AN OLDHAM snooker table was the unlikely host to a historic moment in world sporting history in 1982.

Like the rest of the nation, our town was going 'Snooker Loopy' at the time with a string of household names regularly visiting to play in a variety of exhibition matches and tournaments.

The game was about to hit the peak of its popularity in the UK and 25 years ago local fans were snapping up tickets for a clash between reigning world champion Alex Hurricane Higgins and Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White at prices between £4 and £6.

But by then the borough was already assured of a place in snooker folklore thanks to a table which now takes pride of place at the Oldham Roughyeds Social Club, in Werneth.

The drama unfolded at the Civic Centre on January 11, 1982, as a young Steve Davis made the first of his many strides into the record books during a game against John Spencer in the Lada Classic tournament.

With the score standing at two frames all, Spencer broke off and sat down for the next seven minutes as Davis - one of the new breed of young, serious and dedicated players emerging in the game - rattled up a sprightly maximum 147 break.

This was the first time the feat had been achieved in a major tournament - it has since been achieved a further 55 times - and was also the first-ever televised maximum.

Ironically, Spencer had also managed a 147 three years earlier in the Holsten International in Slough , but it was not ratified.

The table he used was found to have oversized pockets and, worse still, his achievement had bizarrely not been captured by TV cameramen who were on a meal break at the time.

In his autobiography, 'Frame and Fortune', Davis details how he made the break shot-by-shot despite arriving late in Oldham and feeling "extremely tired".

Spencer's bad break gave him the chance and after the first red rattled in the jaws before dropping, he encountered relatively little trouble until three shots from glory when poor position on the blue, and then the pink, left him with legs "that had turned to jelly".

Sinking the black with shot number 36 won Davis a brand new Lada car from the sponsors - and the prestige of having achieved 'Mission impossible'.

"I felt a nervous smile cross my face and I put my hand on my head in total disbelief," he wrote. "I was speechless. John Spencer rushed from his chair to congratulate me and everyone in the crowd stood up and shouted for what seemed like hours."

Davis went on to win the match 5-2 but not without some comedy from his generous opponent.

"When I made my first mistake after the 147, I remember Spencer saying 'rubbish' out aloud, which I found quite funny," he said.

"John has always been one of the best wind-up merchants in the business."

Davis subsequently lost to Terry Griffiths 9-8 in the final, but did at least carry home a memorial plaque from the Mayor, John Crowther.

Sadly, Spencer passed away in July, 2006, while Davis, of course, became world number one from 1983-9 and retains a place among the elite top-16 ranking players.

The celebrated table, meanwhile, is also still going strong in a new sporting home - the Roughyeds Social Club on Alfred Street, Werneth.

Chris Hamilton, chief executive, says: "It was in here when we acquired the former Hartford Social Club in 2003 and to be honest I've absolutely no idea how the owners had managed to get their hands on it.

"It's great that the table is still there for people to able to say they have played on it and it's been kept in pretty fine fettle considering its age.

"It takes pride of place in our games room - although from what I've seen of our members, I very much doubt whether it's seen a 147 since!"

In the news, 25 years ago

AN off-beat show at Oldham Coliseum proved too arresting an experience for senior police officers. The theatre asked to borrow several uniforms for the musical 'Ello, 'Ello, 'Ello' but, after reading the script, Greater Manchester Police chiefs turned down the request. The show, described as an irreverent but affectionate tribute to the British bobby was penned by ex-London cop John Judd. Chris Moxham, administrator, said: "I can only think that the script went to a person who lacked a sense of humour."

HEALTH chiefs at Oldham General Hospital claimed they were forced to smuggle in vital food supplies for patients because of picketing workers. The claims were fiercely denied by union officials who accused management of making inflammatory and emotional statements.

A LIMESIDE housewife claimed she saw a UFO in Hollins which left her "petrified". The 32-year-old, who did not want to be named, said she had contacted police and even the Jodrell Bank observatory. "I was bringing in the children's toys when I saw a very bright light in the sky," she said. "We live under the flight path, so at first I thought it was a plane. But it wasn't moving and it seemed to get bigger. Then it changed shape to form a triangle." A local UFO investigator said this was the 23rd such sighting around Oldham in recent months.

ANGRY parents claimed a 'secret map' prevented their children from going to the school of their choice. The red line around Grange school was revealed at appeal hearings and two disappointed parents said that because they lived outside the line their children were excluded. Terrence Farrington, education director, said: "If the parents feel the decision has been unreasonable they are able to refer the case to the Education Secretary."

OLDHAM Athletic opened the new season with a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town at Boundary Park. Midfielder Paul Atkinson's goal secured Joe Royle's first-ever win as manager; although the downside was the crowd of just 3,703 - the lowest opening-day attendance for many years. "It is nice to get a win under your belt," said Royle. "Although I was rather disappointed that we could not turn our first-half supremacy into goals."