Jim Donnelly (snooker player)
| Born | 13 June 1946 Edinburgh, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Died | 24 February 2026 (aged 79) Glasgow, Scotland |
| Sport country | Scotland |
| Professional | 1981–1997 |
| Highest ranking | 29 (1982–83) |
| Best ranking finish | Last 16 (x1) |
Jim Donnelly (13 June 1946 – 24 February 2026) was a Scottish professional snooker player and coach.[1] He was accepted by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) as a professional in 1981.[2]
Biography
Donnelly was seeded 29th in the world rankings for the 1982–1983 season. He played in the 1982 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, the first Scottish professional player to do so, where he was eliminated in the first round in a match against Ray Reardon. He also reached the final of the 1987 Scottish Professional Championship, where he was defeated by a young Stephen Hendry.
He used his skills in snooker to provide snooker coaching lessons to people of all ages. Donnelly pioneered the Scottish game, being the first Scot to compete at the Crucible and as a coach, coaching John Higgins, Alan McManus and many of the top Scottish junior players.
Donnelly died on 24 February 2026, at the age of 79.[3]
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Snooker". The Guardian. 18 April 1981. p. 22.
- ^ "Scottish snooker's first Crucible star Jim Donnelly passes away". Totallysnookered.com. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
External links
- Jim Donnelly at Snooker.org