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Image source: Getty ImagesByJohn SklbeckBBC Senior Journalist14 minutes agoDown come the lights in Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. A galaxy above is replaced by darkness. Heavyweight auditorium doors close with a thud. The handshake between the protagonists hides a fervent desire to degrade one another as far as noncontact sport allows. The world beyond this claustrophobic, tense and turbulent den becomes irrelevant. New energy fills the atmosphere: anxious and anticipative. Phones are turned off, senses go on high alert. The crowd commotion reaches a heavy metal peak and then drops steeply into silence. All that matters at this moment is a triviality of life: snooker. The gunshot clack is resin on resin and the cue ball ripping off the pack reds, signaling the start of a show without a written script. Rinse and repeat over 17 days. The mind marathon has begun. Never take the Crucible result for granted; high stakes are enough to make even the best players frightened. Steve Davis, six-time world champion, says that the Crucible has its own unique stamp as a snooker arena. “I’ve experienced moments when it was the most wonderful place. Other times, I wanted to be swallowed up by the entire place because it was the most horrible place ever. “Davis, in his first year of defending the title, was humbled by Tony Knowles 10-1 on the first day. He was turned white by Dennis Taylor in 1985’s black-ball final and then beaten by a Yorkshireman in Bradford’s Joe Johnson’s victory a year later. Most don’t. Twenty-four men have won the trophy in Sheffield, hundreds have left empty handed. The Crucible, with all it entails, chews players up, scars them. All the greats are familiar with the Crucible. What makes the 980-seat venue special? How did a venue that was once considered “a dropout’s hangout”, become snooker’s ultimate stage? Image source, Getty ImagesIt’s history, quirkiness, layout of the stadium, and how close the fans are. Crucible MC Rob Walker says it’s all about the atmosphere. “In 2018, Mark Williams and someone in the front rows shared a Minstrels packet. He didn’t even have to stretch his arm. That’s how close they were. “The players say there’s no place harder to win. It may not look like a large arena, but when there are bums on every seat, and the place is silent and you’re about to speak or play, it’s enormous. It can be intimidating, says Walker. “You feel it more strongly there than anywhere else.” “It’s unthinkable” that it would move anywhere else. “It’s unthinkable” that it would move anywhere else. Barry Hearn was the then chairman of World Snooker and he had emotional ties with the Crucible dating back decades. He ran across the stage in 1981 to hug the new champion Davis who he managed. Hearn, inspired by his success, launched the promotion company that would later become Matchroom. Its latest accounts showed a turnover of PS225m. Hearn has a forensic understanding of the monetary value in sport. It was obvious that snooker would have made a lot of money if it had taken its premier event overseas, perhaps to China, or Saudi Arabia. Hearn, Sheffield, and the government all knew that such a move could be costly. All parties knew they would lose if such a move was made. A deal with Sheffield took many years to implement. Hearn stated that “The Crucible is going to become more famous, and we haven’t lost our history which is important.” “My life was changed in 1981, when Steve Davis won World Championship. It is impossible to imagine playing the World Championship at any other venue than this one. “Sheffield’s economic value is increased by PS4.5m every year by the event. The media value, exposure through free publicity, is worth over PS3m. Sheffield City Council is paying the World Snooker Tour for staging the event, not the other way around. Many of the top Chinese players reside in Sheffield and a number of top-tier academies are now open. This is not just a 17-days snooker town.Snooker has an accidental home.Mike Watterson is widely credited for bringing snooker into the Crucible.He later became the chairman of Derby County Football Club.But it was Watterson’s wife Carole who came up with the idea in 1976 after watching a performance there. Watterson, who passed away in March 2019, said: “She said the Crucible was perfect for snooker.” “Back then, it was a dropout hangout and an embarrassment for the city. You’d find beatniks – dropouts – lounging there. It was always criticized by the city, and the people. The size and shape of stage, surrounded by the audience on three sides, made it credible for a snooker arena. Mike enquired about it and was told that it was 34ft. It was not wide enough. On closer inspection, the stage was 36ft. The World Championship was a constant roadshow for decades before it settled in Sheffield. It had been played in cities as far away as Bolton, Birmingham and Sydney. Watterson said in the past that “you never know if something is going to work.” “I never imagined that the tournament would stay in Sheffield for such a long time. “Australia’s Neil Robertson is the 2010 world champion and he points out that there are only two practice tables, which he calls “not ideal”. Robertson also welcomed the long-term plan as “amazing”, assuming the players won’t be an afterthought. Robertson said, “The walk down the steps into the arena is something that I hope will never change.” “It’s amazing to think of all the players who have walked into the arena over the years. “It’s our only venue where we have played for decades. You can’t ignore its history. “Image source: Getty ImagesImage Source: Getty ImagesAnd here’s the crux of it all: history.Alex Higgins with his baby daughter Lauren, 1982. Dennis Taylor waving his finger in 1985. Ronnie O’Sullivan’s five-minute maximum. White, the exasperated near man. Rob Maul is the Sun’s snooker reporter, and Shane McDermott is a mainstay in the Mirror’s media room. It’s been a pilgrimage that I’ve made since 2018, and I feel honored to do it. But there are people who have done this for decades, decades, and decades. “That’s what’s unique about snooker. They’ve kept the Hendrys working in the sport. John Parrott is commentating. You don’t want to throw away that legacy. “When you’re walking around the city, Steve Davis and Jimmy White will pass by if they’re working. Snooker is still the same game these legends played. McDermott said: “You see the faces year after year, people who come every year since 1977. Unfortunately, some of them are not coming as often because of their age. “I remember bumping into John Virgo after matches, perhaps nipping from the press room to take a moment and leaving the commentary box. You would give a little hello and a nod. This is something everyone will miss. “Faces at the table, faces in the crowd and faces in the commentary box. In recent years, snooker lost Virgo as well as Ray Reardon and Terry Griffiths. Clive Everton is a journalist and broadcaster. Former BBC snooker executive Nick Hunter has also left us.

