Chris Small
Learn from Snooker's Braveheart! Chris Small: expert snooker & pool coach in Edinburgh, determined to elevate your game with grit and passion!
About
If you're looking to elevate your cue game in Edinburgh, you absolutely have to seek out Chris Small. This Scottish snooker legend, known for his incredible grit and determination on the baize despite a career-ending spinal condition, now brings that same fighting spirit to his coaching. You'll find him working his magic from his dedicated snooker room at home, where he's nurtured talents like Michael Leslie from junior champion to pro. He's an IBSF & The Snooker Gym Master Coach – one of the toughest certifications – so you know you're in expert hands for both snooker and pool. Expect personal attention and a guarantee of improvement, but only if you're ready to put in the hard work!
Coach
Chris Small is a qualified snooker coach who started coaching in 2006 due to a spinal condition that ended his professional playing career. After a brief hiatus in 2009 for health reasons, he resumed coaching in 2012 and focuses on developing both junior and adult players. He offers snooker and pool coaching from a dedicated room at his home in Edinburgh, with an option for mobile coaching.
Snooker
Chris Small offers snooker coaching in a dedicated, purpose-built snooker room located at his residence.
Full Bio
Christopher Small was born on 26 September 1973 in Scotland. He was a professional snooker player from 1991 to 2005. His playing career was prematurely ended by ankylosing spondylitis, a spinal condition. Before turning professional, Small was the number 1 under-16 player in Scotland at age 14, and the number 1 under-19 player at age 15. He became professional at 16, and at 18, he became the youngest player ever to win a match on his Crucible debut, defeating Doug Mountjoy 10-7 in 1992. His achievements as a player include winning the 1992 Benson & Hedges Championship (a minor-ranking event) by beating Alan McManus 9-1 in the final. He reached the semi-finals of the Welsh Open in 1995 and was a semi-finalist at the 1998 Grand Prix event. His greatest career achievement was winning the 2002 LG Cup, a ranking title, where he defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins, before securing a 9-5 win over Alan McManus in the final. This victory helped him reach his highest ranking of 12 in the 2004/05 season, the only time he entered the top 16. His career-high break was 141, achieved twice. Small's career earnings totalled £580,300, and he made 51 career centuries. In the 2003/2004 season, he had to withdraw from a World Championship match due to vision problems caused by steroid injections for his spinal condition. He retired from professional snooker in September 2005 due to the worsening of his health. Small transitioned into coaching in 2006 but had to stop in 2009 due to his health. He resumed coaching in 2012 following improved medication for his back. He is a qualified IBSF & The Snooker Gym Master Coach, having passed a rigorous 6-day course and a 14-page exam with a 100% pass mark. Chris Small offers snooker and pool coaching to juniors and adults from his dedicated snooker room at his home in Edinburgh, with an option for him to travel at an additional cost. A notable coaching success is Michael Leslie, whom Small coached from the age of 12, guiding him to become the top junior player in Scotland's under-16s and under-19s, and eventually winning the European under-21s in 2012, which earned him a professional card. In his personal life, Chris Small is the son of a taxi driver and worked as a bank clerk before his snooker career. He is married to Clare and they have four children.