Interview: Harvey Chandler

Harvey Chandler is set to begin his first season as a professional snooker player next week, and he comes into it having won the European Championship in February. The style in which he won that Championship to earn his two-year tour card was emphatic and shows the potential for what he could do over the next couple of seasons. 

Winning the European Championship is no easy task and he will now be looking to follow in the foot steps of former champions like Masters champion Mark Allen, ranking winner Luca Brecel, former Crucible qualifiers like Robin Hull or Kristjan Helgason and former ranking event semi-finalists like David Grace, Scott Donaldson or Mitchell Mann. Although, as Chandler explains, it all could have been very different.


"It feels great to finally say I am a professional snooker player! It’s a dream come true. Especially after quitting the game for years. There are many people who have helped me along my journey to becoming a professional snooker player. My Mum, Dad and my amazing family and friends,  but if there is one person who should get a lot of recognition it would hands down be Colin Mitchell", Chandler explains.

It seemed as if his potential could have been let slip if it was not for Colin Mitchell. Without him, everything that has followed in recent times, with the European Championship victory which subsequently earned him pro status, may not have been.  

"I was working 12 hour days at the time and I wasn’t playing snooker at all. Maybe 1-2 times a week after work against club players at Rushden windmill club. Colin's been a good friend of mine for many years. He’s watched me make many centuries and 147's. Anyway one night when I was at work I got a phone call from Colin and he basically just said to me 'I can’t let you waste your talent away. I want to sponsor you and give you a chance to get on the pro tour'. So the cue came back out the case and the rest is history."

Fast-forward to mid-February and the Englishman had his chance and with some excellent had put himself in position to step up and win the European Championships against a strong field. 

"If you look at my results in the European Championship I won the title quite convincingly. I had a little scare in the last 64 of the knockout stages but that was about it". 

After his 4-2 last 64 win against Sergey Isaenko, Chandler followed up with a 4-0 win in the last 32 and a 5-1 win against Latvian national champion Rodion Judin to make the quarter-finals. There he produced another 5-1 win against Finnish World Cup player Heikki Niva, before another fine victory against ex-tour pro Fraser Patrick in the last four by a 6-2 scoreline. That set up a final another ex-tour player in Northern Ireland's Jordan Brown. 

"When I found out I had Jordan in the final I knew I was in for a tough match seeing the players he had beat to reach the final and the big breaks he had been making throughout the tournament. I started off very well with a 5-1 lead at the interval. From then on it was just about holding my nerve. I went 6-2 up. Then the next frame I made an 80 odd break to clinch the European Championship winning 7-2.  A few hours after the final Jordan came and spoke to me one on one. He congratulated me again and told me I deserved it and wished me well for the pro tour. Can I just add, congratulations to Jordan on your recent success at Q School. See you on the tour mate". 

While his European glory was one big challenge to come through, the next big test is how the 23-year-old will adjust to tour life and perform in the early stages of his professional career. First up is his Riga Masters qualifier against fellow English rookie Ashley Carty. 

"I’m looking forward to it. Me and Ashley grew up together at junior tournaments so I know what he’s capable of". 

Following that it is a stern test against two-time ranking winner Michael White in the World Open qualifiers. 

"Again I'm looking forward to it. It’s just another match. If I play my game I can beat anyone".

Some of the Chinese tournaments come with boosted prize money but to a player in his opening year on the circuit, every tournament is valuable and an opportunity to shine - a sentiment that Chandler echoes. 

"I will treat every tournament exactly the same, I’m looking forward to playing in every event possible, but the stand out ones I would like to have a run in are obviously the UK Championship and the World Championship".

Many players will join Chandler in earmarking the UK and World Championship as the top two events of the season, and as a result of winning the European Championship he benefited from an invite to the 2018 World Championship qualifiers. 

"It was great to get a call up for the World Championship on the back of winning the European Championship. The result didn’t go my way but life goes on and I have learnt from that defeat".

While things did not go his way losing 10-6 to Oliver Lines, getting a two-year tour card does give the new players more time to settle, though the young Englishman is looking to make an immediate impact. 

"I’m looking to push on straight away. Two years isn’t a long time so I need to continue to work hard and get the results needed. The main and obvious goal for me is to get into the top 64 and keep my tour card. After I achieve that I will move onto bigger goals and targets". 

A lot of debate has taken place over the last couple of years about the opportunities for amateur players to continue their development as they look to get on tour, especially after many of the old European Tour events were removed from the calendar. Chandler though insists there are still plenty of events for amateurs if you really want to play. 

"So when I had my first sponsorship meeting with Colin back in April 2017 we sat down and discussed what our plan of action would be along with the goals I wanted and needed to achieve. We decided that I would enter absolutely everything going. I was away every single weekend up and down the country playing in every pro-am and amateur event. I even entered little handicap events giving a 70+ start. The main goal was for me to be match sharp. The amateur game in my opinion is in great shape, especially now Barry Hearn has set up the new challenge tour. There are tournaments all over the country every single weekend".

The new Challenge Tour could really help to change things for non-tour players, but entry numbers for the first event were lower than anticipated. 

"Yes I found it a little strange, but I think the reason for not having many entrants was because it was a few days after Q School finished".

One player that could thrive on the new Challenge Tour is another young English star in Shane Castle, who will also compete in the Riga Masters as a Q School top-up player. Chandler is someone that knows Castle very well and thinks he might not be far from earning his own professional status. 

"Me and Shane are good friends, we grew up together around the junior scene, he’s a great talent. He could have got on the tour at the age of 14 but just lost out in the European Championship final. So I think he’s more than capable of getting his form back and getting on the tour either this year or next year". 

With every great player comes a great team of people behind the scenes that do not always get the credit that they deserve, but for Chandler there are lots of people he is giving credit for helping with his success. 

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people. My Mum and Dad for always pushing me and supporting me in everything I do. Rushden windmill club and Jamie Wright along with all the staff. Pete Beerten from Belgian Pete’s home improvements, Nihad and Warren from Larkin homes and last but not least my amazing friends and family - Thank you for everything". 


As for all tour rookies the uphill climb is far from over and exciting times lay ahead for Harvey and all those that support him. From everyone at Cue Action Blog we would like to thank Chandler for his time and wish him well for the 2018/2019 snooker season.