Each month, EKPool.co.uk will be picking a player from the East Kilbride Pool League to put in the spotlight. The resulting "profiles" on players will appear in this section.
Quick navigation to players:
John Purdie
Player Information
Nickname/Web username: Mr Entertainer
Year of birth: 1978
Year started playing pool: 1999
Current team: The Hustlers
Background
John Purdie has been a top player in EK pool almost ever since joining the league in 1999, and has represented East Kilbride at almost every Super League event via the A team for the last 10 years. In his time in the EKPL he has won every major trophy and counts two league championships, two league cups and a Robert Black cup win amongst his honours.
He is still driven to add to his trophy haul by an elusive major singles tournament win, a stat which he hopes to put right in 2010...
Singles Information
Aspiration for the current season:
I hope this season to eventually lose the tag of being the "Jimmy White" of the East Kilbride pool losing in all 5 of my major finals, I would like to get to the standard of pool that I was playing about 3 years ago, hopefully have a good run in the EK Singles.
Greatest pool achievement in singles:
My best achievment in pool in East Kilbride was getting to the last 4 of the EK Single's when finally losing out to the eventual winner Kevin Irving and performing in more of the latter stages in tourney's.
Honours in singles competition
Now yer having a laugh.....Nowt!!! Ive been runner up in 4 masters tourneys over the years losing to Colin Philip twice, Billy Edmond and John Muir and lost in the final of the Greenhills Open to Ian McMillan last year. I've won other non ranking tourneys that were run in Mr Q's by Davie Muir and a few that was run by Stevie Kelly in the Pro Lane Bowling, one that Stevie was glad that I won too....lol
Team Information
Aspirations for the current season:
Aspirations for this season is to try and win as many trophies as I can with the Hustlers. I think when you play for one of the big 3 you will always try to win all trophy's that are available. Also I would like to try and get myself back inthe Super League 'A' team which I have played in since 2000.
Greatest pool achievement with a team:
My best achievement was winning the League in a team (Entertainers) that I co-founded with Mark O'Brien.
Honours in team competition
2 MAN TEAM: Ive played in 3 two men tourney's and have won 2 of them, the first was round about 2004 when me and Chris Miller paired up at the last minute and won the tourney against Billy Edmond & Kevin Irving coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2, the other I paired up with Marty Thom and we won against Lee Miller & Wullie McCafferty in the Salmon Leap.
League Winners: Hustlers 2001, Entertainers 2006
League Runner's Up: Entertainers 2006
League Cup Winners: Wizards 2004, Entertainers 2007
League Cup Runners Up: Entertainers 2005 & 06
Robert Black Winners: Entertainers 2007
Robert Black Runners Up: Wizards 2003 & 04, Entertainers 2005
Cue
Make: Blank, Un-named cue unless Oby sanded it off.
Aquired: Kevin Irving via Mark O'Brien.
Cost: £50
Tip size: 9mm
Who retips it?: Oby, Infact Oby do yo have a spare 10mins...?
General Questions
Who, or what, inspired you to play?:
Free PIE & PINT.......I've always liked playing snooker & pool and used to play in my uncle's snooker club in Liverpool which John Parrott used to play from, then onto having my own snooker table in the house from the age of 8, started playing pool when I was 17 in the Whitehills farm and was persuaded to Join the Whitehills Aces by Ramsay Buchanan and Ramie Toms when I was 19.
Favourite EK team you have played in?:
Entertainers
Favourite EK team you haven't played in?:
Top Guns
Best player you have ever played against?:
Pat Holtz or Colin Phillip (He never lets me win) mind you I wanted the Chateaux McCoist.....Mmmmmm.
Best player you have played alongside?:
There's a few I would Say.....Colin for his out and out potting game, Mark O'Brien for his patience in the game and Billy Edmond for his overall game.
Favourite pro players (Pool or Snooker):
- Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Paul Hunter
- Earl Strickland
How would you rate the current standard of pool in EK?
The Standard of pool in East Kilbride is getting better all the time due to more people taking part in the tournaments that are on offer, ran by Lee Miller, Oby and now Stevie & Billy.
What do you think we could do to raise the standard?
Try a few differently ran tournaments which could help the lesser player of winning, Oby has had some good idea's over the years, ie 3man, 6 man teams....the one I think which would be good would be the Handicap tournament which grades the players and gives lesser player a start (I might win then) this has been thought about, would like to see this happen.
Anything else you would like to say?
