylors miracle in 1985, I've been hooked ever since !
Haha SAME!!!!
For whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee Steve! I was fortunate enough to grow up in the era when "For those watching in black and white, the Brown ball is tucked in behind the Green!" days and the whispering voice of Ted Lowe.
YES!!!! Love how big snooker was back then, and when Pot Black broadcast in colour the game just exploded!
Oh my yes, core memory unlocked! I used to watch with my nan as she was an avid follower and the black and white was just normal! I remember the first time seeing it in colour my shock that the baize (is that the word?) was green!
better than Taylor anyday. "fiiive menetz ehn tweenteh seeceenz" .... nails on a chalkboard.
There's just one word for that, magic snooker! Yes, alright, it should be magic darts!
Great video m8 I love my snooker esp the world championship. Looked a good view was good to see what that is like. Been to snooker events in Glasgow most recently the Scottish open until they moved the event to Edinburgh. And years ago the regal masters. Thanks m8
I'm 53 steve and I remember how excited we were to go on a school trip to the crucible for the snooker . I think it used to be called the embassy world championship ? Must've been 10 years of age ! The golden age of snooker as you say . Thanks for the trip down memory lane
I remember the Embassy days - they would hand out free cigarettes in the foyer 🤣
Fascinating, Steve. I'm of the age from when "Snooker was King" too. I saw matches at Wembley Conference Centre, but never made it to the Crucible, so this was great footage to see.
I don't necessarily mind if they find larger quarters, either in Sheffield, or elsewhere in the UK. But the idea of moving the World championship OUTSIDE of the UK . . . is complete and utter heresy!
And "thank you!" . . . that you even caught some excellent shots of Hazel "I-heart" Irving, and her sexy ankle boots :-)
Great video!
Hazel sure taught me a thing or two about filming. She was nailing those scripts!
Good stuff, mate!
No shame in pleasing the dull ... And there are more of us than you'd think. 😂
Haha cheers!
@@steve-marsh ye ,never apologize for your hobby. Im proud i didnt rib banks or get hammered as a teen. Instead, i used my days on snooker. Time well spent.
Very true! Glad to have this kind of video about snooker on UA-cam. I'm a fan from Malaysia btw. Never knew that Sheffield is a snooker town!
Used to watch it without fail with my mother who has now gone. She'd get so excited she'd have her hands up to her face watching through her fingers, bless her. The night Denis Taylor beat Steve Davis she couldn't stay still and was running in and out of the room. This was a great video which brought back wonderful memories for me. I always wanted to go to The Crucible to see what went on behind the TV cameras and now I feel I have. Thank you Steve
An absolute pleasure mate! And I’m always like your dear mother watching!
I'm originally from Sheffield Steve (now live in New Orleans) and can attest we are proud to be the 'home' of snooker as well as football (Sheffield FC est. 1857) hopefully the world championship can stay there for many years to come? Thanks for showcasing my city.
Nice Thursday morning surprise video, Steve! Thank you. I don't know Snooker, but I was a fair 8 Ball player when I was young, so I can recognize someone who can handle a cue stick. I can see that you have some skills at it. I could gladly watch you play the game for a while. Btw, that looked like a proper burger at the end -- a great way to wrap up a fun day of enjoying a great game in a lovely town.
How could you do so well on the table and not chalk your cue every ten seconds like the pros? It's just unimaginable... Well done for showing how the real people still play the game well.
My dad was very heavily involved with the snooker scene here in Ireland throughout his life, even to the extent that he's had a tournament trophy named after him! Not a sporty person myself, but this was one of the few sports events that we'd watch as a family and have very happy memories of watching matches in The Crucible on tv over the years.
Fantastic mate! Aye, we'd always sit down to watch the Worlds when I was younger, incredible memories!
Great video Steve, I was lucky enough to play a frame of snooker with the legend that is Jimmy White when I lived in Jersey, I went 13-0 up which must have annoyed him as 2 minutes later I was 84-13 down, and he was totally hammered at the time... what a legend indeed
Amazing!!!! Well done getting the 13 points :D
Steve I snookered him and he missed it so I think that is was pissed him off lol
Jimmy White 'The Whirlwind' in 1994, the Crucible final, after losing - for the umpteenth time - from Stephen Hendry: "He's beginning to annoy me". Legendary !! :) In my opinion Jimmy White is the greatest player ever never to become regular world champion. I would so much have liked to see him beat Hendry if it only were once. But he never did, not for the world title that is. Anyway, he's still around, alive and kicking, while Hendry is growing an ugly beard and putting on lots of weight ! LOL
Really enjoyed the video. Always enjoyed watching Pot Black from the UK back in the day. Eddie Charlton was a great Australian player........🎱
Loved Eddie and his shirts!
