Meet the 1980s icon who faced Fred and Steve Davis bidding to make improbable return to main World Snooker Tour
Published 21/05/2026 at 12:38 GMT+1
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The 1980s is recalled as the golden era of snooker but some of the leading figures from back in the day are still going strong in 2026.
First impression? Best night out? White on his friendship with O'Sullivan
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Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White, the six-time world finalist between 1984 and 1994, continues to mix it with the very best on the main circuit but some of his old adversaries are hoping to rejoin him among the game's elite.
Dean Reynolds was one of the most recognisable faces in the game when he reached two major finals in 1989, rising to a career highest ranking of world No. 8 a year later.
The left-handed Grimsby potter, 63, made his Crucible debut at the age of 19 in 1982, famously defeating eight-time world champion Fred Davis, then 68, 10-7 in the first round of the sport's biggest event.
Reynolds was a professional between 1980 and 2001, but never quite managed to lift a ranking title, suffering a 13-6 defeat to Tony Meo in the British Open final and a 10-0 whitewash loss to Steve Davis in the Grand Prix title match 37 years ago.
It was the only whitewash in a ranking final until Neil Robertson twice emulated the feat at the 2020 European Masters with a 9-0 filleting of Zhou Yuelong and a 10-0 drubbing of Stuart Bingham in last year's World Grand Prix final.
Zhao Xintong is the only other player to achieve a whitewash against Yan Bingtao in the 2022 German Masters final.
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Robertson lands historic World Grand Prix final whitewash via stunning long plant
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Reynolds did win the 1988 English Professional Championship with a 9-5 success against TNT Sports analyst Neal Foulds in the final.
He also reached the semi-finals of the Classic in 1987, the quarter-finals of the 1989 World Championship and the 1992 Masters.
And he has not given up hope of returning to the big time after recovering from suffering a stroke in 2009 which threatened to end his impressive career.
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Dean Reynolds is bidding to reclaim a spot on the World Snooker Tour.
Image credit: Getty Images
A 4-0 win over India's Anurag Saboo on Wednesday saw Reynolds make a winning start at Q School in Leicester as he chases another five victories to claim one of the tour cards available from Event 1.
He next faces Peter Devlin at 16:00 on Friday.
All matches are the best of seven frames, with eight tour cards up for grabs at both events, which run between Wednesday, May 20 until Sunday, May 31 at the city's Mattioli Arena.
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