A day (or two) in the life of...
Matthew Stevens.

April 2007

When we approached Matthew Stevens to do a feature on him during the build up to the 888.com world championship, we imagined spending a few hours in the local snooker club, grabbing a few answers in between frames. How wrong could we be?

"I will pick you up at 10", said Stevens in his tuneful welsh accent, when he called to confirm that he would do it. When we asked where we were going, we got a simple "wait and see" in reply.

Intrigue had got the better of me when we got on the M50 in his Mercedes CLK, the latest, addition to his ever growing list of cars.

"This is one of my favourites, he said.- It's really comfy, but it f****** goes when you want it to! And it's good on the juice, which is good when you have had a couple of seasons like I have had", he joked.

- One of your favourites? What's the best car you've driven?

"It would have to be the Ferrari. I guess every boy dreams of having one, so I am glad I did it, but it's not really practical now. They don't make a child seat for them!"

Since winning his first and only world ranking title at the UK in 2003, many thought it would be the first of a glut of wins for the likeable Welshman.Not to be though, as a couple of lean seasons have seen Stevens wait until the annual trip to Sheffield to bring out the best in him.

If the world rankings were based on consistent performances at the Crucible, Stevens would be number one by miles. Since 2000, he has appeared in 2 finals and four semi-finals. It was his close-friend and childhood rival, Mark Williams who got the better of him and an outrageously good final session by Shaun Murphy in 2005 denied him for a second time.

"That was tough. I really thought it was my time but Shaun just played like God in those last few frames.

- What about this year? Fancy your chances?

"It's probably time to quit if I don't fancy my chances. I know I haven't achieved what I am capable of, but I know that I am still playing as well as ever. I love it at the Crucible, I've always felt comfortable there for some reason. Some players like it, others seem to struggle there. It is quite different, you're almost part of the audience when you're in your seat and you bump into TV cameras because there isn't as much room as other venues".

- You play Joe Delaney in the first round, what do you know about him?

"I have known Joe for years, he is one of the guys has been around for years, but not really broken through. He's a good player, I know people at home wont have heard about him, but he is still capable so I wont be taking him lightly".

- Cool, so you're worth a fiver then?

"Yeah sure, each way!".

- We are getting on well now it seems so I decide it's time to find out where we're going.

"Liverpool" is the reply to my question,

- Liverpool! What for?

"I am doing some filming for some celebrity message thing, I didn't fancy driving there on my own, you wanted to do an interview, so I thought two birds with one stone and all that!"

Oh well, I am along for the ride now, so I call the office and tell them I might not be back as early as I thought and get back to the chat.

- Tell us about the poker, you have really got into that haven't you?

"Yeah, I love it. When we're on Tour, it is a perfect escape, it is easy to get a table together for a 'friendly' game. Steve Davis is nuts about it, Hendry and Williams are keen too".

- You had a big win a couple of years back didn't you?

"I won the UK Open, which was one of the first big tournaments I played in. I got down to the last three but was well behind. I seemed to relax thinking I had done well to get third, and all of a sudden I got dealt some great hands. It's a bit like snooker, I always seem to get good results when I am relaxed and not worried about losing. The harder you try, the more difficult things become".

Three hours seem to fly by talking more snooker, cars and poker, with "Take That" providing the soundtrack of the journey.

He tries to blame his partner Claire for Gary and the boys keeping us company but he knows too many words to too many songs for me to believe him.

As we pass Penny Lane, the world number 14, breaks into the obligatory chorus. For once I am grateful for the Satnav woman telling him to turn right in 1000 feet and cutting short the vocal, which is not as tuneful as his accent and more Paul McKenna than Paul McCartney.

"You have arrived at your destination", announces Satnav woman as we pull in through the electric gates, which close behind us keeping out the local scallies.

In the recording studio, we are met by a lively group of scousers who have been waiting for an hour. Before you can say Stephen Gerrard, it is lights camera, action and Matthew is wishing random 'happy birthdays', 'merry Christmas' and 'get well soons' into the lens.

An impressive combination of expletives roll easily off the tongue as Take 12 of "happy fathers' day" goes wrong again.

Finally, he gets through it and when he is asked to do a Poker "masterclass" to camera he laughs but is willing. This is the first master-class I have seen where the master is reluctant to give away their secrets - but that's what Poker is all about, so I guess he might be onto something.

As we are about to leave, one of the film crew, who have been the perfect hosts, inform us that it's a big night in Liverpool and a few of them are heading into town for a couple of 'quiet ones'. A brief glance from 'The Welsh Dragon', tells me that I might not be in the office until much later than I thought.

We head into town via the nearest hotel, where we leave the Mercedes in safe hands, and get a room. Then we are taken on a 'guided tour' of one bar after another that the Beatles used to hang out. It's amazing they could talk let alone write some of the best music!

Matthew is loving it - and is impressively setting the pace, which eventually takes its toll on me - and as the dawn starts to break we head back to the hotel.

With three hours sleep, a sore head and the prospect of four hours on the motorway ahead, the journey home is a lot quieter. Until Matt, (we're on abbreviated name terms now), starts to ask the questions. "Can you drive?", I guess what's coming next so after a coffee at the next services, I take control of the Mercedes, although he retains control of the CD.

It seems that Gary Barlow, Mark Owen… and the other two go through their routine more times than it took Matthew to wish 'happy fathers' day' before Satnav woman finally announces we have reached our destination.

I was beginning to think that I would lose my Patience if I heard it one more time, but as I get out of the car and we shake hands, he assures me that every day or two in the life of Matthew Stevens is not quite as unpredictable or rock'n'roll as this one.

Based on www.cuefactor.com materials.