 Welcome to Toffy TV. Today I am joined by a rising star of Snooker, 18-year-old Sean Maddux, Evertonian. Is in the room, Sean. Welcome to Toffy TV mate. Snooker. Snooker. Scouts are playing Snooker. It's always good after John Parrott, Evertonian as well. Famous Snooker player in the city, but how did you get into Snooker and why Snooker no football? It was football at first, and then you get through a level and you're just not going to make a career out of it. Early decision, yeah? So why Snooker then? It was better. That's fair enough, very honest, and how did that come about playing Snooker? At first, I was in the pool table in the shed and I used to just have a couple of games on that. Then one day my grandad was watching the Snooker. He used to play years ago, so he still watches it sometimes. I was just bored so I was watching it with him. It caught my attention and I got into it. I watched the end of that match. It was the World Championship final. Oh right, yeah. It was John Higgins playing Jude Trump, and that just caught my eye and I was watching it. I watched it from the start to the end, it was just that one match. I started playing it, just getting into it more and more. First time I ever went to a full-size table, I went to have a lesson with my coach. I'm still with him now, but he thought I had a lot of natural talent at first. Straight away, yeah? Yeah, yeah. Obviously, it got to you tonight. I can't remember, but he said to me like I did your break first time I ever played. So I was just dumb on that one. I can't remember. So I just got into it more and more and then I started practising. He plays and he coaches in Old Swan, in George Guts Newer Club. I just started going up there once or twice a week and I just started getting better and better. I used to have a tournament, they still have a tournament there every Saturday against other kids round in Liverpool. I started winning them all the time then. It was like a handicap system. So I started off on like plus 30, and most players started off like plus 60 odd. So I was already at a start on them, and they'd been playing longer than me, so I was taking to it quick. And then by the time I was like 12, I made my first century break in there. At the age of 12? Yeah. Incredible. Yeah, and then... But you were made off, I mean, 100 breaks incredible. Yeah. Age of 12, making that brilliant. I kept missing. After that one I kept missing the last ball to make another one. Did you? Yeah. And I ended up, by the time I made my next one, my second century break, I just started making loads then. Did you? I made about 100 in a year, when I was about 13. So I started just making loads, and so I was getting more confident then. I was just, I started making bigger breaks more often. Yeah, yeah. And I take it into my tournament, and I ended up winning a couple of junior tournaments, like the North West Junior tournament. And I won that five years on the bounce. Okay. By the time I was 15, I started to do better than the men in the tournament then. And I won the Mergyside Open when I was 15. I beat John Parrott y record from, like, 1980s. Yeah. He was 18 when he won, and I was 15. Incredible. Yeah, and then a couple of months before that, I made the youngest 147 in the tournament. And how about this, in the Guinness Book of Records with this? Yeah. He was 18 years of age, making a 147 maximum break. Yeah. Taking a snooker player who's quite good record, actually, do you want to say it was? Ronni O Sullivan. Ronni O Sullivan, who's an elevator player. So, I mean, what does that feel like to be in the Guinness Book of World Records? Good. Yeah, good, but just weird really, I don't know. I think it was 28 years of record, 34. So, I'll just say all on my own stand for now. I mean, you took John Parrott's month after the 1980s, and it's another 28 years. So, this isn't something that happens regularly. So, it should be incredibly proud of. But when you were making the 147, I mean, what was that like? Was your bottle gone? How early did you know you were? How early were you thinking about it in that break? After about two or three blocks, the balls were just... They just looked like I had made one there, and I hadn't made one in practice either. Haven't you know? No, not until that point. That was the first 147 I'd made. But they just looked like they were there to be taken, yeah. Oh, my God. And... Were you nervous? Not really, no. He was a pro. Gary Wilson was playing on the next table to me in the tournament. And he was what I was seeing him in the corner of me I was watching. So, I was concentrating on not missing an easy shot, really. I was just standing there falling on the block all the time. And I got to about... I remember I got to about 56, and they were just all there. They were just like an easy shot. So, it was just more concentration than anything. Easy shot, yeah. Yeah. I was standing. It must have been... It must have been... It must have been nervous then. Come on. I had a black for the 147. No. More on the pink. I had a tough shot on the pink. Oh, did you? Yeah. And I finished perfect on the black, so I couldn't really miss it. I mean, I've seen people like Jamie White missing straight blacks in Welsh Championship finals. They're never easy. You might say it's easy. They're never easy. And so, obviously, you've got that record, which is amazing. 