How snooker halls became Ronnie O'Sullivan's "creche" from a young age
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Who is the guest and what childhood story does he share about snooker halls?
Mm-hmm.
Hello, I'm Lauren Laverne, and this is Desert Island Discs Postcards, a collection of funny and heartwarming moments from some of our many castaways. This postcard comes from seven times world snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. In 2023, he told me how he'd spent his childhood going unaccompanied to play in snooker holes across East London.
You know, my dad w used to put me in the car. You go right, we're going to City Road today. I'm gonna drop you off. You'll be alright there.
How did Ronnie’s dad drop him off at East London snooker halls and why was it considered safe?
He would have dropped you off at seven.
About eight years of age, I'd say. So yeah, he dropped me off there, but my dad was like an East End guy, so he knew how yeah, the gift of the gab and he'd go in and he'd go, Right, won't my boy'd go he's a bit young and come in and went here's the money for him to play all day, let him do what he wants, you know what I mean? Just make sure he behaves and just keep an eye on him. So there'd be
someone behind the bar keeping an eye on you, too.
Yeah, my dad used to call it a crash. He went, It was the best place for you to
be.
He said, I could come do my work but I knew you were safe.
When did Ronnie and his father realize he had a special talent for snooker?
You weren't out on the streets being naughty, getting like up to no good. He said, I could leave you in a snooper and go, he's all right there.
And how long was it before you and your dad realised that you had something special? You were really good?
Him sooner than me, because obviously I didn't realise, you know, that I could play this game well. Um I just used to love playing. But he was always telling people My boy's ten years of age at the moment and he's gonna be world champion and a lot of people come up to me now and go, Oh, like everyone says their son's gonna be this and that He said but he was right And were
you lost
in it?
What was it like for a young Ronnie playing on full‑size tables against adult professionals?
Would it be
that thing of forgetting to eat?
I would order my food and they'd go, Ronnie, food's ready and I'd run out. I would always keep my cue on the table and balls on the table and the light on 'cause I didn't want to lose my table and I didn't want to lose whatever was going on the table and I'd run out and I'd scoff my food down and I'd be bumped back out on the table. And it's only now that I get people come up to me and they go, We knew you was gonna make it because of my enthusiasm for the game.
You must have been a little kid playing at adult sized tables.
Yeah, uh when I was eight, first time I I played on the full size table. Obviously scared by the f the size of it when I first see a full size table.
How does Ronnie reflect on his early obsession with the game and its impact on his career?
And I grew up just playing in a in a man's world from from the age of eight, really, and I was p competing against men from the age of ten onwards, winning junior tournaments from eleven, winning amateur tournaments against professionals when I was twelve. So you've got this little kid playing professionals that were on T V. And beating them. But even then I didn't think I was good enough to be a top class player. How wrong he was.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Who is the guest and what childhood story does he share about snooker halls?
0:08–0:44
2
How did Ronnie’s dad drop him off at East London snooker halls and why was it considered safe?
0:44–1:09
3
When did Ronnie and his father realize he had a special talent for snooker?
1:09–1:39
4
What was it like for a young Ronnie playing on full‑size tables against adult professionals?
1:39–2:15
5
How does Ronnie reflect on his early obsession with the game and its impact on his career?
2:15–2:46