Dennis Taylor commentating on John Virgo. Must be a relative rarity? Not sure when Taylor first got a commentary gig but it must have been when Virgo's playing career was very much on the wane.
Taylor was commentating in the early 80s on ITV. I recently watched footage of the 1981 World Team Championship Final between England and Wales and Taylor was in the commentary box for the BBC. I've also seen him in the studio when Higgins played Thorburn in the 1980 World Final. It's not impossible that Taylor started commentating in the 1970s.
Yes, he essentially retired the following year - I think he wrote in his autobiography something like 'I knew when Spencer Dunn beat me 5-2 and made a century in the process it was time for me to quit' (that was the 1993 UK Championship, and he never played again, except I think the 2000 Seniors Masters). He was heavily involved in the politics of the game by that point, so playing had taken a back seat. But yeah, Dennis had been commentating for about a decade when this match was played!
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Why wasn’t the pink put back by the referee when JV hit it in the first sequence?
Because it wasn't called a miss. As McManus had a clear pot on the red, the ref just called a foul.
Great upload👍
You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it. Just imagine what JV would say about some of the shots he missed if he was commentating on someone else!
Jim bowen interrupting play at 18.20😂
Dennis Taylor commentating on John Virgo. Must be a relative rarity? Not sure when Taylor first got a commentary gig but it must have been when Virgo's playing career was very much on the wane.
Taylor was commentating in the early 80s on ITV. I recently watched footage of the 1981 World Team Championship Final between England and Wales and Taylor was in the commentary box for the BBC. I've also seen him in the studio when Higgins played Thorburn in the 1980 World Final. It's not impossible that Taylor started commentating in the 1970s.
Yes, he essentially retired the following year - I think he wrote in his autobiography something like 'I knew when Spencer Dunn beat me 5-2 and made a century in the process it was time for me to quit' (that was the 1993 UK Championship, and he never played again, except I think the 2000 Seniors Masters). He was heavily involved in the politics of the game by that point, so playing had taken a back seat. But yeah, Dennis had been commentating for about a decade when this match was played!