15-year-old doing that. It's saying that you'd won the European Championship under 17. Yeah, I won the European under 17. I was 14. I was in Malta. It was the first time I'd been to a different country to play. Yeah. And my coach came over with me. Right. And we won that. I was with a brand new cue as well, my cue, bro. Two days before I went over there. That's like the nightmare. That's the equivalent of your favourite pair of boots. Not being there, you know, isn't it? Incredible. To win it with a new cue. Yeah. I played well towards the end of that. It was a good standard of player in that tournament. So I've done well to win that. And then it was the status the same year I made the 147. I was 14 when I won that. And I was just 15 when I made the 147. Good year then. Yeah. It was, yeah. And then towards, like the last couple of years, I entered the cue school last May. Is that qualifying school for it to be gone before? That's the team professional, like, yeah. And it was like, I think it was the record number, like 250 players or something in it. 240 players in it. And he played out, like, the last four of each tournament. So you've got to win, like, six or seven matches to ten, bro. And I had a really tough draw. I was just playing, like, top players. And I weren't favourite to come through at all. And I lost in the last round. Right. That was a 16, I think. I think I was 16. So you were close, very, very close. Yeah. And my next tournament after that was in Malta, the world in the 18s. Nice. And that was the team professional, the winner team professional. Okay. And I got to the final. I think he only dropped. I think he dropped, like, three frames to get to the final. Three or four frames. And that was a really good tournament as well. Yeah, yeah. And I just got beat in the final. That was to automatically turn pro. Right. But in the last couple of months, I got awarded a two-year professional card off that tournament, yeah. From that? Yeah. That's brilliant, isn't it? So, I mean, what does that feel like? Because obviously going from your shed, your nan's shed, to becoming a pro. I mean, must be a great feeling now. Yeah, it's good. But it's just going to see how far I can get in the game. Yeah. Hard work starts now and all that. It's always been hard work. Well, yeah. I mean, how often do you practice? I do between, like, five and eight hours a day, every day. Sometimes I'll have a Sunday off. Yeah, yeah. But the most days, yeah. That, I don't have to try. Yeah. Just different shots or playing frames. Well, sometimes I'll practice with players. Yeah, yeah. Like other professionals and good amateurs. Yeah, yeah. And then the days I'm not doing that, I might be with my coach. And if I'm not doing that, I'll just have a day on my own. Just practicing whatever I need to practice. And whatever I need to practice on. Who's the highest profile player you've played against? I've played, like, I've played John Higgins. I've played Karen Wilson, who's just lost in the World Final. Oh, right. I've beat both of them in exhibition matches. Beat John Higgins? Yeah. I've played, I think I've played Steve Davis. Sure, maybe. Have you played Davis? Yeah. Sure, maybe. And Ken Zawty, as well. And honestly, you're breaking them up, then, aren't you? Yeah. I think that. I mean, I've got to bring something up, because obviously it was in the news a couple of weeks ago. I love Ronnie O'Suller, and I think he's incredible. But he come out with a statement after one of his matches, which has caught a lot of attention. And obviously he then goes and wins stuff, so it kind of backs up what he was saying. I guess, I guess. But he come out and said that the standard of young player isn't great because people like him shouldn't still be getting to finals. So I'm up to John Higgins as well, I think. I think, you know, where the old place shouldn't be getting there. I mean, how does that make a, you know, a rise in star like yourself? What does that make you feel like? It depends what way you look, right? I was laughing mad off when he said it. When he watched it live, yeah. And some people take it the wrong way. Right. But he just said it. He doesn't mean to say that, because he's said it in another interview. They are really good players, they just need to improve their consistency. Yeah, yeah. So it's how you take it? Yeah, because I was waiting for him to say something else. Yeah, because I know what he's like. Yeah. And it's just, you've just got to ignore what he says, because the likes of John Higgins says the standard's getting better all the time anyway. So just to go in on the pro tour now. When, like Ronnie O'Sullivan was coming through, if he was as good as he was, if he was as good as he is now, he'd have probably been world number one when he was like 16 or 17. Because the standard just went as good then. Yeah, yeah. So it's, it depends what you look at it. And it's hard, the games getting harder and harder. I suppose it's a, you look at it like you're going the throne down, can't you? It's like, you know. And that's how I took it. I thought it was just laughing when I seen it, because I thought, you know what Ronnie's like. He does come out with Matt Statings at times. Doesn't he? But you know, he's a character, and you need characters in Snooker. But it is, I will take it, I think, especially by your talent, I'll show you. I know what he means, I know what he means, but he says it the wrong way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting. But you can use that as a little bit of, a little bit of firing your belly to show him motivation, to show him, and have you got a message you want to give him a message? No. Just prove it on the green base, can't you? Yeah, and waiting for the, there's a draw for me, second tournament on the calendar. Right. And I can draw Ronnie. I can draw Ronnie in any tournament, but I think there's a good chance of me drawing a top player in this one. Right. That'll be coming out. Would you like to play, because obviously, as a Snooker player, when you're young, coming through, you must want to play the best, to see where you're at, so would you like to get them in it? Yeah, because they're not going to be round for a much more time, so you want to play them all you can, yeah? Play them, beat them in it, say that for the interview. See the old players aren't that good, yeah? Yeah, yeah. Well, tarn, again it is, I guess like there is the go on, because it's a chance for you to go on and hopefully you'll go on and better what he's done. He's been an incredible, and still is an incredible snooker player, isn't he? Well, he's the benchmark, he's what you're aim. He's like the person, you copy what he's, the amount of practice he's done, stuff like that. Cos