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Our new weekly snooker feature looks at some of the great snooker players of the past and reveals what they have been up to more recently. We start with Alex Higgins.

Name: Alex Higgins

Nickname: Hurricane

Nationality: Northern Irish (Born in Belfast)

Age: 60 (DOB: 18 March 1949)

Professional: 1971-1997

Highest Ranking: 2

Career highlights: World Champion 1972 and 1982, UK Champion 1983, Masters Champion 1978 and 1981, Irish Masters Champion 1989.

THEN

One of games true characters Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins turned professional at the age of 22 and won the World Championship at his first attempt when he beat John Spencer in the pre-Crucible era.

He went on to become a household name during snooker's boom years in the Eighties. He won the world title again in 1982 (pictured) and finished runner-up in 1980. His quick and flamboyant style made him a true crowd favourite, while his unorthodox cue action would not be found in too many coaching books. It sometimes got him into trouble, but his immense natural talent helped get him out of countless tight spots

He invariably smoked and drank throughout his matches, which was allowed at the time, but his battle with the booze saw his form dip drastically in the later stages of his career. The Irish Masters in 1989 was his last significant title.

Best Moment: A break of 69 in the 1982 World Championship semi-final against Jimmy White. Trailing 15-14 in a first-to-16 contest he found himself 0-59 down in the 30th frame and looked to be heading out. However, he managed to produce an incredible clearance under intense pressure to send the match to a decider. He kept losing position during the break but drilled in some amazing pots to keep it alive. He won the match before beating Ray Reardon in the final.

Worst Moment: A heavy rap sheet to choose from but at the UK Championship in 1986 he head-butted a referee and as a result was banned for five tournaments and fined £12,000.

NOW

It is a tough sight seeing Higgins these days as he looks incredibly frail and weak. He has also had to battle sporadically with throat cancer due to his heavy smoking, and it comes through in his voice.

He spends most of his time these days in the pub and the bookies in Belfast. His tipple is Guinness and it is said that he has spent pretty much the entire £3 million he is believed to have earned in his career.

However, he does still try and keep himself busy. He plays in a number of exhibitions, mostly with his good friend Jimmy White, and while his form is completely shot, such was his popularity back in his heyday that he is still a huge draw for snooker fans.

In late October, he played in the 110sport Legends event in Scotland while earlier this year he once more illustrated his uncanny ability to lose money on a celebrity sports edition of the Weakest Link.

During the first round and with the bank on £5,000 Higgins was asked: "What day comes between Sunday and Tuesday?" to which he answered: "Wednesday."

Not surprisingly he was voted off by his fellow contestants but he did take his elimination with good grace. It seemed somewhat poignant that the only person who did not vote him off was Paul Gascoigne - a man whose career mirrors that of Higgins's in many ways.

However, the Higgins humour remains undiminished. In a recent newspaper article, he gave an entertaining interview to the Scottish Sun and revealed what he thinks is the biggest problem with snooker today.

"It's all too namby-pamby now," he said. "With players sipping mineral water? Where are all the pints?"

Indeed!

Seán Fay / Eurosport