Buy One Eat One.......Just Roll Behind It.........Where's Barnsey!!!!!.........EASY EASY EASY
Iain MacMillan
Player Information
Nickname/Web username: Macca, Two Cues, Kingtut
Year of birth: 1965
Year started playing pool: 1981 in a local youth club in Stirlingshire
Current team: Flukesters
Background
Iain MacMillan has been a top player in the East Kilbride league for over 15 years. In his time in the EKPL Iain is a 2 time player of the year, a 2 time league champion with the Hustlers, and a numerous cup winner. His successful career so far has been crowned with a win in the prestigious East Kilbride Singles, and in doing so, joins an elite bunch of players. With a fresh start this season moving to the Flukesters, Iain hopes to add to his already ample trophy haul.
Singles Information
Aspiration for the current season:
Attempt to win POTY for 3rd time.
Greatest pool achievement in singles:
EK Singles Champion 1999 or around that time long time ago. In those days of EK tournaments things were much different. There was always over 100 players participating meaning a couple of weeks of qualifiers before finals weekend. Tourneys were also over much shorter races. So to beat Stevie Ross in the semi 2-1 and beating Colin Philip 3-2 after being 2-0 down I think was a good achievement.
Honours in singles competition
Before EK
Forth & Endrick League Singles Champion 1988,1990,1993
This was a league in Stirlingshire where I first played league pool.
EK
EK League POTY 2004 and 2006
EK Singles 1999ish
There were a couple of other ones around that time but I can't remember what they were called but one was in the picture shown in 2003. This was part of a Westwood Singles Series run by Davie Muir.
More recently I won the inaugural 2009 Greenhills Open beating John Purdie in the final. This was the first time I have played the round robin format for the opening stages of a tourney and was also excellently run by Marty Thom.
Team Information
Aspirations for the current season:
To try and win Flukesters their first league championship.
To try and win the B Event at Pettycur Bay in Nov where I think we have got great chance of doing something.
Greatest pool achievement with a team:
Winning league with Hustlers.
A couple of years ago Ian McLean ran a team from the Tower which played against other bars owned by the same company. We beat a couple of teams, last game being in Edinburgh which was won in a nerve shredding play off game. This took us down to Leeds to all the other qualifiers in the UK. This was a really well run event which was being filmed for Yorkshire Television and included an exhibition from Darren Appleton.
Honours in team competition
Before EK
Forth & Endrick Pool Champions 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992
EK Pool League
League Winners with the Hustlers 2007, 2008-2009
League Cup Winners 2008-2009
If my memory serves me right I'm sure The Sharks won a couple of cups.
EK Pool Federation
Won league and Cups.
This was another different format of 3 groups of 5 singles.
Cue Here Superleague challenge 2005 with Pat Holtz and Michael Caven as guest team members.
Cue
Make: Andy Gibb cue
Aquired: At Super 11's event when I thought I lost my cue but subsequently found it, hence Two Cues.
Cost: £50
Tip size: 8.5mm
Who retips it?: I try myself but if required probably Billy, Kevin and Oby.
General Questions
Who, or what, inspired you to play?:
Watching the World Snooker Championships when I was a boy and a 4ft table I got as a Christmas present when I was about 10.
Favourite EK team you have played in?:
The first Sharks team all those years ago which had John Muir (who introduced me to EK pool) and included a young Billy Edmond when he had hair. Unfortunately we were 2nd in the league about three times.
Favourite EK team you haven't played in?:
Probably the Hotshots as this is almost the EK B team!!
Best player you have ever played against?:
In EK, Colin Philip. Fantastic potter who can combine good safety play when required but still beatable.
Outside EK has to be Ross McInnes. Played him a couple of times a long time ago and he is simply the best ever player.
I would also like to introduce another category 'Most Unorthodox Player'. This is meant to be complimentary. For me this has to Mr Chairman Livingstone. He is a great player anyway but for some reason I find Ian unorthodox but incredibly effective (no, not lucky Livvy) and a very hard player to play and defeat. I always think it is great game when I play Ian.
Best player you have played alongside?:
There are too many players who I could say but I would like to mention some players.
Billy Edmond's consistency is up there with the best of them.
Stevie McCrimmond for his relentless shouting, I mean encouragement during all the B team adventures. My ears are still hurting.
Pat Holtz when he played with the EK Select in Cue Here. Almost faultless individual display and was very good for the team as well.
