World Ranking: 36
Provisional Ranking: 25
Date Of Birth: 13/07/70
World Championship best: Last 32 - 1991

The Norfolk-based player is steadily climbing the ranking ladder after a disappointing start to his professional career.

He qualified impressively, beating Chinese rising star Ding Junhui and Maltese veteran Tony Drago in the qualifying competition.

Turned in one of the best performances of his career earlier this season when reaching the last eight of the UK Championship.

Beat Marco Fu, Stephen Lee and Graeme Dott in York and will be hoping for a similar run in Sheffield.

Won't have things easy though - he faces crowd favourite Jimmy White in round one when the atmosphere should be red-hot.