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ByAlex HowellArsenal journalist at Etihad Stadion6 hours ago255 commentsThe image of Mikel arteta on the ground in his technical area, as Kai Havertz headed a stoppage time chance over the bar will be etched in the minds of many Arsenal supporters. It was billed by many as the Premier League final and City won it just like they did in the Carabao Cup Final last month. Image source, Getty ImagesAre Man City now title favourites after win over Arsenal? Image source: Getty ImagesAre Man City the title favourites following their win over Arsenal?7 Hours agoMan City beat Arsenal and cut lead to 3 points. The difference was in boxes – Arteta It was not Arteta’s team that performed poorly, but their lack killer instinct could be a detriment to their chances of winning their first league title in nearly 22 years. Arteta selected a team that aimed to dominate the ball and included Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard and others for the first time this season. Arteta stated that the difference between the two boxes was what determined the game. Havertz was the one to bring the Gunners even, minutes after Rayan Cherki scored a brilliant opener. His block on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s clearance bounced into the net. But it is the two missed opportunities from the German national that will be remembered. Eze’s shot from the edge of his area and Gabriel’s header in the second-half were both blocked by the goalpost. The Gunners couldn’t find a way to win. Arsenal tried to solve their striker problem by bringing in Gyokeres from Sporting for PS64m. Despite scoring 18 goals across all competitions in this season, there is still some doubt about whether the 27 year old is right for Arsenal and if he can deliver what the Gunners require. Arteta replied that it was difficult to make his players more ruthless. “I mean, we hit the post, and I just look the images. It’s amazing how the ball didn’t go in. “There is a certain element of luck. There is a timing element, and there is a execution element. There are a lot things that you have to do your way. “They didn’t work out our way, and we must accept that in the end, winning or losing will come down to these moments. “Arsenal Forwards Struggle It is rare that a team is challenging for the title with no forwards in the conversation. Previous title-winners included Mohamed Salah and Sergio Aguero, while Arsenal’s forward options include Gyokeres and Havertz. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus are also available. However, it is a stretch to describe any of them as ruthless match winners. Havertz’s first goal of the season was his first in 22 games. Leandro Trossard had not scored for 22 matches. Madueke only has two league goals. Eze has six, but five of them came against Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal was also without Bukayo, who missed the match with an Achilles’ injury. Despite being one of Arsenal’s most reliable forwards in the past, his numbers have dropped this season. Arsenal has struggled at times to create chances, and this is reflected in the goals they have scored from open play. Arsenal has 35.8 expected open play goals this season, which is sixth in the league. Manchester City is second (42.1), with Chelsea in the lead (43.2). Gael Clichy, former Arsenal defender, said on BBC Radio 5 Live that teams were beginning to be scared of Arsenal’s corner kicks. “This is great for points, but as time goes by, you begin to rely on it and feel comfortable. You don’t concede a lot of goals, and you don’t score many goals either, but you do get those chances that make you feel like you’re going to score. “The message that you are sending is, ‘don’t worry guys, keep strong and if set-pieces come our way, we can count on it’. “And the former Arsenal defender believes that if Arsenal played in a different way, their forwards could flourish. “The longer you go on, the less time you spend thinking about how to hurt and create people,” he said. “It’s about playing ‘free-football’ and scoring five (5) goals, but I feel that the players they signed last summer could damage any team if they were given this freedom. “I’ve felt in the last few weeks that they don’t want to make mistakes, but rather take risks and go for the win.” Can Arsenal win if they don’t have a forward in form? Arteta, Arsenal and the team are still in a good position to win the title despite their loss. This is true even if City is gaining momentum. Arsenal’s manager said that his team is “more confident” after their loss. Arteta stated that the players were discussing it in their dressing room. “They already have a match in hand.” We have a three-point advantage and five games left to play. “So there’s still a lot to play for.” We won’t stop and we will go again, for sure. Arteta hopes to get one of his forwards in killer form with five games left and goal difference playing a key role in deciding the title. Related topicsPremier LeagueArsenalFootballMore on this storyLatest Arsenal news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Arsenal – what do you want to know?

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By Arsenal Man It ” They I The There ” It There ” The Arsenal Arsenal The This Not Arsenal’s nerves may just be jangling, though, as the chance to get the result that would give them a crucial push towards a first Premier League title since the ‘Invincibles’ of 22 years ago agonisingly escaped.Image source, ReutersRelated topicsManchester CityArsenalFootballMore on this storyFollow your club with BBC Sport12 MarchListen to the latest Football Daily podcastGet football news sent straight to your phone16 August 2025