When Robot and Hurricanebattled at FTH

Brian Welsh was adamant the new BBC iplayer comedy drama film The Rack Pack, which tells the tale of how the green baize sport moved from dark halls to television success, should contain a scene where Alex Higgins takes on Steve Davis in Falkirk Town Hall way back in 1981.

Brian (34) said: “The writers were talking about that scene and came up with Falkirk – before they knew I was from there.

“I went to my cousin, who is a bit of a snooker expert, and said I didn’t know Hurricane Higgins had played at the town hall.

“It turns out he played at some hall in Stirling but I thought, ‘I’ve got to keep Falkirk in the film.’”

Historical geographical accuracy aside, the scene Brian directed is an important moment in The Rack Pack, available to view now on BBC iplayer, because it documents the intense rivalry between The “Romford Robot” Davis and “Hurricane” Higgins.

It is also very funny – Higgins does everything in his power to put the young Davis off, rattling ice cubes around in his glass, burping and even elbowing him off the table.

Brian said: “I have quite a morbid fascination with that kind of character – idols who live life on a knife edge.”