have been paid to former world snooker champion Alex Higgins, who died today aged 61 after a long battle against throat cancer.
The Belfast man had long-term problems with alcohol and smoking since winning the world title in 1972 and 1982.
But he still remained one of the most iconic figures in the sport.
Higgins' quickness around the table and flamboyant style earned him the nickname "Hurricane Higgins", and made him a high-profile player. His highly unusual technique sometimes included a body swerve and movement when cueing, as well as a stance that was higher than for most professionals. While Higgins was arguably a classic example of how not to cue, he nevertheless managed to pot balls at a rapid rate. He also drank and smoked during tournaments, as did many of his contemporaries, helping sponsored tobacco advertising. In October 1998, he had an operation to remove a cancer from his throat. A volatile personality got him into frequent fights and arguments, both on and off the snooker table. One of the most serious of these clashes was when he head-butted a referee at the UK championship in 1986. This led to him being fined £12,000 and banned from five tournaments
Dennis Taylor - "There was just something about the way that he played the game. There was a little bit of [John] McEnroe in there. There was always going to be a little bit of controversy."
Steve Davis - "To people in the game he was a constant source of argument, he was a rebel. But to the wider public he was a breath of fresh air that drew them in to the game."
Willie Thorne - "We just remember the games when he played, everybody wanted to watch, he was exciting, nobody knew what would happen, it was dangerous. It's a sad loss."
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