The Peak District is just over the hills! Truly truly wonderful! Cheers Steve. Safe travels. 🙋🙏🏴🇮🇪🙏
Thanks so much! Wish I’d had more time to explore!
That was great... I live in Sheffield and been to the Crucible many times... Will be so sad to see the Snooker leave but thanks for a great video :)
I have been watching the World Championship since the 80s but this is the first time I have seen what the Crucible and Sheffield outside looks like! Thank you for a really lovely video!
Not the biggest fan of snooker but a surprise video from Steve made my day.
Went to uni in Sheffield from 1992-95. Great city. Despite living there, I never got to see the snooker. Was too busy “studying” 😅 no idea how I graduated tbh. Great video as always!
You did a superb job capturing this rare insight into the crucible - good work!
Hello steve ..this is the first video of yours that ive seen ..really enjoyed !..ive been many many times to the world championships ..incredible snooker venue ..cheers mark
Thanks for this - now I'll know my way around...I will be there for the afternoon session on the final day...all the way from Iceland. 🙂
Whenever anyone mentions Sheffield, all I can think of is The Full Monty 😂
Blimey, don't go putting daft ideas in his heid ...... lol.
Steve, Your work is just amazing! Thanks for Great video! Looking forward for next!😊
Enjoy following your adventures Steve... Thanks & Best, from Connecticut, USA
What a fantastic video Steve! Thank you so much! Didn't realise the Crucible was that small! 🙏🇮🇪🏴🙏🙋
Oh it's such an intimate venue, you can just sense the pressure in there on the players' shoulders
I was a guest of Ronnie O’Sullivan at the 2018 world championships. I had access to the champions lounge and walked out to the the table at the end of play. A day I’ll never forget.
How do you know Ronnie!? That's ace
@@PeteRumleyI’m very good friends with Tony Knowles so I get to meet Ronnie every now and again. Deposit what people say or think Ronnie is a lovely bloke and very kind.
Wow thanks for this, I'm following the tournament on a dodgy wifi signal in South Africa, and seeing all this around-the-scenes footage is very interesting and informative. Sheffield looks well worth the visit.
I loved this video as I enjoy watching snooker from my home in British Colombia. Several years ago when we lived in Britain and had a canal boat we took it to Shefield and I was lucky to get a ticket to two matches. It was brilliant, as was the whole journey to shefield in the boat from our home base in the West Midlands. Thanks so much.
Absolutely brilliant video Steve thanks for posting. I use watch Snooker with my big brother back in the day. Sadly my big brother passed a couple of weeks ago and your video brought good memories of him back.❤
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you Maggie! I'm sure you have happy memories of watching the snooker with him :)
Well done on your snooker practice 👏
Haha cheers!
Thank you for giving us a glimpse of your personal life Steve. I'm not a snooker fan at all, but this video was very enjoyable. Your enthouisiasm was very visible and cannot be faked. I liked the video a lot!
My buddy and I are also on a pilgrimage - but a double one. We're coming in from the Far East to watch QFs, SFs and the F over a week and half, but we're also playing some of the famous Open courses, starting with Royal St Georges before we drive north to Sheffield, and ending with Alisha 2 weeks in. We're big Ronnie fans, but I grew up in the 70s and got to see all the greats play as a boy, so this will be a crowning journey for me.
Great video Steve - I really enjoyed it. Good to see you playing and looking very good at it. Greetings from Australia. Linda
Being from the United States, I had no idea what this sport was growing up but this used to come on late night or early morning on ESPN2 or other ESPN channels in the past, along with trick shot pool, worlds strongest man, darts, and other oddities of sports. So this feels nostalgic for some reason. Thanks for this.
Yeah, not much snooker in the US, a few players from your northern neighbours but that's about it. Cheers!
@@steve-marsh it’s fine. I’ve embraced my Scottish ancestry and thrown my lot in watching a lot of Scottish sports so I consume enough now. Meaning to get over there to watch a Celtic game soon.
Nice one Steve, another great video :) I love the way you guys say 'dead' (deed)? Some great shots from yourself there on the snooker table, glad you were able to get a ticket. Looking forward to the followings days' video.
