Willie Thorne

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:16 pm

Former snooker star Willie Thorne has been placed into an induced coma in hospital in Spain after suffering respiratory failure.

The 66-year-old, who announced he was battling leukaemia in March, was taken to hospital last week with a dangerously low blood pressure.

A GoFundMe page set up to help pay for Thorne's treatment had surpassed the £17,000 mark by Tuesday lunchtime.

Thorne's carer Julie O'Neill wrote on the GoFundMe page: "The doctor called me yesterday to inform me that on Sunday Willie went into respiratory failure and he is now in an induced coma and mechanical ventilation.

"They are treating him with three different antibiotics for three types of infections, which appear to be consuming him at this time.

"We are all hoping that the treatments the hospital are giving him while in this induced coma will help to improve his overall condition and at some point enable him to breath on his own and be brought out of this coma."

Remember watching him in the 80's, hope he can pull through, but it sounds grim.

Boban · Post by **Boban** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:26 pm

Met him at Padiham Snooker Club whilst he was doing an exhibition match with Rocket Ronnie, He was not only a great bloke but he was fantastic entertainment. Get well soon Willie.

Vintage Claret · Post by **Vintage Claret** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:44 pm

Good luck to Willie, hope he pulls through

tally · Post by **tally** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:55 pm

Nice guy all through the snooker years on TV
Hope he can see this one off and come out of it ok.

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 6:00 pm

Sad news.
Willie Thorne used to be a regular in Burnley back in the 1980s. Used to stop in a house near Scott Park.

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Tue Jun 16, 2020 10:23 pm

How sad,get well soon Willie

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:10 am

very sad news, a huge name for many fans when the game was in the spotlight.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 7:55 am

Sad news

Swizzlestick · Post by **Swizzlestick** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:43 am

Sadly passed away. Loved his commentary and knowledge of the game.

RIP

claretonthecoast1882 · Post by **claretonthecoast1882** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:47 am

Sad sad news

lesxdp · Post by **lesxdp** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:51 am

R I P. Such sad news and unbelievable at only 66 years old

Caernarfon_Claret · Post by **Caernarfon_Claret** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:07 am

I used to pretend to be Willie Thorne around the family (6' x 3') snooker table, my brothers - "Steve Davis" and "Jimmy White"

Sad news.

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:47 am

Sad news but alas not unexpected, 66 is far too young.

RIP Willie

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:43 pm

Sad news.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:53 pm

Wille and Dennis Taylor commentating on a game and 3 O'Sullivan fans open their jackets to reveal "I Love Ronnie" t shirts. You ever have anything like that happen to you? asks Dennis. Not with a name like mine you don't, replies Thorne....

RIP WIllie Thorne.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:56 pm

Sad news. As a snooker fan, I loved his commentary.

Only 66 as well.

slw · Post by **slw** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 1:20 pm

Snookers lost one if its great characters today. seemed a very likeable guy, sorry to hear.
John Virgo and Willie Thorne were my fav pair in the comm box.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:00 pm

R.I.P, Willie Thorn.
Great character & player back in the day when snooker was big TV.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:03 pm

slw wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 17, 2020 1:20 pm
Snookers lost one if its great characters today. seemed a very likeable guy, sorry to hear.
John Virgo and Willie Thorne were my fav pair in the comm box.

John Virgo at 74 looks very frail when I see him. A great commentator.

The commentators often make a huge difference for those watching. Some are great, like these 2, some aren't.

: virgo.png (33.42 KiB) Viewed 1611 times

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:31 pm

Very sad news. He always came across as a kind and friendly bloke and his commentary was spot on.

slw · Post by **slw** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:35 pm

FactualFrank wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:03 pm

The commentators often make a huge difference for those watching. Some are great, like these 2, some aren't.

yea i agree, Virgo has a good sense of humour and can see things on a snooker table that i cant.
closely followed by Willie Thorne, Stephen Hendry is very good as well.

Rileybobs · Post by **Rileybobs** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:38 pm

One of snooker's characters that makes watching the game so enjoyable. I remember during a mid-session interval at the Crucible once he did a feature (I think it was live) demonstrating the principles behind building a maximum break - he got a 147.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:43 pm

Rileybobs wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:38 pm
One of snooker's characters that makes watching the game so enjoyable. I remember during a mid-session interval at the Crucible once he did a feature (I think it was live) demonstrating the principles behind building a maximum break - he got a 147.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3pTXsz8wyE

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:49 pm

slw wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:35 pm
yea i agree, Virgo has a good sense of humour and can see things on a snooker table that i cant.
closely followed by Willie Thorne, Stephen Hendry is very good as well.

I think I like them all on the BBC. Unfortunately, some commentators on other channels such as Dave Hendon and especially Joe Johnson (truly truly bad) make me either watch the game on a very low volume, or not bother at all. Some people just don't have the voice for it, I guess.

Rileybobs · Post by **Rileybobs** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:30 pm

Rowls wrote: ↑
Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:43 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3pTXsz8wyE

Not live then, but first attempt presumably!

TheMule · Post by **TheMule** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 10:39 pm

Sad news indeed. Believe he had the most number of 147 breaks of any of the pro players at the time. Think he was the equivalent of the Monday morning footballer. In his prime remember Steve Davis saying he was virtually ‘unplayable’ in practice and exhibition matches..they couldn’t get near him.

He struggled to transfer it to tournaments. Remember him winning the Mercantile Credit Classic (think his only major) and he says on camera ‘I’m so nervous’ All the top pros were willing him to win, a lovely bloke, and top commentator.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:08 pm

So sad

RIP

conyoviejo · Post by **conyoviejo** » Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:12 pm

R.I.P. Willie Thorne .a great player and person.

Stanbill05 · Post by **Stanbill05** » Thu Jun 18, 2020 4:02 am

I might have dreamt it or made it up, but was led to believe he had brief links to the Burnley area in the 80s. A bit of an enigma for me, seems as straight and sensible as you can get but had history. Either way, good bloke who has left his mark on British sporting history and culture. RIP

Willie Thorne

Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne

Re: Willie Thorne