Snooker greats support Higgins

[Perdita]

FRAIL snooker legend ALEX HIGGINS was joined by his old rivals at a fundraising dinner held in his honour last night.

The 61-year-old former two-time World Champion, nicknamed The Hurricane, has been battling throat cancer for several years and lost his teeth following extensive radiotherapy.

JIMMY WHITE, JOHN VIRGO and TONY KNOWLES supported Higgins at the Yang Sing Chinese restaurant in Manchester and raised £20,000 to pay for crucial surgery.

The Irishman, who was pictured earlier in the day after placing a bet, has lost an alarming amount of weight and needs tooth implants to help him eat properly.

WILL ROBINSON, his former PA, said: "We are desperately trying to raise £20,000 for teeth implants, which his dentist insists will help him eat properly again.

"Alex is living in a tiny flat in Belfast and has been living off baby food for years.

"It's so sad. Unless we do something he could be facing death."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2979358/Snooker-greats-come-out-to-support-frail-Alex-Higgins.html#ixzz0oPI3PECQ



Snooker is one of my favourite sports and I always liked The Hurricane. Well done to his friends for trying to help

[Chloe O'brien]

How frail he looks in those pictures. Well done for his snooker mates rasing the cash, but is he strong enough to survive the surgery.

[moonstorm]

I would have never known who that was! He looks 91 not 61! Poor soul, hope he manages to survive the surgery and make a good recovery.

[alan45]

The Hurricane like George Best could not cope with his success.

[alan45]

SAD NEWS

The hurricane has passed away.

Alex Higgins found dead today

He was 61 and had suffered ill health for some time.
Belfast-born Higgins, who won the world title in 1972 and 1982, was suffering from throat cancer.
Fellow former world champion Steve Davis said: "He was an inspiration to my generation to take the game up. I do not think his contribution to snooker can be underestimated."
Higgins was discovered at a block of flats in the centre of Belfast. The player had not been answering his mobile phone and the flat had to be broken into, sources close to him told the Press Association.
His biographer and friend Sean Boru told Sky News: "Everyone knew this was coming but it is still an awful shock.
"Alex may have passed away, but he will be somewhere even now still playing snooker," he added.
"He made snooker what it is. Alex literally took (the sport) by the scruff of the neck and dragged it screaming into the 20th century."

Higgins had battled throat cancer for some time
Snooker promoter Barry Hearn said Higgins would be remembered as the "original people's champion" and the man who transformed the popularity of the sport.
Mr Hearn said: ""He was controversial at times, but he always played the game in the right spirit."
Away from the snooker hall, Higgins' private life was a chaotic whirlwind of drink, womanising, fights, illness and debt.
He earned millions from the sport but blew it all in a long and turbulent descent into homelessness and drink.
His career disintegrated in a blizzard of fines, bans and court-cases and he was left penniless after losing his luxury house in Cheshire to the taxman.
He was divorced by two wives, Cara and Lynn.

[Perdita]

RIP Alex :(

[tammyy2j]

RIP Alex

[Chloe O'brien]

R.I..P Alex he was a great character and will be greatly missed.

[Perdita]

THE body of snooker legend Alex Higgins may have been left undiscovered for up to TWO WEEKS, we can reveal.

The cancer-stricken star was found dead in his Belfast flat last week. It's thought he might have starved to death.

But it's not known exactly how long the former world champ, 61, had been there for. Police investigating the case know that Higgins spoke to his sister Ann a couple of weekends before. The frail sportsman, who blew at least £3million as he battled a drink and gambling problem, was seen at his local, the Royal Bar, on July 13.

After that, the cops are not sure, which leaves an 11-DAY gap in which he could have passed away.

One close associate said: "No one is exactly sure how long Alex had been dead before his body was discovered - which is really upsetting for his family and friends.

"It was said last week that Alex was probably dead for a few days - but it's feared to be at least a week, probably more. It is a tragic end to a man who had such a glittering career."

Last week celebrity pals including fellow pros Jimmy White and Steve Davis, lined up to pay tribute to The Hurricane. And more stars, including Liam and Noel Gallagher, are expected to turn up for his funeral tomorrow.

Higgins's former PA and lifelong friend Will Robinson said: "We won't know for sure until the coroner reports but I was trying to get hold of Alex for at least ten days.

"I tried calling and even wrote a letter. Even for Alex, it was unusual to go off the radar for so long."

:(

[Perdita]

The personal problems suffered by the snooker legend Alex "Hurricane" Higgins stemmed from him becoming famous at a young age, mourners at his Belfast funeral were told today.

The Anglican Dean of Belfast, Dr Houston McKelvey, also criticised the media coverage of the twice world champion's life.

As he delivered a tribute to the 61-year-old at St Anne's Church of Ireland cathedral, in Belfast, McKelvey said: "Alex, at a very young age, encountered two of the greatest temptations possible – fame and fortune.

"He found it difficult to cope with both. He was not the first to find this difficult, and he certainly will not be the last."

McKelvey said some of the coverage of Higgins's life and death had been too judgmental, adding: "Many people – informed and ill-informed – have commented publicly on Alex, his life and his lifestyle over the past few days.

"It has been a media fest fed by a public which turns, often like a shoal of piranha fish, from one personality to another.

"Since Alex's death, many have been judgmental – despite the fact that there are few Irish families that I know of who don't have their own character to cope with in the family system."

Earlier, snooker stars joined mourners at the funeral service. Higgins's close friend and fellow player Jimmy White arrived at the cathedral to pay his respects.

Speaking outside the cathedral, White said he had spoken to Higgins only five weeks ago. "He wanted to get better," he said.

He said he had played "many, many fantastic matches with him ... he was a great friend. He had the heart of a lion".

Other famous names in attendance included the Dubliner Ken Doherty, also a world champion, the seven-times world champion, Stephen Hendry, and the Irish professional Joe Swail.

The final journey of Higgins, who was found dead at his flat in Belfast last weekend after a long battle with throat cancer, began from the south of the city following a private service at his family home in Roden Street.

His coffin was taken to the cathedral on a horse-drawn carriage and passed by a mural in the Sandy Row area paying homage to the "people's champion".

Hundreds of fans lined the route from the Donegall Road area through the city centre.

Higgins will be buried at Carnmoney cemetery, on the outskirts of north Belfast.

The 'Hurricane' won the world title in 1972 and 1982.

A controversial figure, he was banned from five tournaments and fined £12,000 in 1986 when he headbutted the UK championship tournament director, Paul Hatherell.

In 1990 he was banned for the rest of the season after punching a tournament director at the world championship.

Despite numerous rows with referees, he continued to play the game regularly and competed in the Irish professional championship in 2005 and 2006.