World Snooker Championship 2018: Liam Highfield grateful for Crucible debut after almost quitting

Liam Highfield made his Crucible debut, bowing out to world number 16 Mark Allen

Liam Highfield said rounding off his season by making his World Championship debut capped a remarkable 12 months which saw him nearly quit snooker because of Crohn's disease.

The 27-year-old went out in the first round to world number 16 Mark Allen, who said the match was closer than the 10-5 scoreline suggested.

Highfield described his Crucible bow as a "great feeling" despite the loss.

"This time last year I was in hospital," the world number 64 added.

"To be honest I didn't think I would ever be competing again."

The Stoke-on-Trent potter has the same auto-immune disorder as world number 15 Ali Carter.

Chron's disease affects the digestive system with symptoms including abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue.

Highfield's most serious flare-up came last year when he had to have three blood transfusions and spent a month in hospital.

"I went from 12 and-a-half stone to 9st 12lbs in three weeks," he said.

"They thought they would have to take my bowel out and have a bag. It's nice to just play snooker.

• World Championship schedule & BBC coverage times

"I didn't play for nine weeks and went four months without a competition. I thought maybe it was time to chuck it in because so much was against me."

But he has returned to the top of the sport and has managed to have a "pretty good season", reaching the fourth round at the Welsh and Northern Ireland Opens and also making the quarter-finals of the Indian Open.

He lost to eventual winner John Higgins in Visakhapatnam, but it was Highfield's best ranking performance to date.

And making his Crucible debut has left him eager to return again soon.

"I really enjoyed it out there and felt comfortable," Highfield added.

"I was maybe a bit surprised how comfortable I felt. In the first session I expected not to be able to pot a ball.

"I have watched loads of other players come out here and hoped I could be there. Now that it is ticked off the list and hopefully I can really go far in it one day."

Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news and reports on the BBC app.