As most of you probably know, I’m in Sheffield for the “2024 Seniors Crucible”. You can follow the action, and look at loads of pictures on my “other blog seniorsnooker.com … I’m happily snapping around.

Meanwhile WST has published the draw and format for the two UK/Europe Q-Schools … although it’s all UK as you would expect. The format is presented in a very “unpractical” way it has to be said. Fortunately, my colleagues at snooker.org have come to the rescue and you will probably want to look at the snooker.org site here for Q-School 1 and here for Q-School 2. Although the first Asia Pacific Q-School is scheduled before the Q-School 2, no info is available just yet for that one.

Meanwhile the yearly awards have been distributed

O’SULLIVAN NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ronnie O’Sullivan has been named Cazoo WST Player of the Year after winning five titles during the 2023/24 season.

O’Sullivan won the Shanghai Masters, MrQ UK Championship, MrQ Masters, Spreadex World Grand Prix and Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker during a prolific season. He wins the main award for the first time since 2014.

The Rocket also won the Strachan Fans’ Player of the Year and Star Xingpai Journalists’ Player of the Year categories. 

Kyren Wilson won the Castore Performance of the Year for his tremendous display at the Cazoo World Championship, conquering the Crucible for the first time. 

Nongfu Spring Rookie of the Year is China’s He Guoqiang, who climbed to 66th in the world during a promising debut season. 

Laithwaites Wine Magic Moment of the Year goes to Shaun Murphy for his fabulous 147 at the BetVictor Shoot Out, the first maximum in the history of the event.

Zhang Anda won the Verisure Breakthrough Player of the Year award for making a significant leap forward in his career, highlighted by victory at the International Championship. 

Two players join the Johnstone’s Paint WST Hall of Fame, which recognises the great players from snooker history and those who have made a significant contribution to the sport.

Luca Brecel joins this elite club having won the World Championship in 2023. And Daniel Blunn enters the Hall of Fame as the most successful ever player from the World Disability Billiards and Snooker Tour with 16 titles to his name.

For once I agree with them …