How 'Dracula' the ex-miner became the snooker world's best

Ray Reardon, who has died aged 91, dominated nan athletics of snooker for nan champion portion of a decade arsenic he won six world titles betwixt 1970 and 1978.

The celebrated Welshman, who was nicknamed 'Dracula' because of his unique "widow's peak", external hairstyle, was soon a family sanction arsenic nan crippled became hugely celebrated connected television.

He won nan first Pot Black bid connected nan BBC successful 1969, and was made an MBE successful nan 1985 Queen's Birthday honours.

As good arsenic outstanding potting expertise and tactical nous, Reardon besides benefited from fortunate timing.

The preamble of colour tv successful nan precocious 1960s allowed snooker to look from nan steaming backmost rooms of clubs and into nan surviving room, wherever it recovered a keen audience.

And arsenic nan champion subordinate of nan time, Reardon was ideally placed to return advantage of nan sport's recently acquired profile.

Born successful Tredegar, Reardon worked arsenic a ember miner and a constabulary serviceman while building a estimation successful nan amateur crippled earlier turning master astatine nan comparatively precocious property of 34 successful 1967.

It was a awesome measurement to time off a unafraid occupation astatine a clip erstwhile he did not ain a home, but nan bet paid disconnected handsomely arsenic he quickly established himself arsenic 1 of nan astir celebrated characters successful nan game.

His rivalries pinch John Spencer and nan flamboyant Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins made for immoderate of nan astir compelling sporting contests connected tv astatine nan time.

His first world title came successful 1970, erstwhile he hit John Pulman 39 frames to 34.

There followed a spread until 1973, erstwhile he hit Australian Eddie Charlton successful nan final. That was nan first of 4 consecutive titles, culminating successful his triumph complete Higgins successful 1976 - nan past title earlier nan move to nan Crucible Theatre successful Sheffield.

Reardon won nan title again successful 1978, and topped nan world rankings until 1981, erstwhile nan emergence of Steve Davis heralded a caller era.

He reached nan World Championship last again successful 1982, but mislaid to Higgins.

Reardon retired from nan master crippled successful 1991 astatine nan property of 58.

He was later hired by Ronnie O'Sullivan arsenic a advisor and was credited pinch helping nan unpredictable Londoner declare nan world title successful 2004.

In 2016, nan trophy awarded to nan victor of nan Welsh Open was named nan Ray Reardon Trophy successful his honour.

In spite of nan Dracula nickname, Reardon will beryllium remembered for his fresh wit and cheeky winks to nan assemblage arsenic overmuch arsenic nan measured tactical play which made him nan astir accordant and successful subordinate successful nan world for astir a decade.