# Talk:Dennis Taylor

Taylor is a Catholic, and since he has an English surname that isn't obvious. Which of the two traditions people come from is a thing you always wonder (at least as a non-Brit) when reading about people from Northern Ireland, so it would be helpful if it could somehow be inserted. In the article about Alex Higgins it is stated in the "Life and career" section, but it's also more comprehensive, including what his parents did for a living etc., so not sure where it could fit in in this article.--Batmacumba (talk) 09:37, 22 January 2019 (UTC)

"Northern Irish" is NOT a nationality. Nationality is either British citizen or Irish. A person born in the territory of the United Kingdom known as Northern Ireland are ONLY British citizens by default. If they want to become Irish citizens they MUST CLAIM THIS by applying for an Irish passport, issued by the passport authority in the Republic of Ireland.
County Tyrone's in Northern Ireland so shouldn't Dennis Taylor be down as Northern Irish as nationality? Or does he regard himself as Irish? I've no idea, just noticed the discrepancy. If anyone one knows please say and if necessary correct. Cheers. Iancaddy 01:28, 16 January 2006 (UTC)
He is from Northern Ireland and I recall him playing for a Northern Ireland snooker team

According to the Belfast Agreement of 1998, "[The two governments] recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland."
So, the citizenship of a citizen of Northern Ireland may, by international agreement, be British or  Irish. Ssbohio 22:24, 11 April 2006 (UTC)


#### Two Images
To cut down the size of this article, I propose to remove the NI flag as Denis' picture is there. The flag only needs to appear if a suitable usable picture of the subject/person can't be provided.
It also will help us avoid the type of political questions already appearing in this talk page. The article refers to him both as "Irish" and "Northern Irish", thereby covering all angles.
Patrick


#### Trophy
The article talks about Dennis lifting Joe Davis Cup after winning the WC. I've never heard this name put on the cup before, and cant find any evidence that that is what the trophy is called....User:Stonecold21

Hi, you are correct. The trophy was donated by Davis, or bought by Davis, but I think I was wrong to say that it is the "Joe Davis "Cup". Safer for now to revert to a more generic description. bigpad 17:28, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

While I was looking at the Canadian Masters article I saw that Taylor had won the event twice, and in the infobox on his article it said that he had won only two non ranking events in his whole career which is obviously incorrect. He has won the Masters as well as the World Trickshot Championhsip, but should the World Trickshot Championship count as a non-ranking event as it is a different skill altogether? Really each Irish Professional Championship should count as an individual non-ranking event as that is what has been done other articles of players who have won their national championship. So basically how many non-ranking wins should we say he has? There is similar problems on many other snooker player articles of his era, including Terry Griffiths, Doug Mountjoy and Alex Higgins. Samasnookerfan (talk) 18:41, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
Taylor also won the Kit Kat Break for World Championsin 1986, beating Steve Davis 9-5, and a Matchroom trophy. That's two more non-ranking tournament wins.
It's worth remembering that until the later 1980s there were far more non-ranking tournaments than ranking ones and the status of invitation events was much higher than it is today.
Tim Sandle

I wonder if it might be worth creating a separate section for these, instead of bunging them in with his "personal life" (a section which consists almost entirely of TV stuff anyway)?
On top of numerous sports/documentary/game-show appearances, he has also done some "real" television. He appeared for a rather extended cameo in a season 4 episode of Lovejoy, and while he was "merely" playing himself, it still counts as acting in my book; or at least is proof of his showmanship skills.
Otto von B. (talk) 13:32, 11 June 2017 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Dennis Taylor/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: BennyOnTheLoose (talk · contribs) 16:06, 23 June 2020 (UTC)

Happy to discuss, or be challenged on, any of my comments. BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 16:28, 23 June 2020 (UTC)
Copyvio and Plagiarism check

Reviewed both sources showing over 2% matches on Earwig's Copyvio Detector. No issues.
Infobox

Is there a reliable source for career winnings?
Omitted, can't find anything. What's more, I think it's probably wildly off Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 21:21, 27 June 2020 (UTC)
Is there a reliable source for century breaks?
Omitted, can't find anything. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 21:21, 27 June 2020 (UTC)
Lead

"highest viewed" doesn't sound quite right. "most viewed"?
Reworded - most viewed isn't right - we don't actually know this. What we do know is the viewership numbers, which I have changed to Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 07:05, 30 June 2020 (UTC)
"in 1979 World Snooker Championship" - I suggest "at the 1979 World Snooker Championship"
Done Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 07:05, 30 June 2020 (UTC)
"After his professional career finished, Taylor plays" how about "Since his professional career finished, Taylor has played"
Changed Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 07:05, 30 June 2020 (UTC)
Early career

Doesn't look like he had a very notable amateur career, but he did win the 1968 British Junior Billiards Championship, and you can use "cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Luke |last2=Gadsby |first2=Paul |date=2005 |title=Masters of the Baize |location=Edinburgh |publisher=Mainstream |page=127 |isbn=1840188723" if you want to include that.
Thisismoney is a Mail on Sunday article, so I think isn't regarded as a suitable source. This seems to verify the info.
"he was the son a lorry driver with six other siblings" - something like "he was the son of a lorry driver, and had six siblings"
"Over the next couple of years" - "Over the next few years" (it was more than a couple)
"1977 losing to Thorburn 18–16" - I think it would benefit from a comma: "1977, losing to Thorburn 18–16"
"1979 final" - I think the link should probably just be on the 1979.
"Beginning the new season at the 1984 Jameson International, his mother died." - something like "His mother died as he was beginning the new season at the 1984 Jameson International"
Covered the above. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 21:34, 27 June 2020 (UTC)
World Snooker Champion

