Barry Hearn bared backside to snooker chiefs to set O’Sullivan on way to stardom

Ronnie O’Sullivan was an amateur player when Barry Hearn became his manager, and the Matchroom chief has explained he took extreme actions to safeguard his future

Barry Hearn has recalled how he dropped his pants and showed his backside to snooker bosses in defence of Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Hearn, 73, took over as manager of ‘The Rocket’ when he was still a teenager playing in amateur tournaments. He’s since gone on to become one of the greatest players the game has seen.

O’Sullivan, 46, holds the record for the most ranking titles in professional snooker, with 38. He’s also a six-time world champion, just one behind the all-time record of Stephen Hendry, and he will be eyeing a seventh crown when it kicks off this Saturday.

He’s also notched over 1,150 century breaks and enjoyed five different stints as the world No 1. However, fans might be surprised to know about the manner in which Hearn helped set him on the path to stardom.

In 1992, when he was aged just 16, O’Sullivan endured a harrowing time in his life. His father was sentenced to life in prison for murder – although was later released in 2010 after serving 18 years.

By this point Hearn was convinced the youngster had what it took to turn professional. And in an extract from his new autobiography, published in The Sun, the promoter has revealed the lengths he went to, to ensure O’Sullivan had the chance to make it professionally.

“Ronnie was still an amateur when I became his manager and we had great plans for him, wrote Hearn. But when his father was locked up for murder in 1992, I could see those plans, and Ronnie O’Sullivan Junior’s world, falling apart.

“To keep him occupied and on the straight and narrow, I was sure he should turn professional straight away. But he was only 16, a few months too young to turn pro, according to the rules of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.”

To argue his case, the Matchroom supremo went to WPBSA meeting, and took extreme action which he’s now “not proud” of: “I undid my belt and trousers and let them drop to the floor. Then I took off my underpants, turned round, leaned over a chair and stuck my a*** towards the board members of the WPBSA,” he continued.

“’If you’ve really got to f*** someone, f*** me, don’t f*** the kid,’” I said. ‘P-p-p-pull up your trousers,’ Geoff Foulds, a board member, stuttered. Five minutes later, they let Ronnie in.”

Hearn and O’Sullivan have since shared a fractious relationship falling out plenty of times. Back in 2017, the player accused his former manager of “bullying and intimidating” him.

Hearn responded by accusing O’Sullivan of making misguided claims: “Unfounded accusations such as these are damaging to World Snooker’s global reputation, as well as my own, and we will take whatever action is required to protect this reputation from such inaccurate comments” he said.