Favourite pro players (Pool or Snooker):
- Ray Reardon
- John Higgins
- Pat Holtz
How would you rate the current standard of pool in EK?
It has probably stayed about the same in the last few years. When Ross Steven and his friend played a few years ago there was an upsurge of the younger players but that unfortunately stopped as quickly as it started. So the top players have remained the same for a number of years.
What do you think we could do to raise the standard?
The only way of doing this is devoting time to practise and then play a better standard of player. I noticed that Jack Stewart and couple of other Club 2000 players played in an event in Bellshill recently with Jack doing quite well. That is what the younger players and any other player for that matter have to do if they want to improve as the field that day included the likes of Jason Shaw and Scott Gillespie.
Anything else you would like to say?
I've played pool for a long time and had many ups and downs in the last 20 odd years.
Played hundreds of tournaments but one of my best memories was when I first came up to EK about 15 years ago, a friendly event was organised between the league I'd just left in Stirlingshire and an EK select which included the likes of John and Davie Muir, Billy Edmond, Ian Livingstone and Billy Rodgers. A couple of the Stilingshire boys currently play for Bannockburn and Clackmannan at the 11s/15s. First leg in EK was won by Stirlingshire. Second leg was played at my then local boozer in Strathblane. All EK boys got a bus down so the bevvy was flowing and a great night was had with EK coming back and winning.
Back in the days before t’internet and the SPA really got going and if you were not part of the Lanarkshire Pool mafia scene the only way to enter tournaments where I lived was through snail mail. We entered the likes of the Evening Times singles and 3 man team events which was played in the long gone Fast Eddies in Glasgow and the Skol Golden Cue 3 man team event which was all based through your local boozer.
Skol Golden Cue you had to play other pubs which could be anywhere in Scotland. We beat a team in Airdrie 9-8 which turned out to be played in what is currently Cue Here. We won at home and our final match to qualify for the finals to be played in England somewhere was against a team based in Parkhead. We 3 innocent village boys turned up in this real dump of a place to find we were playing Ross McInnes, Mick McGoldrick and a n other. Needless to say we were very unlucky and only just got beat 9-1.
From that day on I knew the standard of pool in Scotland is superb.
Stephen Kelly
Player Information
Year of birth: 1956
Year started playing pool: 1982 (after local pub Murray Potters opened upstairs pool lounge with three tables.)
Current team: The Hustlers
Background
Stevie Kelly (shown on the left in the opposite picture) has done it all in pool. Stevie founded the East Kilbride Pool League in 1982 with the first matches taking place in 1983 and has been involved with pool at all levels. After years of dedication and hard work, he had the honour of managing the Scotland international team, along side holding many other high positions in multiple leagues.
Although primarily functioning in management and administration positions, Stevie is also a more than capable player winning the first ever East Kilbride singles tournament back shortly after the league began.
Stevie is the current EKPL general secretary, and dedicates a lot of his time and effort into running the league, and keeping the league ticking over as smoothly as it has been over the last years years under his reign.
These days he is captain of the Hustlers who won the league for a record 5th time last year, and hope to retain the title, which would be for a record third straight time also.
Resumé
1982
Founded East Kilbride Pool League
1983
Elected General Secretary East Kilbride Pool League
Elected EKPL Representative on the General Committee of Lanarkshire Pool Council
Elected EK Superleague manager
1984
Elected Treasurer of Lanarkshire Pool Council
Elected Lanarkshire Area Representative on the General Committee of The Scottish National Pool Council
1985
Elected Secretary/Treasurer of Lanarkshire Pool Council
1987
Elected Chairman Lanarkshire Pool Council
Elected General Secretary Avondale & District Pool League
1988
Elected Lanarkshire Select manager
Elected Chairman Avondale & District Pool League
1989
Elected assistant manager to Ross McInnes, Scottish International Pool Team manager
1990
Elected Scottish International Pool Team manager
1991
In 1991 after being appointed Scottish Professional Pool Players' Organisation General Secretary, I still held the following positions:
Scottish International Pool Team manager
Lanarkshire Select Pool Team manager
Chairman Lanarkshire Pool Council
Chairman Avondale & District Pool League
General Secretary East Kilbride Pool League
East Kilbride Superleague manager
Potters Hillhouse Pool Team captain
1992
Divorced
Singles Information
Honours in singles competition
Won inaugural East Kilbride Singles Pool Championship at Murray Potters after defeating EKPL Chairman and Whitehills Farm 'A' team captain Harry Marshall in the final. Although I continued to enter occasional tournaments, I gained most of my experience in pool as an Administrator.
