UPDATE: Snooker legends heading to Weymouth (From Dorset Echo)

UPDATE: Snooker legends heading to Weymouth

4:35pm Wednesday 13th February 2013 in Sport By David Williams, Sports Reporter

SNOOKES owner Mark Cottingham has pulled off a major coup by attracting snooker’s two most decorated players to Weymouth next year.

Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, who have six and seven world titles respectively, are bound for Dorset in January 2014 for what Cottingham says will be his biggest show yet.

And, if ticket sales soar, the snooker club proprietor could take the exhibition away from Snookes to a bigger venue.

Davis and Hendry won just about everything in the sport during their glittering careers, including a remarkable 64 ranking tournaments between them.

While Davis, 55, dominated snooker in the 1980s, Scotsman Hendry, 44, did the same in the 90s as they achieved legendary status.

“These two are the best all round players the game has ever seen,” said Cottingham, who oversaw the visit of world number one Mark Selby to Snookes last Saturday.

“It was Steve Davis who got me into snooker when I was younger then Stephen Hendry took the game to another level.

“So it will be excellent for the club and for Weymouth to have these two stars come down together.

“We had Steve at the club two years ago and that was big so to bring Stephen with him this time will be even bigger.”

He went on: “I don’t put these things on to make money. I do it to raise the profile of the club and to bring something to Weymouth.

“Normally you would have to travel to London to see this sort of thing.”

Because next season’s snooker calendar has not yet been finalised, no exact date has been set but Cottingham is looking at the Monday after the final of the Masters.

The Snookes owner is looking for sponsors for the event and advance tickets, priced at £25, can be ordered from the club. From August onwards they will be £30 while there are also VIP tickets available.

Call the club on 01305 788593 for sponsorship and ticketing information.