It was 19 years ago when John Parrott famously held the world snooker championship trophy aloft at the Crucible in the defining moment of his career; but after last night’s defeat to Chinese teenager Anda Zhang, the sport is poised to wave goodbye to one of its greats.
The man he beat in 1991’s final, Jimmy White, won his world championship qualifier against Mark Boyle to retain his place in the top 64 and consequently strip the 45-year-old Parrott of his card.
Nicknamed “The Entertainer” for his uncanny ability to hit 140+ breaks in a host of major championships, Parrott has long been a favourite on the snooker circuit. His public profile was also boosted significantly after he became a team captain on the popular BBC One quiz show A Question of Sport between 1996 and 2002.
In recent years he’s continued with the television by work by becoming the BBC’s main snooker pundit alongside Steve Davis; and JP will now focus on his media work as he lays his cue to rest with nine ranking tournament titles and six non-ranking tournament titles to his name.
It’s probably about time too. Parrott’s glory days are now firmly in the past. His last rankings event tournament win came 14 years ago in the European Open, which he won three times in total. And his last individual tournament win arrived way back in 1998 at the German Masters.
After yesterday’s defeat against Zhang, Parrott conceded that he doesn’t enjoy practising anymore – a clear indicator that the time is now right for him to call it a day.
Parrott will be 46 this May and first announced he was considering his future after last August’s Shanghai Masters. Comprehensively whitewashed 5-0 by 18-year-old rising star Michael White, the Liverpudlian was forced to admit to himself that his days in the sport were numbered.
It’s been a successful career for Parrott regardless of the lack of silverware in recent years. Indeed, it’s been a career which has stretched 27 years now after playing his first professional match in 1983. But those that say he should have called it a day several years ago would be right.
In an interview with the Daily Mail this week, Parrott commented: "If that is it, I finish a very proud man."
And as well he should. Awarded an MBE with his services to snooker in 1996 during the pinnacle of his playing career, JP always has and always will be a tremendous servant to the sport of snooker.
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