Team Information
Aspirations for the current season:
Hoping for a top two in the EKPL this season although second is nowhere as far as I am concerned.
Greatest pool achievement with a team:
Best pool achievement was undoubtedly beating the British 7 Man Team champions Potters Hillhouse 6-1 on their own table in the final of the Lanarkshire Super Cup in 1990.
Honours in team competition
Current Team is East Kilbride Pool League Champions The Hustlers who were winning The EKPL for a record fifth time last season, although I have also won The EKPL with The Murray Breaker Pool Team, Whitehills Teachers 60, Whitehills Farm (2), Black Bob's, Hotshots, Kelvin Kabs (2) and Mr Q's.
Won the first ever Robert Black trophy with The Hustlers, beating The Hawks 7-4 in the final at the Westwood. We have won it three times since.
The equivalent of The Robert Black and The League Cup in the 1980's was The Whitehills Challenge Trophy (3 wins), Greenhills Summer Trophy (2), SMT Doubles Team Trophy, and Murray Potters Trophy (2).
Won Superleague in 1986 at Blantyre Vics when Billy Rodger (EK) defeated Harry Marshall (Bellshill) in final frame of match for a 6-5 victory.
Won Superleague in 1990 at Potters Hillhouse beating multiple previous winners Motherwell in final.
Won Lanarkshire Super Cup in same year, same venue, defeating Potters Hillhouse 6-1 on their home patch one week after they had won the British 7 man team event.
General Questions
Who, or what, inspired you to play?:
I was asked by the manager of Murray Potters in 1982 if I was interested in running pool tournaments as he was impressed with my organisational skills.
Favourite EK team you have played in?:
The Hustlers
Favourite EK team you haven't played in?:
Club 2000
Best player you have ever played against?:
In 1986 at The Metropole Hotel, St Helier, Jersey UK Professional number 1 David Linton in a best of 25 frame challenge where I had 11 frames of a start. It was played in front of all the 'names' at the time, including 'Maltese Joe' Barbara, Andy 'The Greek' Loppas, David 'Jelly Baby' Holt, Keith Brewer, Tommy Donlan, Pat 'The Chat' O'Kane, Lee Tucker, and Eric 'The Crafty Cockney' Bristow – a more than capable pool player who is better known for his darts exploits.
Davie and I were there for the Jersey Open, the best pool tournament ever in my mind, and Davie was the reigning champion. We had commandeered the hotel pool table for our 'challenge' and the
'names' kept drifting in at intervals during the latter stages of our match. When they noticed it was not 'winner stays on' questions started being asked such as 'What's it up to?', 'Whose winning?' – 'How much are they playing for?'
Word spread that I was 11 – 8 ahead, totally unaware that the money involved was just two quid! However, when I was finally defeated '13-11', word quickly spread that I had bottled it at 11-8 in front. Of course this was not the case as the eleven frames that I 'led' with was my start.
Davie was the one player at the time who had the beating of most players irrespective of their tactics. He also won the East Kilbride Singles in a canter both years that he entered.
In Dave's first year in pool, he won the Scottish Singles, after thinking he had entered a pub tourney in Edinburgh! The tourney was a Scottish Qualifier.
In that amazing fifteen months he also captured the UK Professional Pool Players Championship beating short priced favourite 'Maltese Joe' Barbara live on ITV's World of Sport. Add to these, the Gretna Open; Jersey Open; and the Borders TV Classic when he defeated England's Howard Miller 6-1 in the televised final after gifting his opponent a frame because the programme was scheduled for an hour. Also, the Fast Eddies Pro-Am; the Annan Singles and of the EK Singles.
Best player you have played alongside?:
David Linton, who remained UK professional number 1 for over a year after he quit pool because of the unassailable lead he held at the head of the rankings. Dave represented Whitehills Farm and East Kilbride for three years and was easily the best pool player that I have ever seen or are ever likely to see.
Favourite pro players (Pool or Snooker):
- Pat Holtz - I have known Pat as a friend for over twenty three years, and used to visit his house opposite Potters Hillhouse on a Tuesday evening on the way home from work at Council Headquarters in Hamilton. We had a few frames on Pat's own table before being collected in a Kelvin Kab and driven to wherever our team Whitehills Farm was playing. Pat was a successful product of Allan Falconer's youth pool policy and today is the ultimate professional...and a genuinely nice guy!
