John Virgo was nicknamed 'Mr Perfection' during his playing days
John Virgo was old school. He had a string of one-liners down pat, a deep mine of anecdotes ready to roll out at any given moment, and a sureness of just how fortunate he had been to stumble on snooker.
Born in Salford in March 1946 - just after World War Two - Virgo grew up with a passion for football, often playing with friends on bomb-hit wasteground. A Manchester United fan, he grew up adoring the Busby Babes, and the boyhood love for the Red Devils never left him.
But Virgo's sporting future was not on the green grass. The green baize was where he would first make his mark.
At the age of 12, Virgo stepped into a snooker club for the first time - seeking out a group of footballing friends. The mother of one of those boys - Alan 'Chinner' Heywood - had directed Virgo to the club off Trafford Road. Once there, Virgo's eyes lit up.
