Joe Johnson today revealed the debt he owes to former world snooker champion Alex Higgins.

The 58-year-old from Bradford confessed: “When Alex won his first world title in 1972, I was only 20 and it made me want to hit the heights.

“People rushed forward to touch him or pat him on the back, and that is how he made me feel as well.

“If people ask me what made snooker, I would say colour TV, BBC2 (Pot Black) and Alex Higgins, and not necessarily in that order.

“But a suspension eventually did for him at the top level and meant he had to qualify for tournaments – and it just didn’t seem right that Alex Higgins should be playing qualifying.”

Higgins, who died in July aged 61 after a long battle against throat cancer, was named in the original eight-man field for the inaugural World Seniors’ Championship at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford on November 6-7.

Cliff Thorburn has replaced the Irishman in a field that also includes six other world champions in Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Cliff Thorburn, Johnson, John Parrott, Ken Doherty and Peter Ebdon, as well as ‘People’s Champion’ Jimmy White and qualifier Nigel Bond.

Johnson vividly remembers when he played Higgins in an exhibition at Bradford Snooker Club in Sackville Street.

He said: “I was still an amateur then and Alex was giving me 21 points start a frame.

“There was a photograph of Alex and myself that night that appeared in the T&A, and I was the one with the long hair down to my shoulders and the bow tie untied, while Alex was the one with the bow tie tied!

“That was a complete role reversal as he used to hate wearing bow ties. Alex was potting the balls off the ceiling that night and the crowd were at every vantage point possible.

“It was a fantastic night – but I can’t remember the result!”

Johnson, who won the world title himself in 1985, did remember, however, Higgins’ famous 1983 UK Championship final victory over Steve Davis.

“Alex trailed 7-0 and won 16-15,” said Johnson.

The finals day for the World Seniors’ Championship (November 7) is already a sell-out but tickets remain for Saturday’s two sessions (£15 for 10.30am session and £55 for 7pm session, which includes a sportsmans’ supper and drink and John Virgo’s trick shots).

Tickets can be purchased via the World Snooker website but the finals-day sell-out has already gone some way to justifying Johnson’s efforts to keep the event in Bradford, as did a successful qualifying tournament in May. “I wouldn’t have put so much work in or fought so hard if the event was in Sheffield,” admitted Johnson.

“There isn’t much good news coming out of Bradford these days but this tournament is definitely good news and I am proud to have played a part in staging it, especially considering it could easily have gone to The Crucible at Sheffield, which would have been a logical move considering the main event is held there.”

The senior finals will be screened by Sky Sports, who will be showing seven one-hour programmes over the Christmas period.

The event has been further boosted by the involvement of Bradford Council, which World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Barry Hearn felt was not only crucial to the event’s success but also its ability to remain in Bradford.

Johnson said: “Bradford Council might not be able to help much in monetary terms but they certainly can by getting the word out about the tournament via posters etc.

“The Telegraph & Argus are also playing a big role in terms of publicity, which is great.”

As well as tickets for the event itself, there will also be a sportsmans’ dinner at the Cedar Court Hotel that weekend, fronted by Willie Thorne and John Virgo, and assisted by comedian Steve Womack.