- Ross McInnes - Ross used to be a regular visitor to east Kilbride in the 1980's and attended the first ever EK Pool cup final at Whitehills Farm in October 1983 after giving Murray Potters 'B' a hitabout at The Murray before their final with eventual champions Whitehills Farm 'A'. It was an honour being recommended to the Scottish National Pool Council by Ross for the position of Assistant Manager of the Scottish International Pool Team in 1989. Tragic personal circumstances led to Ross standing down the following year and allowing me the privilege to manage the Scotland team. Ross has done more to promote pool in Scotland than anyone but is a sensitive soul under that hard exterior. A class act!
- David Linton - The ultimate professional! This guy was the actual one frame of a start in any team match we played in or outside East Kilbride. Ross at his peak in the 1980's was easily the best I had ever seen until Dave came along and hoisted pool to a new level. Fellow professionals hadn't a clue how to play him because he was the perfect pool player with balls of steel. Whether he was playing a bounce game in the Whitehills Farm or lining up the match ball in the final of a televised tournament, pressure never caused him to miss a pot. Awesome!
How would you rate the current standard of pool in EK?
I don't think I know that the standard of pool in East Kilbride is far superior to what it ever was before. Arthur Russo's all round play, Colin Philip's potting ability, Lee Miller's luck...but when The Guv'nor can give them all a run for their money through sheer practise...it highlights that our top players are lagging behind other areas when Billy comes up short in tourneys outside East Kilbride.
What do you think we could do to raise the standard?
The only way to improve your standard of pool (not to be confused with potting which can be practised anywhere….anytime) is to enter and qualify for the Individual Membership and Scottish Singles events. Hotel events used to be the best breeding ground for an up and coming player in the 80's and 90's. At the Jersey Festival you breathed pool for a week and needed a holiday when you returned home. I hear the Isle of Man Festival is similar on a lesser scale. Lesser players will of course improve playing within East Kilbride but unless you are prepared to play in events outwith EK your experience will be severely limited.
Anything else you'd like to say?
Having been involved in pool for nearly thirty years and made many friends throughout the country during this time who I still meet at events...Mick McGoldrick, Alex Lynn, Davie Forrest, John MacFarlane (former EK Champion played with Kelvin Kabs), Gerry Quigley, Bert McAdam (played with EK League Champions SMT Club in the 1980's and finished runner-up to Jim O'Hara in POTY), Campbell Crawford (member of the 1990 Superleague Winners (EK) and Lanarkshire Champions (Whitehills Farm).Players should remember that there is more to life than pool.
In the 1980's I was involved in just about every aspect of pool at every level. Whether it was running the weekly Whitehills Farm tournament, organising £1,000 pro-Ams in Whitehills, international Scotland trials at Whitehills, disappearing for a week to Jersey, a weekend to Blackpool for the BAPTO, Aberdeen, Falkirk, Ayr, Greenock, Gourock, Reighton sands, Gretna , Carlisle, Skegness.
My reward for all of my dedication was a divorce. Don't get me wrong, it didn't bother me at the time and it still doesn't – but it should have done. I will not make the same mistake again.
Colin Philip
Player Information
Nickname/Web username: The Bullet
Year of birth: 1975
Year started playing pool: 1995
Current team: Flukesters
Background
Starting playing snooker at the age of 6, Colin used to regularly play against top snooker professionals Graeme Dott and Stephen McGuire in under 16s tournaments, before he gained sponsorship and almost turned professional. Unfortunately things didn't quite work out for Colin, but snookers loss is pools gain, and Colin has become widely regarded as one of the best players ever to play in the East Kilbride league.
He has dominated the EKPL's domestic tournaments over the last 10 years, and has consistently been the number one ranked player over the course of the WPS (World Pool Series) and Masters tournaments for the last 4 seasons running, amassing an impressive 9 tournament wins in this period, along with numerous final and semi final appearances.
Singles Information
Aspirations for the current season:
To win another tournament.
Greatest pool achievement in singles:
Beating Lee Miller 10-0 in the 2008 Masters semi final.
Honours in singles competition
I have absolutely no idea, however, over the years I've won some strange prizes including: a TV, a Nintendo 64, a dvd player, a hifi, a cruise to Norway, and I beat John Purdie in a final where I got to choose either another dvd player, or a case of Ally McCoist wine. Hope JP's head was ok the next morning!