I live in America, but the video brought back so many memories of my younger years in Scotland. I’m 37 now, but like you said snooker players were household names when i was growing up. I hope i can go to Sheffield one day and witness the history and nostalgia. Thank you so much for doing this video it really has just made me smile, i loved it. P.S great editing and your snooker skills ain’t bad either lol
I've been watching snooker for close to 16 years and it's always extremely exciting. The first match I watched was the 2008 Grand Prix final between John Higgins & Ryan Day and ever since then I've been a big snooker fan. I've never been to the crucible but it must have been an experience and particularly getting to see Mark Williams play, always a treat seeing the class of 92. You played some great shots as well particularly that green, very good technique Steve!
Excellent video Steve.
One hope for keeping the tournament in Sheffield would be to use the Utilita Arena. its much bigger than the Crucible and is one of those multi purpose indoor arenas that can be configured in multiple ways. Maximum capacity is 13,500 people.
Thanks for this one Steve. My dad served in the US Army Air Force and was stationed in England. He come home with a love for snooker.
Great video, I’m 50 and back in the day the whole family would sit and watch the final! It was always exciting, and amazing players. Shame that it’s not quite the same, but to be honest we only had 3 or 4 channels back then. Good memories though, nice to see the venue 👍 plus some nice shots yourself Steve!
Great stuff watching you on your break...great long pots mate. Wonderful video....loved it. Wonder if it will be there in a few years...thanks Steve
Aye grabbing some of that special atmosphere while I still can !
A brilliant bonus video Steve 👍. Looking forward to the tour around Sheffield, a place I've visited multiple times but seeing it through someone else's eyes will awaken my appreciation, thank you.
Absolutely enjoyed your visit to the crucible.. we as a family have so many happy memories of snooker...Steve Davies.. Steven hendry(our son has his autograph) many a year we drove our son and friends to snooker..many cups won..🏆so thankyou for this fantastic nostalgic visit steve.🤩
I’m 24 Steve, and I remember sitting in my great granny’s living room watching the snooker with her and her son. Sadly passed now but this was a nice wee trip back down memory lane to view your story and your hobbies! Throughly enjoyed another vid !
Great to have you here steve! If you're ever back you should look around the botanical gardens 👍
Cheers! Wish I'd had more time!
Watching this while waiting for the snooker to start on BBC! Great to see inside the Crucible like that. Barry Hearn was interviewed by Hazel Irvine yesterday and he was pretty open to the World Championship going where the money is. Would be a massive shame for Sheffield.
Yeah saw that interview too!
Trip down Memory Lane.
I had my first public pint in the bar at the Crucible on an O level field trip to see a play in 1979, 38p
At 1:00 ...Coming in through Brightside and Attercliffe... did that countless times on the train 45+ years ago. Have to say the buildings look a lot cleaner now that 100 years of soot and grime from the cooling towers , steel mills and engineering works have been cleaned away
At 1:20 ..Amazing, you had to park up at Park Hill flats even though you were staying in Ponds Forge/Castle Market area !
At 7:35.. Looks like that hotel is close to where the old Castle Market used to be !
Brilliant video Steve! I grew up watching Stephen Hendry and you know what? I just realised you are my favourite travel blogger. :)
Here in Oz there used to be a snooker show called Pot Black shown on a Saturday evening and I used to be glued to the screen sadly it has now gone, thanks Steve for another great video enjoyable as always and I hope you had a safe trip home, take care mate and look forward to seeing you soon.
Pot Black was my favourite :)
Remember Eddie Charlton on pot black in NZ as a kid
Pot black was on TV when it was B&W, had to concentrate
What a great video! Thanks for taking us along!
Came across your channel in preparation of our own trip to the north of Spain in June and then this snooker video showed up in my feed. I started watching snooker on the television in the nineties with my dad, but it was always a dream to see the World championships live one day. I was fortunately enough to come over to Sheffield from the Netherlands last year to see a match and like you said: it is an honour to watch a game of snooker in the Crucible. Thanks for bringing us along in the video!
