HOPE YOU'RE BACK SOON, LEO

Inside Snooker and the whole of the sport wishes popular referee Leo Scullion the very best as he continues his battle with lung cancer. Thankfully treatment is proving successful, and he is targeting a resumption of his duties with World Snooker as soon as possible.

The Scottish official was diagnosed several months ago but wanted to keep his illness low key in the initial stages of treatment. Fellow referees Jan Verhaas and Olivier Marteel went to visit Leo in Glasgow last week, and found him in good spirits and looking and feeling better.

There will be plenty of people looking forward to sharing a pint once again with Leo after work in the Graduate in Sheffield next spring, if not sooner. All the best and get well soon, Leo.

BLACKPOOL, WE HAVE A DRAW PROBLEM

The draw for March’s World Seniors Championship to be staged in Blackpool hit a snag when the first attempt to make it in the arena at the Barbican Centre in York had to be aborted due to there not being enough balls in the bag.

Willie Thorne had been drafted in to do the honours, but after pulling the first eight balls out and through a keen sixth sense was first to raise concerns over how many remained in the velvet sack. In fact this turned out to be only three rather than the required eight to complete matters, meaning the whole thing had to be canned. They’ll be trying again soon.

TRUMP ALL RIGHT WITH DIAMOND LIGHTS

Judd Trump loves his music, but sacrificed the chance of walking out to the sounds of his favourite popular beat combos by using a reworking of the infamous Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle single ‘Diamond Lights’ for his third-round match against Fraser Patrick in York.

However it was all in aid of an excellent cause. The song, let’s generously say performed by talkSPORT presenter and snooker fanatic Andy Goldstein and sidekick Jason Cundy, will see all proceeds raised go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. The official video is out on December 8, and  Christmas single released a week later.

ROBERTSON BAT TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CHARITY

Neil Robertson’s tribute to cricketer Phillip Hughes, carrying a bat into the arena against Kyren Wilson and placing it close to his chair, later insisting it helped inspire him when on the brink of an early exit, was a fitting mark of respect for the batsman tragically killed after being hit on the head by a bouncer.

And the bat used by the Australian for the gesture will be auctioned for the benefit of the Paul Hunter Foundation charity on Ebay. The item should be there from Monday afternoon onwards.

O'SULLIVAN GETS SILENT TREATMENT

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s outburst over the set-up and arena for the early rounds in York, feeling that the second-biggest ranking tournament on the calendar was being sold short, may have had its foundation in several factors – two being an erratic display, and the stark contrast in setting and atmosphere with the recent Champion of Champions final in Coventry.

But the atmosphere was surprisingly flat on Sunday night at the Barbican Centre, especially given O’Sullivan’s presence on one of the TV tables. The crowd, who are still turning up in growing numbers, did not get as involved as is often the case, extending to a lack of applause for good shots – very unlike York where they know their snooker. Maybe it was just a one-off.

It led to O’Sullivan at one stage moving from his chair and placing himself at the far end of the table near the markers, later pointedly noting that was the way he was reminding himself there was a crowd present.