It's no surprise that a man who heralds from Stoke is a good potter.

It was Dave Harold's potting that proved the bookmakers wrong when he won his first and only world ranking tournament to date - the 1993 Asian Open in Bangkok - as a 500-1 outsider.

Harold is an ardent Stoke City supporter, who was once forced to miss his side's win the Auto Windscreens Shield against Bristol City at Wembley to prepare for the World Championship.

The Staffordshire snooker star first entered the top 16 in 1994 and victories over Neal Foulds and Rod Lawler booked him a place in the quarter-finals of the 1996 Embassy World Championship before he was stopped in his tracks by Nigel Bond.

Harold¿s hopes of progressing in 2000 were dashed by John Higgins but he made the Scotsman fight all the way for his 10-8 victory.

One of the best safety players in the game, Harold will be hoping to make his mark in this year's UK Championship to keep his place in the top 16.