Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins was so nicknamed for his unpredictable temperament.

His trademark temper exploded when he headbutted the tournament director during a 1986 match resulting in a five-tournamnet ban and £12,000 fine.

Still not having managed to get his anger under control, four years later in 1990 at the World Cup he threatened to have fellow Ireland team-mate Dennis Taylor shot. If that wasn't enough, in the same year he punched tournament official Colin Randle in the stomach when he lost in a first round match of the World Championship, leading to a season ban.

Hurricane Higgins is still playing snooker and attracting the crowds who expect fireworks even now. In 2007 he punched a referee in a charity match against Jimmy White, an incident he later told the BBC was "blown all out of proportion."