The best tournaments I remember were the ones played in Mr Qs. They were usually only the best of 3, but the atmosphere was always fantastic, and I've enjoyed having had some tremendous matches against Livvy and Billy Edmond especially from back then.
Probably the best tournament match I've been involved in was against Tony McCallum at the Bruce Hotel tournament. I clawed back a large deficit to make it 9-9 in the semi final and had him on toast in the decider, before he escaped out a snooker and potted an outrageous fluke to beat me. It was the biggest disappointment I've had after putting so much into the match, but he played amazing in the final to win it and was a pleasure to watch.
Team Information
Aspirations for the current season:
To win the league and crush the hustlers, and to do as well as we have flirted to do at the superleague.
Greatest pool achievement with a team:
Winning our first cup with the Loft in 1995, when I tapped in Stevie Ross in the play-off.
Honours in team competition
Won a few cups with the Loft, Sharks, Hustlers and Flukesters. Also won the treble with the Hustlers.
Cue
Make: Cannon Hurricane
Aquired: Greaves Sports in 1989
Cost: £80
Tip size: 9mm
Who retips it?: Myself
General Questions
Who, or what, inspired you to play?:
I was first inspired by watching Jimmy White. I started playing snooker when i was about 6 on a 6foot table in my bedroom. I was about 12 when my dad took me through to a snooker tournament in Reardons ran by two guys - one being Grant McNairn's dad Tommy. At that time there was only about 5 people turning up every week. Usually me, Grant, Graeme Dott, Scott McKenzie (who is now a struggling professional) and a certain Jim Moffat, also from EK and good friend of Oby. Over the years the tournaments grew and I was part of a team which won the Glasgow snooker league (beating some teams which included professionals) with all players being under 16. I was 16 when, along with Graeme Dott and Stephen McGuire, I got sponsorship and nearly turned professional, but due to various circumstances I became disillusioned with the game and decided not to play anymore. About a year or so later, I spoke to John Muir and he told me there was a tournament in the loft (Hudsons). Shortly after I joined his team and I've played pool ever since.
Favourite EK team you have played in?:
Probably my first team the Loft. Teammates included John Muir, Ian Livingstone, Iain Muir, Brian Stewart, Davie McIlvenna, Scott Clelland, Alec Calderwood, Colin Munro, Brian Cassidy, Paul Allan, Alan Walker and Colin Reid. Not the best team but fantastic times.
Favourite EK team you haven't played in?:
Top Guns by a mile. Great bunch of guys despite the fact that Alec Campbell tries to get into bed with me every time we share a caravan!
Best player you have ever played against?:
Have kept this to EK only because I haven't played the top Scottish players much. I would say Billy Edmond, who at his peak was so hard to beat by being a great potter and a great thinker. He beat me easy in the early days but took the time to teach me a lot of shots and make me a better player.
Best player you have played alongside?:
I could pick Billy again, but I'll go for Arthur Russo. When he's in the mood he is unstoppable.
Favourite pro players (Pool or Snooker):
- Jimmy White
- Stephen Hendry
How would you rate the current standard of pool in EK?
The highest it has been for sure – but only among the players at the top. So many guys can punish one mistake. But like Livvy states, there is a definite lack of young talent coming through. The players winning tournaments now are the same ones who won them 10 years ago.
What do you think we could do to raise the standard?
The best way to improve is simply to play more tournaments. You won't learn much from 2 games on a Tuesday night. Also to practice against better players and watch the way they play the game.
Ian Livingstone
Player Information
Nickname/Web username: Livvy
Year of birth: 1973
Year started playing pool: 1991
Current team: Entertainers
Background
Ian Livingstone is one of the most respected figures on the East Kilbride scene, with a wealth of trophies to his name. With nearly twenty years of experience playing competitve pool at various levels, he has recently been appointed the chairman of the EKPL for season 2009/10. Ian is a former Scotland 'B' team player, and was part of the team (along with fellow East Kilbride player, Billy Edmond) that took home the World B Championship in 2004.
Over the years, he has done a lot for pool in general in East Kilbride. Ian has donated a lot of his time to running "pool schools" for younger players coming through, and also donating trophies to tournaments, such as the Masters, and even the current Old Firm Charity Shield.
With so many successes behind him, there is one particular match, however, that sticks in his mind...
"One year I got to 2 finals with the Greenhills and got beat - once in a famous play-off where there were 3 dishes from break (I done one of them, but we lost 2-1), and we never got trophies for being runners-up that year for the first year ever!"
