‘I wasn't sure I'd play again' – Snooker star Sam Craigie reveals year-long battle with horror neck injury

The Irish Sun

6 hours ago

SNOOKER star Sam Craigie has revealed his year-long battle with a horror neck injury, admitting: 'I wasn't sure I'd play again.'
Craigie, 31, is one of snooker's top players after turning professional in 2011.
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Sam Craigie admits he almost gave up snooker after a major health battle
Credit: Getty
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The ace has spent almost a year recovering from a slipped disc in his neck
Credit: Instagram @samcraigie_147
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He was forced to undergo surgery after suffering serious shoulder pain
Credit: Instagram @samcraigie_147
He boasts 101 century breaks after recording a best ranking finish of third at the 2021 WST Pro Series.
But Craigie is currently listed at just 84th in the world after playing his last match in September 2024.
The ace vanished from sight following his English Open qualifying defeat to Michael Holt, leading to questions from fans over his future.
However, Craigie has now posted a lengthy statement online revealing that he has been dealing with serious health issues.
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Posting several pictures of himself in hospital with scarring around his neck, the ace revealed that intense shoulder pain and a slipped disc left him unable to play.
Craigie admits the setback was so bad that he even considered giving up snooker.
However, he is well on the road to recovery and even got his tour card confirmed earlier this month.
Craigie is now in line to compete at the Wuhan Open qualifiers on June 23 against Aaron Hill.
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And he is also scheduled for a British Open qualifier just days later against Yao Pengcheng.
Cragie told fans on Instagram: 'Some of you might have been wondering where I have been on the World Snooker Tour.
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Craigie shared his X-rays on social media
Credit: Instagram @samcraigie_147
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The disc in his neck left the star in agony
Credit: Instagram @samcraigie_147
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He has now got his tour card back and is set to return to snooker later this month
Credit: Instagram @samcraigie_147
'Well, it's been a bit of a tough time of late. For around a year, I had been in & out of the GP for shoulder pain. In June 2024, I was sent for an x-ray & MRI where I found I had a tear.
'From around then the pain became almost permanent, I nearly had to withdraw from most tournaments during that time but somehow had my best result in getting to the Semi finals of the German Masters despite the pain I was in.
'Once the season finished, I decided to see a orthopaedic surgeon who informed me the pain in my shoulder was most likely coming from my neck, which was confirmed by an MRI, showing I had a slipped disc.
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'I then decided to go forward with the surgery (C5/6 anterior cervical disc replacement) in July as the pain was unbearable. Thankfully, all went well, and I was discharged the following day, thinking I would be back to full health a few weeks after the surgery. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
'The first few tournaments were only a week or 2 away at the time, but I simply couldn't get down to play a shot when I tried. I informed world snooker about the situation after withdrawing from multiple events.
'The following months, I couldn't do much at all. I wasn't sure if I'd even play snooker again. Around January 2025, I started thinking about snooker seriously again and slowly started having a few hours of practice.
'It was hard to commit to it due to still being in some pain while playing. A couple of months ago I started taking it seriously again. On Friday 6th June 2025 my tour card was confirmed so now I can get my head down and look forward to what the future holds.'
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Fans were quick to praise Craigie, with one saying: 'It's great you're back in the game.'
Another declared: 'Wish you the best.'
One noted: 'Speedy recovery brother.'
Another added: 'Glad you're back on your feet.'
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