Martin O'Donnell: Snooker amateurs need exposure in pro events
- Published
Martin O'Donnell reached the semi-finals of the Snooker Shoot out competition in 2016-17
Martin O'Donnell believes World Snooker must continue to give opportunities to amateur players in pro tournaments.
The 36-year-old has regained his tour card for 2023-24 after winning four events as an amateur this season.
Several amateurs took part in the Snooker Shootout in Leicester, won on Saturday by Chris Wakelin.
"I think you need stories in snooker. Look at the FA Cup - you get lowly teams when they get to the fifth round that's massive," said O'Donnell.
"So things like at the World Championship, if you get an amateur through to the Crucible, like Michael White last year - you need those stories.
"I know everybody likes to see the top guys, but everybody also likes new stories in sport and there aren't many opportunities for amateurs to get exposure," he told the BBC's Framed podcast.
O'Donnell, from Bedfordshire, first won a place on the professional tour for the 2012-13 season but has returned to the amateur ranks three times in the last decade.
He reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship in 2018 before losing 6-1 to Ronnie O'Sullivan and achieved his highest ranking of 34 during the 2019-20 season.
"I've tried to be myself, just stay professional when I'm at events, just keep the routines the same and it's worked out really well for me. I think I've made six finals in 10 events or something, so it couldn't really have gone much better to be fair," he said of the current campaign.
"I just lost my way for about 18 months and, to be honest, I think these 12 months off the tour is actually going to do me the world of good. I've managed to sort myself out a little bit off the table and managed to clear my mind and start enjoying playing snooker again."
He continued: "I think I should be playing snooker for a living, but that's up to me to make sure that day in-day out, I'm doing everything I can to achieve that."
Only two amateurs have played in the World Championship since it moved to the Crucible 1977 - James Cahill in 2019 and Michael White last year.
"The last time I dropped off the tour and stayed off the tour for a year like this, there was nothing, it was Q school, that was it," said O'Donnell.
"Now there's loads [of amateur events] to play in. I played nearly every weekend from September to Christmas and I was surprised how busy I was."
He has, however, been coaching snooker to boost his income and added: "For the next four or five months, because I don't think I'll play on the pro tour until July maybe, I may have to look at doing something between now and then.
"But I'm hoping I'm going to get an invite into the World Championship - that would be a great opportunity to earn some money as well."