I lived in the UK for a year (I'm from the USA) in the early '80s and snooker was on the telly all the time! I remember being mystified that this was considered prime time TV but all my friends were devoted. You're a good shot! And it looks like you got a few more than 4 views...
aye Steve - never a dull moment in your videos - even in rainy Sheffield, a windowless room, and no clue about snooker rules (=me!) - this was fun! I've had at least an episode in my life, where I would play a lot of pool billiard, which is much more common in my original home land of Germany... and I agree with you: the Crucible seems just to be the perfect venue for it - a bit like a theatre - intimate, and yet big enough to create quite some atmosphere... PS. impressive how cool you stayed, when filmed playing - the steady hand of a youtuber and snooker adept... 😎
Cheers Jorn! I think snooker is getting more popular in Germany now, would love to see some of the young players from there coming through the ranks!
Another great video, long may you continue!
Cheers!
Fantastic video, Steve! I'm a lifelong snooker fan, but had to wait until last year to finally attend a game (WC QF session between Si v McGill). Had a blast and made the trek to London earlier this year for the Masters. Eventually I got to make my way to York in order to complete my own triple crown.
I love everything you share and I'm only 45 minutes away from Sheffield. Thanks for an extra treat Steve, my favourite UA-camr
Well done you should be playing in the competion. Good vlog. Rail prices are ridiculous. Enjoed the previuos spanish vlog,but what has happened to the van
The van was just getting too expensive to run I'm afraid, and overnight spots are so rare these days, it was becoming too difficult :(
Thanks Steve, another great video! I'm from Sheffield but left long ago so it's great to see the place again. I used to go to the Crucible to see live rock bands!
What a nice surprise, an extra video from my favourite youtuber. Thanks Steve ❤❤
One of the many things I miss about the UK - snooker on the tele. Thank you Steve.
Thank you so much for this super video!
Hello from The Netherlands. I’ve seen quite a bit of snooker from the Crusible on tv, but never realized the venue is so small. Thank you for showing it!
Oh, what a treat! I absolutely love snooker. Brought back lovely memories of when I was young watching it with my nan back in the day with the Hurricane & Reardon etc!! Done in your inimitable style Steve, and how well did you play?! What a great video. You actually saw Mark Williams playing...I was gutted he went out. He's a favourite of mine. Just watching Judd Trump at the mo!! Great extra video x J x
As a regular viewer living in Panama who originates in Sheffield it is great to see you visiting my home city. I look forward to the second video and hope you enjoyed your trip.
Loved this. We are on holiday in Devon and despite having glorious weather we have been watching the snooker at every chance. Its a must in our house.
Steve, man, don't worry. I know bupkis about snooker, and care less; but your passion and enthusiasm make any video you do worth watching. I'm excited for seeing the sights if Sheffield at the next video! Cheers from Georgia!
Grandad took me to the snooker in 2022, loved it. Great Video as always Steve!
Excellent. I'm not a huge fan of snooker but, I'm a huge fan of seeing someone I like enjoying what they love. I had no idea that the crucible was that intimate! It must have been a brilliant day. Thanks, Steve, another fabulous video.
Great video Steve.
I was happily surprised to see myself in your video taking shelter under the Lyceum Theatre doors before the Monday morning session. My first visit to The Crucible after a 3 hour drive from Norfolk, but hopefully won't be my last. And also too caught myself on the BBC broadcast afterwards!
Not a snooker aficionado as I'm from USA, but thank you for sharing this with us. I can tell how much you love the game and so glad you could attend...
Love the world championship. Used to play snooker for a club in a league, to a pretty modest standard, but which always makes me appreciate the sheer quality that the professionals have, and they're under much more pressure! Really hope it stays at the crucible, all the legends that have played there down the years. Jimmy White was my favourite back in the day but he just could never get past the relentless quality of Steven Hendry! My first real memory as a kid was the epic final of 85- the final that's gone down in folklore as many other posters have mentioned. Brilliant stuff!
Good to see my home city featured, although its 35 years since I left and a couple of years since I visited, ironically when the snooker was on and we saw a few of the players, plus the TV coverage from the Winter Gardens which are amazing.
Growing up in the 70s we used to go to spot the players by the stage door and I remember seeing Ray Reardon, Alex Higgins, John Spencer, Eddie Charlton, Cliff Thorburn, Tony Meo plus others I can't remember!
I think The Crucible days are numbered as a venue for the World Championship and it will be the end of an era when it eventually moves on.
Brought back memories of a misspent youth for me Steve, playing way too much snooker and not enough study. I was scorer at an exhibition match in the mid 70s between Eddie Charlton and Ray Reardon in Newcastle, NSW, Eddie's home town. Ray was on for a 147 and that last black missed by a smidgen! Great job with the video Steve. You captured the essence of both Sheffield and snooker.
