GARY LINEKER wowed one of the most successful snooker players ever in Stephen Hendry.
The host took to the baize to play a few frames against retired seven-time world champion Hendry.
While most footballers love playing a bit of golf on the side, was Lineker‘s go-to pastime in the early stages of his career.
And was immediately “impressed” by Lineker's first break, before the ex-footballer revealed that he “can't really see without his glasses”.
The former midfielder revealed that he started playing at the age of 16.
He stopped at 24 when he joined in 1986 because of a shortage of tables.
Lineker said: “There was one snooker table in the Spanish town but it was in a bar and it was busy.
“And it was in the time they smoked inside and everyone used the pockets of the table as an ashtray.”
With Hendry leading 71-0, Lineker potted a long red to get a point on the board.
And a shocked Hendry said: “What a shot”, before Lineker joked: “You never lose it, do you?”
The King of the Crucible -who is joint first with for most world championships (seven) – won all the frames, but topics of conversation were thrilling.
Lineker, who was a pal of late icon , also recalled his daysplaying him and following him around.
He was then persuaded to pick up a set of clubs and learn golf and played off a five handicap, while he loved growing up too.
then revealed that both of their dad's had the same job, as fruit and veg merchants.
Hendry was later shocked to learn that Lineker's highest break clearance is 135 and the ex-Spurs midfielder has made seven centuries.
Lineker then recalled the time he played in a snooker match shown by the BBC in the build-up to 1986FA Cupfinal between and .
Lineker, then of , took on Liverpool’s Mark Lawrenson in a best-of-three match.
He said: “The first frame was a bit scruffy. I won it easily, I was always going to win.
“But in the second frame, I got into the balls. I was red, black, red, black. I got to about 45 and knocked the black in.
“Then the referee goes, ‘foul shot, Mark Lawrenson, seven’. He said my cuff had touched a ball.
“I was gutted. I was thinking I was going to get a 100 break on tele, at least 70 or 80. I won the frame, that was it.
“But I said to the ref, ‘what was that about?’.
“He said, ‘I thought you were running away with it so I thought I’d try and give Lawrenson a chance’. I’m like, ‘you’ve got to be joking!’.”;
Lineker also revealed that was the best player he shared the pitch with, while Paul McGrath and Des Walker were his toughest opponents.
And the former Leicester star half-joked about being robbed at the 1986 Sport's Personality of the Year award.
He said: “I was robbed in '86. I lost to Nigel Mansell, who didn't even win the world title that year.
“And I won the golden boot at the World Cup!”
