In Part 1 of our extended Legends of the Cue conversation with Scottish snooker great Alan “Angles” McManus, we begin where every cue-sports life story should begin: at the first table, with the first cue, and with the first signs that something special might be happening.

Alan joins Mike Gonzalez, Mark Wilson, and Allison Fisher for a warm and thoughtful opening chapter that traces his early years in Glasgow, his first memories of cue sports, and the childhood moments that helped shape one of snooker’s most respected thinkers. He recalls being the “sporty one” in the family, playing football as a boy, watching Cliff Thorburn win the 1980 World Championship, and discovering the magic of the small snooker table at home.

From school lunchtime pool tournaments to Gus’s Pool Hall, from realizing he could beat older players to being invited into a local snooker team as a teenager, Alan paints a vivid picture of the grassroots snooker culture that formed him. The conversation also explores coaching, discipline, technique, and why snooker players of his generation learned early that talent alone was never going to be enough.

Allison and Mark add their own perspectives from the worlds of snooker and pool, comparing the structured coaching culture of UK snooker with the more informal development path of American pool. Along the way, Alan explains the origins of his nickname “Angles,” reflects on Scotland’s golden snooker era, and shares how a young boy with a cue in his hand slowly became a serious student of the game.

This episode is essential listening for fans of Alan McManus, Scottish snooker, cue sports history, coaching, fundamentals, and the early making of a world-class competitor.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...