I doubt I’ve ever watched an entire snooker match, but I remember way back in the day watching 9-ball tournaments on TV in the States. Waaaaaayyy back. Looks like a great time. I kind of get the feeling for what you did, as one of the times I was in London, Wimbledon was happening, and I had a free day. Took the Tube, got in a blocks-long line to just get in the grounds, wandered around everywhere I could, only got to see one doubles match, but at least I could say I actually attended Wimbledon! I imagine it’s a similar experience for you there. That was 25+ years ago, and the memories are still vivid.
Glad you got to go! Cheers, and ATB!
Man I went to the World Snooker Championship for the first time two years ago after dreaming of watching snooker at the crucible since I was a kid.
It was magical being there.
Lovely to see Sheffield on your report - my old college city, and note how much it has changed. Will watch it again and again. Always look forward to your posts - thanks.
I have zero interest in snooker. But of course you take us to different places within the video and it was interesting to see the crucible and inside, I am unlikely to ever go there . View over Sheffield was great! Thanks Steve! 😊❤
Thanks Jacqueline, another wee video on Sheffield (without snooker) to come! :)
Great clip. I was there for three sessions - one of them the last of the Higgins-Allen game! - a few days ago. It was the fourth time for me, travelling from Finland to The Crucible. Always so nice and makes one want to come back for more.
And I've gotten to know the city centre, since it is quite compact, so I believe I actually knew every street and place that you showed in the clip. (I even recognized the burger place as soon as I saw it, because I noticed the Debenham's that has closed down on the other side. I bought a cap there on a previous trip :) )
Wonderful journal of your visit. Felt like I was right there with you as a viewer.
So glad, that's always my plan, so appreciate it!
Great vlog. Thanks for doing it
I have lovely memories of watching snooker with my late dad. He loved watching and playing snooker and if the snooker was on he'd be glued to the TV. I admit I stopped watching it after he passed away, but in the last couple of years I've watched the odd match again and enjoyed it for myself. This was s great look behind the scenes.
Brilliant Steve.
What a bargain for the accommodation and a nutter wandering around helpful you.
I bet you loved having a go on the table and i must admit i was impressed.
You played well and a wee medal as well as a memory.
You must have been chuffed.
Glad you enjoyed the match.
Catch you on the next one mate.
What a nice surprise to see that you visited my home city, Its usually nice and sunny around this time of year when the world championships are being played, not cold and wet. It does have a great ambience around the crucible which seemingly would most definitely change in future if snooker is moved away. Shame the council don't improve the facilities and expand the building for extra seating. loved the video Steve and looking forward to see many more in future. I am a big fan of yours.
Thank you Steve for coming down to my neck of the woods. So glad you enjoyed your stay here. You gave such a positive image. Perhaps in the future you'll venture down to the Peak District and many more wonderful places we have in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Good health pal.
Love your vids ! Best bedtime watch, although I end up crashing out halfway through ! keep it up mate :)
Totally enjoyed this Steve! Grew up watching Pot Black with my Dad, and lived in UK when the Wintergarden opened in Sheffield in 2003 and is one of my favourite places in the UK. Sheffield is a very underrated city in my opinion. Many memories in this video, thanks!
I'm not at all into snooker, but I wouldn't miss one of your video. Three this week, we're very lucky ! Thank you Steve and thank you for the discovery (both Sheffield and snooker)
An absolute pleasure!
You have brought back memories with the one and only time I went with my dad it is always beautiful . Thank you steve.
Enjoyed that video. I haven’t watched snooker in years but watched a lot during my teen years in the 80’s. It was huge then! I remember by great aunt (who was in her 80s) telling my mum off as she had phoned when the snooker was on. A few years later I worked on a holiday camp where Dennis Taylor used to give demonstrations. Chatted to him a few times and on one occasion when it was quiet he offered to give me a game and offered loads of tips, which was totally waisted on me 😂
I am proper jealous!
Love your program and love the fact you have included it. From Newcastle originally and moved to Canada as a child. Dad bought us a table for Christmas when we were young.
Loved seeing you play
First time viewer.. Really enjoyed the footage. I went years ago. 1990 for my 18th,went to watch Jimmy White as him and Higgins were my hero's.. Sad to see Jimmy looking poorly this week..
I saw him out at the stage door a lot smoking, that won't be helping him! Cheers for watching :)