Everything for me was to beat the system, the way I played was to beat the system.

I'm such an addictive personality that I can say yes or no.

In a way, sometimes I was quite pleased when I got beat, 'cos then I could do my antics.

We go out and have a drink occasionally. We're quite happy to go for a nice meal and go the theatre or something.

The thought of the weekends I used to have now makes me shake.

I mean what's the point of them becoming professional snooker players? If there's not much money in the game, if there's no guarantee of future tournaments, if no one knows what's going on.

Snooker's only popular in China now. Well China's OK to go to once or twice a year but to go and play six or seven tournaments there is too much.

Do I have any regrets about my life? No.

I've been gambling since the age of 12. Horses, dogs, dice, roulette, you name it.

I would have prepared differently before big matches but I wouldn't change my life.

I really enjoy working as a pundit.

On my 50th birthday the Rolling Stones played at my party at Grosvenor House. That's not bad for a kid from Tooting.

The trouble started when I won the world amateur title in 1980, aged 18. People began talking about me as the next star of the game. But I also started to get recognised more and I wasn't prepared for it.

That period in the late Eighties and early Nineties was when I was playing my best snooker. My trouble was that I had so many bad habits that my preparation was terrible: people like Steve Davis or Dennis Taylor were model pros.

My dad was a coalman and was always playing snooker with his mates.

Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the balls. He was such an incredible potter with self-belief.

Over the years I have been in a lot of trouble but I've always managed to switch off and play.

One of my great heroes was my brother. You couldn't have dreamt of a better one.

I love Belfast, because of the way that people here love their snooker. And I won my first professional tournament here in 1981. It was at the King's Hall and I beat Doug Mountjoy in the final. That victory will always be pretty special for me.

I like the hypnosis. Nothing too deep - just enough to keep me clearer and more focused.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the greatest snooker player ever, will tell you that he doesn't practise. I'm not having that. I call him Roger, after Federer, because he's a genius. He doesn't like that nickname.

The best match I ever played in was the U.K. championship final against John Parrot in 1992. I won 16-14 and I felt like I could pot anything from anywhere.

The people in China love their snooker. We get a fantastic reception when we go over there.

I play poker face to face.