"first tournament victory" - I suggest "first ranking tournament victory". He won the 1982 Irish Professional Championship, as an example of an earlier win.
"to trail 7–9 overnight after two" - consider "to trail 7–9 overnight after the second"
"62–59 with one ball remaining, worth seven points" - I think should be ""62–59 with one ball, worth seven points, remaining"
"The final was broadcast to a peak audience of 18 million viewers in the United Kingdom. As of 2020 this is the highest viewership of any broadcast after midnight in the country,and a record for any programme shown on BBC2. and is considered by many to be the greatest snooker match in history" - how about "The final is considered by many to be the greatest snooker match in history and was broadcast to a peak audience of 18 million viewers in the United Kingdom. As of 2020 this is the highest viewership of any broadcast after midnight in the country, and a record for any programme shown on BBC2."?
"received a victory parade before 10,000 people" - "received a victory parade that 10,000 attended"?
Covered all these. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 15:45, 28 June 2020 (UTC)
Later career

"Taylor reached the final of the 1987 Masters for the only time in his career." - maybe "In 1987 Taylor reached the final of the Masters for the only time in his career."
"Taylor teamed with Higgins to form a Northern Irish team" - suggest rewording, as there was a third team member. Something like "Taylor, Higgins and Tommy Murphy were the Northern Ireland team"
"After this, Higgins threatened Taylor" - why?
"For the rest of the decade, his form dropped," - probably not continually, so maybe a slight reword.
" 11 weeks in the UK Singles Chart" - suggest adding the year.
"The spectacles were often a joking point on the song," - I think there's only one line about them.
"and also commented on specifically by John Virgo" either a new sentence or make it a bit clearer that Virgo's comments weren't in the song.
"After retiring from the Tour, Taylor plays matches has been a commentator and analyst for snooker events for the BBC since 1997" needs a little reworking.
 Done Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 15:52, 28 June 2020 (UTC)
Personal life

The Royal Mail office opening seems a bit random among what must have been hundreds of exhibitions and promotional appearances, but no harm in keeping it.
Performance and rankings timeline

I checked a sample, looks OK.
Career finals
I verified most results using the CueSport book (cite book |last1=Hayton |first1=Eric |last2=Dee |first2=John |date=2004 |title=The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History |publisher=Rose Villa Publications|isbn=978-0954854904 |pages 940–943). It might be worth adding this as a source.
As for the others:

1975 Pot Black, 1976 Pot Black (could use cite book |last=Morrison|first=Ian |date=1989 |title=Snooker: records, facts and champions |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0851123643 |page=89 )
1979 Bombay International (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions page=97  )
1980 Australian Masters (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions page=97 )
1984 Professional Snooker League (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions, page=107 )
1985 Thailand Masters (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions, page=108 )
1986 Australian Masters (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions page=97 )
1987 Matchroom Professional Championship (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions, page=109 )
1995 Charity Challenge - may be on the Turner site.
1980 Pontins Camber Sands Open (could use cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=1981 |title=The Guinness Book of Snooker |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0851122302 |page=101) (Foulds recieved 30 points per frame)
World Cup 1985-1987 (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions, page=98 )
1987 World Doubles (could use Snooker: records, facts and champions, page=103)
1990 World Cup - may be on the Turner site.
 Working - I don't really look at these areas much, as they feel a bit crufty to me, but I'll add some refs. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 15:52, 28 June 2020 (UTC)
Done Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 18:41, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
Is this missing? 1990 Asian Open
No? Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 18:41, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
My bad, I was looking under non-ranking events. BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 22:07, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
Bibliography
A couple of others for consideration:

Natural break (ISBN 0356125661)
Play snooker with Dennis Taylor (ISBN 0563360372)
Added Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 21:46, 27 June 2020 (UTC)
External links

dennistaylor.co.uk doesn't seem to be reachable
removed Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 21:46, 27 June 2020 (UTC)
General

Consider adding a mention of his Irish Professional Championship wins into the body. (Not a requirement, as these are less notable than the events which are mentioned.)
Done Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 18:10, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
Think I've covered it all now, BennyOnTheLoose Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 18:41, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
Thanks Lee Vilenski - I've got a couple of minor comments on the lead, above. (I left looking at that until last.) Not sure whether it's worth redlinking the 1968 British Junior Billiards Championship - maybe just link to British Junior Billiards Championship as that's more likely to be created. Possibly in the next few days. BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 22:07, 29 June 2020 (UTC)
I can change the link, or a better solution would be to redirect the year to the main article if it gets created. I have covered the lede above BennyOnTheLoose Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski (talk • contribs) 07:05, 30 June 2020 (UTC)
The redlink is OK as is, Lee Vilenski, and the changes to the lead look good. I'm happy with all of your responses to my comments, and that the article is GA standard. Well done! Regards, BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 09:34, 30 June 2020 (UTC)

Appeared in Season 4, episode 5 of Lovejoy as himself. 75.164.145.161 (talk) 01:28, 20 June 2024 (UTC)