Keeping tabbs on the men

Published on Saturday 12 April 2008 19:56

IT'S LATE afternoon in Dunfermline and Michaela Tabb has a photo-shoot to do at Rileys Snooker Club. Outside, a group of hard-hatted workers, armed with drills and hammers, offer up the inevitable nudge and wink as she steps through the front door and up the stairs and into what is an impressive snooker mecca for young hopefuls of the future, male and female.

Tabb is a busy woman these days. The 17-day 888.com World Championship rolls into action at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on Saturday, where Scotland's John Higgins will launch his title defence – and hat-trick bid – against Welsh challenger Matthew Stevens.

Not that Tabb minds. Having refereed two ranking finals during her career, the Welsh Open and this year's Masters at Wembley when Mark Selby defeated Stephen Lee, the Dunfermline mother of two knows she is going to come under the spotlight. It was the same when she refereed her first major match, the 2002 Welsh Open encounter between James Wattana and Ken Doherty although she's recognised as an outstanding official in her own right.

But it should come as no surprise that Tabb has made her mark in the game, becoming snooker's first professional referee. She is, after all, a former European ladies pool champion, while husband Ross McIness – the couple have two children, Preston who is two next month and ten-year-old Morgan – is a former world pool champion.

She has since packed up her cue but remains one of the world's leading pool refs and also a pretty sharp poker player.

Life is good, but her route to the top was no easy ride. "I could not appreciate what I'm doing more," she explains. "When I first became a snooker referee, there was some resistance from some of the other referees who did not get a contract with World Snooker. That was quite hard but basically I just had to work as hard as I possibly can. It was their problem, it wasn't mine. But some of them were a little bit nasty to me but I can understand that because they had worked for years expecting to get contracts because that was the way things were done.

"But then, all of a sudden World Snooker decided to shake things up and obviously these were the people who ended up losing out. When I came onto the main tour I think there were other people who were maybe a bit cynical, that I was just being brought on because it was a female or a pretty face.

"There were people who doubted my ability but that only made me even more determined. I have been a snooker fan for as long as I can remember, probably since I was ten or 11-years-old. The thing is I have always been a perfectionist and knew I could do it. It's not as if I just decided to become a referee because it would be something good to do. I love the game, I suppose it's in my blood and when people come up to me and say I've done a good job, it means a lot.

"What I would say that the players have been 100 per cent behind me from day one. With the exception of possibly one or two amateurs I have received nothing but encouragement and good wishes. They have all been brilliant, people like John Parrott and Jimmy White saying well done.

"I remember refereeing John for the first time and I was petrified because he is one of my heroes. To go out there and be in a position where I feel I have only been in the door for five minutes and I'm telling him if I feel he has made a good enough attempt on a shot or not. Do you know what I mean?

"It was hard at first but now I am just a referee and I know that. It has been a difficult mantle to carry and I've had to prove myself to everybody. I've tried to make sure that a good job isn't enough. I want to do a great job.

"Now, I'm just looking forward to Sheffield. My first match will be refereeing Stephen Hendry against Mark Allen and that's going to be a great match and a tough one to call, although Stephen has always been my idol and seven world titles underlines what a legend he is."

Meticulous in her preparation, Tabb always makes sure she is perfectly presented and at the Crucible venue in plenty of time.

"I don't like to be rushed. When I am refereeing I always make sure I am up in plenty of time to get ready, to make sure my hair is how I want it, my make-up is how I want it, things like that. I don't want that panicked feeling which comes if you are running late."

Which is, after all, what you would expect from snooker's first lady.

Crucible winners

1977 John Spencer bt Cliff Thorburn 25-12

1978 Ray Reardon bt Perrie Mans 25-18

1979 Terry Griffiths bt Dennis Taylor 24-16

1980 Cliff Thorburn bt Alex Higgins 18-16

1981 Steve Davis bt Doug Mountjoy 18-12

1982 Alex Higgins bt Ray Reardon 18-15

1983 Steve Davis bt Cliff Thorburn 18-6

1984 Steve Davis bt Jimmy White 18-16

1985 Dennis Taylor bt Steve Davis 18-17

1986 Joe Johnson bt Steve Davis 18-12

1987 Steve Davis bt Joe Johnson 18-14

1988 Steve Davis bt Terry Griffiths 18-11

1989 Steve Davis bt John Parrott 18-3

1990 Stephen Hendry bt Jimmy White 18-12

1991 John Parrott bt Jimmy White 18-11

1992 Stephen Hendry bt Jimmy White 18-14

1993 Stephen Hendry bt Jimmy White 18-5

1994 Stephen Hendry bt Jimmy White 18-17

1995 Stephen Hendry bt Nigel Bond 18-9

1996 Stephen Hendry bt Peter Ebdon 18-12

1997 Ken Doherty bt Stephen Hendry 18-12

1998 John Higgins bt Ken Doherty 18-12

1999 Stephen Hendry bt Mark Williams 18-11

2000 Mark Williams bt Matthew Stevens 18-16

2001 Ronnie O'Sullivan bt John Higgins 18-14

2002 Peter Ebdon bt Stephen Hendry 18-17

2003 Mark Williams bt Ken Doherty 18-16

2004 Ronnie O'Sullivan bt Graeme Dott 18-8

2005 Shaun Murphy bt Matthew Stevens 18-16

2006 Graeme Dott bt Peter Ebdon 18-14

2007 John Higgins bt Mark Selby 18-13