Why World Snooker Championship should stay in Sheffield: Fans and players are saying the same things

Players and fans have given a resounding message of support to Sheffield - telling us it is the best place for the snooker World Championships.

The tournament has been held at The Crucible Theatre since 1977, but some have called for it to move to a bigger venue.

But now, both fans and professional players have spoken in support of keeping it at the Crucible.

We went out onto the streets of Sheffield, and fans both from Britain and abroad said the same thing when it came to the tournament. And that was keep it right here at the Crucible.

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Tomasz Pawelec had travelled to Sheffield from Poland for the tournament. He said the best reason for keeping it in Sheffield was the history of the place. He said: “It’s almost 50 years in Sheffield and everyone treats this city as the home of snooker, so I think it is a very special place.

Emma Bailie had come to Sheffield from Ireland. She said: “The Crucible Theatre is steeped in history in relation to the World Championship snooker. It’s been here for so many years, It’s basically the Wembley of Snooker.”

Richard Keats, from Surrey was also in the city to watch the tournament. He said: “It’s so steeped in history, you can’t not have it in Sheffield. It’s like not having the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. It’s been here forever and should stay here forever.”

Peter Farrell had made the trip from Dublin, in Ireland, along with a group of friends, to watch the tournament.

He said: “It’s a magical place to go. If you’ve never been there before, when you walk in it’s unreal. It’s like going to Cheltenham for the major racing festival. It’s just another iconic sporting venue. I was there last night, and I was there the night before. It doesn’t even matter who’s playing on the table, it’s such an enjoyable experience.”

Players have also backed Sheffield as the place for the tournament.

Barry Hawkins said: “When you see the Crucible sign, the little dressing room windows, it brings back memories of sitting here between big matches and stuff. It’s just the history. I’ve grown up watching the World Snooker Championships and the reason I started playing snooker was watching Jimmy (White) in the finals here and his 147 .”

He said the intimateness of the venue added to the atmosphere.

Former champion Shaun Murphy described the Crucible as magical. He said: “It’s just iconic in the world of snooker. If you stop someone in the middle of Beijing and ask them to say something about Sheffield, they’ll say snooker. It’s just synonymous. The two things go together, It used to be steel, it’s now snooker, and the Crucible Theatre is right behind that.

“We always say as players that it’s great to play in arenas that were designed for performance. Sometimes we play in big, chasmatic arenas that weren’t designed for it. This has been designed for it, and the atmosphere is better because of that. It’s iconic. It’s all those glorious moments, the history.

“It’s hallowed turf for us, holy ground. “

Tom Ford said: “If there’s a venue that anybody wants to get to, that anybody wants to play, it is the Crucible Theatre. It’s just so much history here. That’s why everyone puts so much pressure on themselves in the qualifiers.

He praised the atmosphere of the venue, where the crowd and cameras are close to the tables.

“It’s such a good feeling when you’re out there,” he said.

Kate Josephs, chief executive of Sheffield City Council, said the authority continued to meet with World Snooker. she said: “Sheffield is the home of snooker. The World Snooker Championships and Sheffield go hand in hand.

“We know what the tournament means to the people of Sheffield, the players that come to compete and all the fans that watch the tournament across the globe. We have created a sporting legacy here in the city and we want that to continue for generations to come.

“We are in regular contact with World Snooker Tour and meet with them before, during and after each tournament and we will continue doing so.”