Clive Everton

Early Life: A Spark of Precision

For decades, the name Clive Everton was synonymous with the sound of snooker. Calm, articulate, and deeply informed, Everton brought a quiet gravitas to a sport that rose from smoky clubs to global television audiences. But he was far more than a commentator—he was a player, a pioneer, a journalist, and a historian. His journey through the evolving world of cue sports was not just one of observation, but of deep, active participation. In many ways, Clive Everton didn’t just cover snooker—he helped build its modern identity.

Clive Everton was born on September 7, 1937, in Wolverhampton, England, into a post-war Britain where sports were a source of comfort and escape. From a young age, he showed an affinity for language and detail—a sharp mind that loved pattern, structure, and competition. These twin passions found perfect expression in cue sports, where strategy and storytelling intertwined.

Raised in a modest household, Everton was introduced to billiards by his father, who saw in the game not just skill, but character. Long before snooker became a global television event, Clive was learning to read the angles—both literal and metaphorical—of life on the green baize.

Education: A Scholar with a Cue

Everton’s intellect took him to University College, Oxford, where he read English. At Oxford, he wasn’t content to stay within academic walls; he brought cue sports with him, helping to expand their cultural relevance in elite settings. While studying, he became an accomplished amateur player in both snooker and billiards, eventually earning a place among the world’s top amateur billiards players.

His deep understanding of literature and narrative would later inform his broadcasting and writing—allowing him to not only describe what was happening in a match, but to frame it in the context of rivalry, pressure, and human psychology.

Career Journey

Player and Competitor

Though many remember him as the voice of snooker, Everton began as a competitor. In the 1950s and ’60s, he was a formidable amateur player in English billiards, ranked as high as number 9 in the world, and represented Wales in international competition. He later turned professional, a decision driven more by passion than prize money.

He once said, “I turned professional not because I thought I’d win the World Championship, but because I thought I had something to offer the game.” That humility and self-awareness defined his approach.

The Journalist Who Chronicled a Revolution

When television brought snooker to the masses in the 1970s and ’80s, Everton was already there, capturing its rise with unmatched insight. He launched Snooker Scene in 1971, a monthly magazine that became the sport’s authoritative publication. As editor for over 40 years, he wasn’t afraid to challenge the establishment, criticize governing bodies, or stand up for player rights—an unusual stance in the often clubby world of sports journalism.

Everton’s writing was fearless, sharp, and fair. He investigated corruption, celebrated underdogs, and defended the integrity of cue sports with the rigor of a watchdog and the passion of a fan.

Fun fact: Everton edited Snooker Scene almost entirely on his own for decades, writing much of its content and treating it as a personal mission.

The Voice of the Baize

Clive Everton joined the BBC snooker commentary team in the 1970s, becoming one of the sport’s most beloved voices. His style was calm and understated, a contrast to flashier commentators. He explained without condescension and praised without exaggeration. In a game of precision, his words mirrored the action: deliberate, clean, and intelligent.

He called many of the sport’s most historic moments, from Steve Davis’s dominance to Ronnie O’Sullivan’s rise, and was there as snooker became a national obsession in the UK.

Despite his popularity with viewers, Everton was controversially phased out by the BBC in the 2000s, a move that many fans and players decried as unjust. But his legacy as a broadcaster remained unshaken.

Personal Life: Quiet Strength and Enduring Principles

Clive Everton was never drawn to the celebrity side of sport. He preferred a quieter life—one filled with books, cue balls, and the occasional bit of well-earned mischief. Known for his integrity, wit, and deeply rooted principles, he was as respected in private as he was on air.

He also wrote books on snooker and billiards that are considered essential reading for enthusiasts, including Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards, a candid insider’s history of the game.

Legacy: A Steward of Snooker’s Soul

Clive Everton’s contribution to cue sports cannot be measured in titles or trophies, but in trust. Fans trusted his voice. Players trusted his fairness. Readers trusted his honesty.

He is remembered as a steward of the sport’s conscience—a man who chronicled its glories, exposed its flaws, and preserved its history for future generations. Without him, snooker’s golden age might have gone undocumented or misunderstood. With him, it became a story worth hearing, told by someone who loved it enough to tell the truth.

In the end, Clive Everton gave snooker more than commentary—he gave it context, clarity, and character.