Is snooker ‘dying’ in Scotland? Or is it just ‘different’?

The Scotsman’s hopes of a fifth world title for a year were completely halted by John Higgins’ Crucible exit in the quarter-finals, which also put an end to his country’s representation there.

Higgins, who will turn 50 in a few weeks, will continue to compete at the highest level in his remarkable life.

However, this year’s World Championship featured only Scotland’s “The Wizard of Wishaw.”

For those who enjoy snooker, it is a potentially worrying statistic for a country that has won 12 world titles in the last 35 years.

Jim Donnelly became the first Scot to compete in the World Championship at a location that is now ingrained in the sport more than 40 years ago.

He described the absence of his fellow citizens in the years prior as “players in Scotland were making century breaks, but didn’t believe in themselves.”

“Scottish players immediately assumed that I had already defeated him, and that if he can go professional, I can do it.”

Even though Donnelly lost to eventual champion Ray Reardon in the opening round of the 1982 tournament, it was just the beginning.

He placed 29th in the world’s rankings, but a young player from Edinburgh, who had won the title in 1987, lost it.

With the first of seven victories, Hendry earned the nickname “King of the Crucible,” that young star became the youngest ever world champion at the age of 21 – a title he still holds.

Higgins followed suit, winning four world titles, and he is still leading the field today.

The 2006 title went to Graeme Dott. Additionally, Anthony McGill, Stephen Maguire, and Alan McManus have all advanced to the semi-finals.

When Donnelly coached him in Wishaw at the age of nine or ten, he immediately realized he was “something special” and was able to identify him with Donnelly.

He believes it will be challenging to find someone to take on the role of Scotland’s leading player, despite his optimism.

According to Donnelly, who also coached McManus and McGill, “the problem with snooker in Scotland is that it’s dying.” We lack the resources to accomplish what the rest of us did.

They put the effort in, are good players, and enjoy snooker. However, they don’t leave without getting the best of their lives. They try to stop it by being a little bit more attacking by refusing to play some shots.

“Many people are unaware of the significance of what is happening. How much time and pressure are required to sit down alone at a table.

Without a doubt, snooker as a whole faces challenges differently than it did in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was at its height in the UK.

There are fewer snooker halls in the country, and there are more leisure opportunities for young people to play video games.

These are issues that professionals in the sport are aware of, even if they are not fatalistic about.

It’s definitely not a dying sport, insists Anne Totten of Scottish Snooker, “It’s just different.”

Totten, whose son Chris suffered a defeat in this year’s World Championship qualifiers, volunteers with the organization to advance the sport.

She attributes the change in how things have changed as a result of the Covid pandemic and the loss of cigarette sponsors.

Cost increases and a lack of core funding are also putting a strain on the budget.

She said, “Our academies were doing really well a few years ago,” Our numbers were tremendously up, and it was on the rise before being hit by Covid.

It was actually 18 months lost and where young people found other things because it was one of the worst-hit sports because of licensing and government reopening times following lockdown.

Totten insists that snooker is still popular and more inclusive than ever in Scotland.

There is a new tour for players from “very diverse backgrounds,” including those over 55s, another for women, and others.

Between 10 and 20 young players play on tours from under 14 to under 21 and some compete across all age groups, with 40 or 50 of the children currently attending junior academies in Scotland.

However, Snooker is gaining popularity internationally and China, with its 1.4 billion population, is at the forefront, with six players making it to the last 16 of Sheffield’s World Championship this year.

Totten says there is talent in Scotland, but the competition makes it harder to do so internationally.

With the likes of Dean Young, Liam Graham, Ross Muir, and Scott Donaldson, Totten said, “I think sometimes it’s overlooked that there is a number of young people coming through in what is really, really fierce competition.”

“The conditions for young people are incredibly challenging.” Even though there are opportunities, there are also opportunities available everywhere, and everyone is competing for a small number of spaces.