I've had my dark days, but I wasn't really a hell-raiser as such.

Believe me, I feel the same way now about snooker as I did when I was 13.

If Ding keeps performing the way he has been doing then it is inevitable the World Championship will go to his country.

Ding has a fantastic all-round game. His temperament is also at a very high level.

Ronnie is the greatest player to have ever picked up a snooker cue. People have said that about me. But although I won 50 or so tournaments I never picked up the world championship. That was a little bit of a disappointment.

I know sometimes I played to the crowd, and it did cost me.

We earned any fans with the way we play.

It is like any sport. You practise thousands of times and you miss the simplest ball and you don't understand why. But that's why snooker is so special, because all of sudden you can lose everything.

I have always loved playing snooker.

I was a beat-the-system sort of player, but you can't beat the system, you have to prepare properly.

Golf and snooker are similar. They are ball games that you don't have to be super fit for. It's not like boxing or football when, at 35, you are on your way home.

I learnt the game as a kid hustling car dealers for cash.

Listen, I could have won the World Championship. Obviously if I had the chance to do it all again I would do things differently. But then would I have still wanted to play?

I play golf but very badly.

I was a big fan of Naseem Hamed, and followed him. Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and I know him well.

I think boxing is a fantastic sport.

I was introduced to the game by my father, Tommy, when I was 11.

The worst problem I've probably had was the gambling - you can do your money in the bookies a lot quicker than you can do it in the pub.

I love playing O'Sullivan. It is a bit of a role reversal from when I used to play Alex Higgins.

We play Snooker Legends exhibitions and there is never a spare ticket.

Snooker still fascinates me and I still get a buzz from it.

People appreciate anyone who takes chances - they like a bit of flair.

I love playing in Ireland and I've had great support here, like I get everywhere.

I was mad-keen on poker as a kid. It was like the snooker, pulling me into that same smokey atmosphere I loved.