Tony Knowles was born in Bolton on 13 June 1955. He began playing snooker at the age of 9 on the tables at the social club run by his father, Kevin. He went on to win the UK Junior Championship twice, in 1972 (against Matt Gibson) and in 1974. His application to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to become a professional player was accepted in 1980, after a rejection in November 1979. He did not win a match in his first year, before progressing through two qualifying rounds to reach the first wound of the 1981 World Snooker Championship where he lost 8–10 to Graham Miles. He reached the quarter-finals of the 1981 UK Championship by eliminating Geoff Foulds, Fred Davis and Doug Mountjoy from the competition before being defeated 5–9 by Terry Griffiths. Later that season, Knowles gained attention when he won 10–1 against defending champion Steve Davis in the first round of the 1982 World Snooker Championship, after staying out late at a nightclub following the first day's play when he had built an 8–1 lead. He defeated Graham Miles 13–7 in the second round, before losing 11–13 to Eddie Charlton in the quarter-finals.