John Spencer, who died last year, won the first World Championship held at the Crucible in 1977 at a time in his career when it was widely accepted he was a fading force.

Spencer, a polished positional player with eye-popping cue power, won the World Championship – a much lower key affair in those days – in 1969 and 1970, lost to Alex Higgins in the 1972 final but after damaging his cue in a car accident in the mid-1970s, his fortunes began to wane.

Specialist craftsman pinned the cue together but its playing characteristics were never quite the same and, on the run in to the 1977 championship, Spencer realised he was engaging in a losing battle.

He left his battered cue at home in Bolton, embarked on a two week exhibition tour of Cornwall with a Canadian two-piece he had acquired and during that fortnight his old confidence returned.

Having beaten John Virgo 13-9, Spencer comfortably overcame Ray Reardon, the title-holder and an archrival of long standing, 13-6 in the quarter-finals but this would be no easy ride.

John Pulman, then 53, pressed him hard in the semi-finals but Spencer won 18-16, stealing the closing frame on the black, and beat Cliff Thorburn 25-21 to collect the £6,000 first prize.

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