FLINTSHIRE cueman Gareth Allen is hoping to make his ‘dream come true’ this weekend by finally turning professional.

The 25-year-old from Ewloe is one of 12 amateurs competing at the EBSA Qualifying Tour Play-Offs, with three professional tour cards up for grabs for the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons.

Taking place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge, alongside the final qualifying stages of snooker’s World Championships, it is a massive two days for the dozen players involved.

And for Allen, who narrowly missed out on turning pro in 2012, it would represent a life-changing moment if he was to land a PTC card.

“This is it. This is what I’ve been playing for in the past few years,” said Allen. “It would be a dream come true to get that tour card.

“But I know that if I did get it, only then will the hard work start.

“I won’t be thinking ‘Yes, I’ve made it’. I’ve then got to put in even more hard work.
“It’s a massive thing to get on the tour. It gives me a chance to win more money and play against the best players all the time, which is something I really want.

“At PTC events, I would automatically start in the last 128 and miss out all the amateur qualifying rounds which has been a bit of a nightmare.”

Allen faces two best-of-seven battles to collect his tour card.

On Saturday morning, he must first overcome the challenge of Doncaster’s Ian Glover, who was a professional for three seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

A final match against Sam Harvey or fellow Welshman Jamie Rhys Clarke would then take place on Sunday morning.

“I think I’ve played Ian twice in amateur competitions in the past couple of years. I beat him in Germany but he beat me in Bulgaria,” said Allen.

“He is a good opponent, but I would always back myself.

“Jamie is one of my mates in snooker. We’ve played together in the Welsh team and we’re both sponsored by the same person.

“It would be good for Welsh snooker if one of us makes it, though obviously I want that to be me.

“I’ve got to get to the final first.”

Allen heads into the play-offs in confident mood and what he regards as the best form of his life.

In February, he reached the last 32 of the of the Gdynia Open in Poland, his best performance at a Players Tour Championship ranking tournament since 2012.

Last weekend, he reached the semi-finals of the Welsh Championships at Ammanford with a convincing 5-1 victory over Kishan Hirani.

His semi-final opponent is yet to be confirmed but will be either Lee Walker, Darren Morgan or Jamie Clarke.

“I’ve been playing well in competitions and in practice with (2007 Welsh Open finalist) Andrew Higginson,” said Allen.

“I knocked in a break of 135, so I’m really happy going into the weekend.”

A massive Chester FC fan, Allen is hoping to make it a dream double over the coming weeks by also seeing his team avoid relegation from the Conference Premier.

“I’ve only been to watch them a couple of times this season because I’m playing,” said Allen, who has a specially-made Chester FC cuecase. “It would be great if I turned pro and Chester stayed up – even better if they do it by beating Wrexham next week!”