Singles Information
Greatest pool achievement in singles:
Getting to 8th in the SPA rankings, and also getting to a semi final of an IM.
Honours in singles competition
POTY Winner 2001
POTY Tied but lost play-off 1997, 1999
POTY RU 2006
Murray Open - 1998
Westwood Singles Champion (Masters, best of 19) 2003
Semi final of IM
Several EK Masters wins, 3 Masters wins this season
Also, over the years I won a tv (Murray open), a dvd player (Scotland A v EK in Westwood), a video and a high-fi - you don't get prizes like that any more!!!
Team Information
Aspirations for the current season:
Win the League with Entertainers, and also do well with the Superleague team. Last 4 would be great.
Greatest pool achievement with a team:
Winning the World B Championship in 2004, along with doing 2 out of 2 dishes off opponents breaks in the final.
Honours in team competition
Scottish B Team World Champions 2002, 2004 Semi-Finalists 2003
EKPL Champions 1997 (Mr Q's), 1999 (Predators), 2000, (Mr Q's), 2006 (Entertainers)
Robert Black Cup winner 2000 (Mr Q's), 2007 (Entertainers) RU 1999 (Predators), 2002 (Greenhills), 2003 (Wizards), 2004 (Wizards), 2005 (Entertainers)
EKPL League Cup winner 1999 (Predators)2000 (Mr Q's), 2004 (Wizards), 2007 (Entertainers) RU 2002 (Greenhills), 2003 (Greenhills), 2005 (Entertainers), 2006 (Entertainers)
EKPF Champions 2001, 2003
EKPF Cup winner 2002, 2003
EKPF Shield winner 2001, 2003
EK Doubles Champions 1998 (with Davie Dewar)
UK u19's Doubles (Representing Scotland) Runner-Up 1990
Cue Here Superleague Challenge (representing East Kilbride) 2005
Cue
Make: Cue Master
Aquired: Bridlington (World Championships) 2004
Cost: £25
Tip size: 8mm
Who retips it?: Oby
General Questions
Who, or what, inspired you to play?:
My neighbour taught me how to play snooker when I was about 6. When I was 18 I used to go to the Greenhills on Thursday evenings and play in the £1 pool tournament - pub rules. At the weekend I would play in The Loft and eventually played with their team. Although I was a student and lived in Edinburgh during the week I would often get the bus home to EK on Tuesday's evenings and the early bus back to Edinburgh on Wednesday morning.
Favourite EK team you have played in?:
Predators - to play with so many good players in the one team; Billy Edmond, Tony McCallum, Jim Moffat (who won POTY), Mark O'Brien, Marty Thom. It was a joy to watch some of these guys on the top of their form.
Favourite EK team you haven't played in?:
The Sharks. Were always the team to beat every season and ironically someone always did! Great pool players in the team who I always enjoyed playing against. Most of them have all been team mates at Superleague level at some time or other. Good bunch of guys that love their pool.
Best player you have ever played against?:
Ross McInnes, because he's the best player ever.
Best player you have played alongside?:
Alec McDowell, showed great talent when I played with him in the Scotland B team before going on to be Scottish Champion. I think it was watching me that improved his game!
Favourite pro players (Pool or Snooker):
- Stephen Hendry
- John Higgins
- Pat Holtz
How would you rate the current standard of pool in EK?
It has improved every year I've played in (since 1996). I do think that there is a gap in the 18-30 age group where there are not enough players up there challenging - not none, just there could be more! The majority of the players winning are the wrong side of 30, but I hope I'm gonna be proved wrong over the next few years.
What do you think we could do to raise the standard?
I know how to raise the standard of my game - play/practice more, enter more tournaments. I think we have the infrastructure in EK that can let talent flourish be it at local level or Scottish level. It's up to the individual to put the time in to improve. In the last 12 months we've had the EK Singles, The EK Masters series, a Greenhills tournament and the Lower League Singles, as well as Scottish level with IM's and Scottish singles.
Individuals will progress if they are playing in tournaments. The more, the better for your pool. If you do well, the rewards will come with places in the Superleague and up to Scottish International level. Myself and Billy Edmond are examples that players can work their way through to International recognition from East Kilbride. Arthur Russo played in EK for years, then once he started the tournaments became, in my opinion, a far superior player and a top Superleague A player. It definitely helps playing tournaments.
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