‘It’s the pits’ says snooker star about venue after reaching UK Championship in front of measly crowd

STEPHEN MAGUIRE labelled the qualification venue for the UK Championship “the pits” after making it through to the main draw.

The Scot, 43, won the tournament 20 years ago and reached the final as recently as 2019.

Stephen Maguire has slammed snooker’s qualifying venuesGetty

But the former world No2 has slipped to 33rd in the rankings following a poor run of form.

Players outside the top 16 have to qualify for the last-32 of the competition – which gets underway at the Barbican in York on Saturday.

The earlier rounds take place at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester – and Maguire edged into the main draw with a 6-5 win over world No32 Elliot Slessor.

Yet despite picking up the win, Maguire took aim at the snooker venue following the result.

He said: “I try hard not to slag these places, but it’s the pits, it really is.

“That deciding frame there should be butterflies there should be atmosphere, but there’s nothing out there.

“I blame myself because I’m down there in the rankings.

“The suits will say it, and they have said, well get back up there and you don’t have to come here.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

Maguire was also quizzed as to whether he still has the desire to get back into the top 16 in the rankings.

To which he replied: “I think so. I still despise getting beat. I enjoy winning but I despise getting beat more.

“If that’s the reason that is ticking me over then maybe, it still hurts the same as 20 years ago.”

Maguire will find out his last-32 opponent when the UK Championship draw takes place on Thursday afternoon.