Quick Facts
Biography
Neal Foulds (born 13 July 1963) is an English former professional snooker player and six-times tournament winner, including the 1986 International Open, the 1988 Dubai Masters and the 1992 Scottish Masters, as well as the invitational Pot Black in 1992. He was the runner up for the UK Championships in 1986, the British Open in 1987 and reached the semi finals of the Masters on three occasions, as well as the World Championship. After his retirement, Foulds became a popular commentator for the BBC and is currently part of the presenting team for ITV and Eurosport.
Career
The son of snooker professional Geoff Foulds, he began playing the game at the age of 11 and by the early 1980s was already one of the strongest players in his area. Following victory in the national under-19′s Championship beating John Parrott in the final, Foulds then turned professional in 1983.
At the end of the season he qualified for the final stages of the World Championship at his first attempt. Even more impressively however, he then defeated twice-champion Alex Higgins 10–9 in the first round before going down 13–9 to Doug Mountjoy in the last 16, a run that saw him enter the rankings at number 30.
Foulds quickly climbed the rankings in the seasons that followed reaching no. 3 within four years. He won his first ranking tournament in 1986, the BCE International, beating Cliff Thorburn 12–9 in the final. In the same season he was runner-up to Steve Davis in the UK Championship, and he also reached the semi-finals of the 1987 World Championship, losing 16–9 to Joe Johnson. Starting the following season in a career high position of number three, 1987/88 was not to be quite as successful, though another strong run to the quarter-finals in the 1988 World Snooker Championshipbefore losing to Terry Griffiths ensured that he would retain his spot at third in the rankings. Foulds also won the 1988 Dubai Masters, beating Steve Davis in the final, though this event would not hold any ranking points until the following year.
From here however he started to struggle, dropping 17 places to 20th in the rankings and finding himself having to qualify for events the following season. Still, 1989/90 was to see a revival and despite a round one exit at the World Championship to Wayne Jones, he did enough to regain a place in the top 16 before moving up to number seven at the end of 1990/1.
In 1992, Foulds was crowned the Scottish Masters champion and also won the 1992 edition of Pot Black, beating Nigel Bond, Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan en route to the final, where he beat James Wattana.
Though he was able to maintain a top 16 place until the end of the 1993/4 season, and a place on the tour until 2003, he played his final match as a Main Tour player on 13 January 2003 before retiring from competitive play aged 39.
Foulds made a brief reappearance as a player in November 2011 in the World Seniors (aged 48) before eventually losing to Dene O'Kane.
Foulds made 86 competitive century breaks in his career.
Commentary career
Since his retirement, Foulds has moved up to the commentary box for Eurosport, BBC, Sky Sports and he also co-hosts all ITV4 tournament coverage, interviewing players as well as commentating. Foulds also works as a presenter on horse racing channel Turf TV. In 2014, Foulds made a cameo as himself commentating on a fictional match at the climax of the snooker short film drama 'Extended Rest'.
Performance and rankings timeline
| Tournament | 1983/ 84 | 1984/ 85 | 1985/ 86 | 1986/ 87 | 1987/ 88 | 1988/ 89 | 1989/ 90 | 1990/ 91 | 1991/ 92 | 1992/ 93 | 1993/ 94 | 1994/ 95 | 1995/ 96 | 1996/ 97 | 1997/ 98 | 1998/ 99 | 1999/ 00 | 2000/ 01 | 2001/ 02 | 2002/ 03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 30 | 23 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 25 | 28 | 21 | 30 | 34 | 40 | 73 | 71 | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG Cup | LQ | SF | 2R | SF | 1R | 3R | 2R | QF | 3R | QF | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| British Open | NR | 2R | 2R | F | 3R | 3R | QF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 1R | QF | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Championship | NR | LQ | 3R | F | 1R | 2R | 2R | 3R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 3R | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Welsh Open | Tournament Not held | 3R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| European Open | Tournament Not held | 1R | QF | QF | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | NH | LQ | Not held | LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Irish Masters | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scottish Open | A | 1R | SF | W | 2R | 2R | 3R | Not held | 1R | QF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | 2R | 1R | 1R | SF | QF | 1R | QF | 2R | 2R | QF | 2R | LQ | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Masters | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | SF | A | QF | SF | 1R | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier League | A | Not Held | F | RR | RR | RR | RR | RR | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Masters | Not Held | Non-Ranking | LQ | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hong Kong Open | Non-Ranking Event | NH | QF | Tournament Not held | NR | NR | Tournament Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classic | LQ | LQ | QF | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | SF | 2R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strachan Open | Tournament NH | 1R | MR | NR | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dubai Classic | Tournament Not Held | NR | A | 3R | 3R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | 1R | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| German Open | Tournament Not held | 1R | LQ | LQ | NR | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malta Grand Prix | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | NR | Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| China Open | Tournament Not Held | NR | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | NH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thailand Masters | Non-Ranking Event | Not Held | 2R | QF | 2R | 1R | 2R | LQ | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | NR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former non-ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Championship | 1R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International Masters | RR | Ranking Tournament | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Masters | Not Held | A | A | SF | R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dubai Masters | Tournament Not Held | W | Ranking Event | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matchroom Professional Championship | Not Held | 1R | SF | SF | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English Professional Championship | NH | 2R | F | 1R | F | SF | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shoot-Out | Tournament Not Held | 4R | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Matchplay | Tournament Not Held | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Irish Masters | A | A | A | A | F | QF | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pot Black | A | QF | A | Tournament Not Held | QF | W | 1R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scottish Masters | A | A | A | A | QF | NH | A | A | QF | W | QF | A | LQ | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performance Table Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi–finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| NH / Not Held | means an event was not held. | |||
| NR / Non-Ranking Event | means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. | |||
| R / Ranking Event | means an event is/was a ranking event. | |||
| MR / Minor-Ranking Event | means an event is/was a minor-ranking event. | |||
Career finals
Ranking finals: 3 (1 title, 2 runners-up)
| Legend |
| UK Championship (0–1) |
| Other (1–1) |
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1986 | International Open |  Cliff Thorburn | 12–9 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1986 | UK Championship |  Steve Davis | 7–16 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1987 | British Open | Jimmy White | 9–13 |
Non-ranking finals: 11 (5 titles, 6 runners-up)
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 1986 | English Professional Championship | Tony Meo | 7–9 |
| Winner | 1. | 1987 | Pontins Professional | Willie Thorne | 9–8 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1988 | English Professional Championship | Dean Reynolds | 5–9 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 1988 | Irish Masters | Steve Davis | 4–9 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 1988 | Hong Kong Masters | Jimmy White | 3–6 |
| Winner | 2. | 1988 | Dubai Masters | Steve Davis | 5–4 |
| Winner | 3. | 1991 | Pontins Professional | Mike Hallett | 9–6 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 1991 | Belgian Masters | Mike Hallett | 7–9 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 1992 | Pontins Professional | Steve James | 8–9 |
| Winner | 4. | 1992 | Scottish Masters | Gary Wilkinson | 10–8 |
| Winner | 5. | 1992 | Pot Black |  James Wattana | 1–0 |
Pro-am finals: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1984 | Pontins Spring Open |  Doug Mountjoy | 7–4 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1998 | Pontins Spring Open |  James McGouran | 0–7 |
Team finals: 2 (2 titles)
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Team/partner | Opponent(s) in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1988 | World Cup (1) | England |  Australia | 9–7 |
| Winner | 2. | 1989 | World Cup (2) | England | Rest of the World | 9–8 |