that's the only way you get as good as well. Is he like, would it be fitting, I wouldn't embarrass you saying, is he hero, but is he someone you'd look up to and go, well, if there was like a snooker icon, would it be him or is there somebody else? It's him and John Higgins. John Higgins, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's just like, the two, Ronnie's like the best. John Higgins is probably like number three. Yeah, yeah. I think Stephen Engey was, Stephen Engey was the best and Ronnie took over him. So, it'd be. Any of them three? Yeah. Yeah, if you're looking up to them, you can't really look up to anyone better than them. Out of them three, this might be a hard question, but if you look at them three, who style you, would you say you were closest to? In between, John Higgins and Ronnie. Ah, yeah, yeah. Got that little bit of flair and go after people, yeah. Yeah. He's got like too much flair for me, but. Yeah. Yeah. Interest. It's going to be interesting to see where you go. I mean, you've got to throw them and coming up, haven't you? Next week, yeah. Yeah. In Milton Keynes, the championship league. Right, okay. Yeah. So you're feeling good. Yeah. Can't wait. No. It's been ages since I've had a tournament, so I'm all looking forward to that more than that. Will this be your first tournament since saying I'm proud? I played in the World Championship, but I went into that as an amateur. Oh, okay. So this will be my first professional fight. First professional. Yeah, first tournament as a professional. Yeah, brilliant. Yeah. Brilliant. And you're going to, for this next one, there's an evident link because I think you're going to wear... Yeah, going to wear the event on the way to school. Yeah. So that's going to be that your charity that you're using for this one. So a nice little link there to our football club as well. And the city, because even though it is evident, it is a city charity there. They do incredible stuff for our city, don't they so? Yeah. Probably if not the best, if not the best, isn't it? Oh, God, they're out of shadow. I mean, I've only got a team that could be as good as they are. Just like touch on the team. First, obviously you'd never thrown in what you said before. So are you excited by what's going on recently? Obviously, Carlo Ancelotti and... Yeah. You know, the signs of later. I think when he came, I think a lot of people expected a lot of them just because of who he is. Yeah. But I think now the signings, I think the signings will just improve the team massively anyway. I think a lot of people will expect like European football in the next couple of years. Yeah, definitely. I do, because we've got the money now, haven't we? Got it? Yeah. Got a bill to see? Yeah. I'm looking forward to seeing how they get on. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think we are all excited at what's going on with the mums. Who's like you first evident here out then? Who can you... Who would be someone you... Probably Duncan Ferguson. Big Duncan. Yeah. Yeah. I think he's the best thing. I mean, it's great seeing him. Managed for a few games as well, wasn't it before Carlo coming, but I think Duncan's a lot of people's... I'd less report about iconic, and he's iconic. Player was my big dunk. So, I was in here a while ago, sat in here, coming and seeing us. So, it's great to see him still there and obviously with Carlo, won't you lot? It's getting exciting times for you and hopefully Everton as well, moving forward. So, hopefully it's a good year. I'll be looking out for you now, won't we? And loads of Evertonians, but not just Evertonians, because on Maisie's side we do generally get behind. The team, things a bit different obviously, but when it's sports, the people from this city, the city generally does get behind. I mentioned John Parrott before, you know, the city, even though he was never Tony, and the city were behind, he became world champion, and we've seen it with Tony Belgyr, even though he's a, you know, he's a diar blue, and a lot of, a lot of the city get behind him, and we do kind of take our sports people to our hearts. So, I think there's an opportunity for someone to get involved and back here local businesses, there's still a place to support you. And as you go forward, isn't it? So, if anyone is interested, who's watching, who's got a local business, the link will be in the description, chance to sponsor Sean, get involved with Sean's journey, one of the rising stars of Snugha. And, you know, hopefully all the city, like I said, I think they will, I think they will get behind you, and we'll see you there on the Green Bay, you know, with your waistcoat on. And we were joking actually before you come in, trying things, Sean will come in with the waistcoat on, and I was sure that the top of the day was coming like some relax today, but if you wanted the opportunity to get involved and sponsor Sean, one of the city's bright sportsman, like I said, the link is in the description and we'll have some social stuff as well, look out for them there. But I just want to thank you for coming in and having a chat with you, all the very best mates on your journey and hopefully you'll get a chance to put Ronnie in his place. It will be quite interesting to watch. So, how can we find you know, Sean 147 Maddox on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Make sure you follow, give Sean a follow, get behind and play to say one of the rising stars of the city, you can catch him at Sean 147 Maddox, just again, just in case you missed it there. Thanks for coming in and having a chat. All the very best mates, hope to see you lifting trophies and come back in when you've won some. I will definitely. But come back in anyway whenever you want, but come back especially if you've won some even better. Give the video a like. Remember, if you want to sponsor Sean for where we go, the link is in the description. Get involved if you're a local business. Give this video a like. And make sure you follow Sean's journey to Statham. Thanks for watching. See you later.