Snooker rooms were lethal in small rooms on match night the cigarette smoke could be seen under the light on the table - the club I was playing in as Captain - the multi millionaire old owner came in with his classic Rolls Royce outside - I asked him politely as a non smoker if he could get an air explair fitted on the outside wall of the snooker room to remove the smoke as he often enjoyed sitting watch the matches at home - his reply " Do you think I am made of money"
We voted with our feet & I took our team to another club - where nothing was too much trouble for them plus free buffet on match night - free transport to away games & free league fees .... They reckon the late John Virgo died because of secondary smoking in situations like I described some snooker rooms back then were unbearable for cigarette smoke ....
Thinking back to my youth in town night clubs waking up the next day my eyes ran with water & my clothes stunk of cigarette smoke - no one back then realised secondary smoking was a big danger ....
, that makes me feel even older. Always felt Magpie was never quite up to Blue Peter’s standard!
