Former world top five snooker player Mike Hallett eyes comeback after stroke

A former world top five snooker player is eyeing a comeback after a stroke that left him unable to lift his cue.

Mike Hallett, who once competed against the likes of Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Alex Higgins, suffered a debilitating physical decline after a stroke in 2021.

Now aged 64, he is hoping to qualify for the World Seniors Championship in Sheffield.

He said: "It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but I've come out of that. I've been very lucky. I'm beginning to get it back.

"There's a lot of people out there that are not as lucky as me, and I'm determined to try and get back - and play again next year."

Mike was rushed to the hyper-acute stroke unit at Scunthorpe Hospital after a stroke in August 2021. He suffered facial paralysis, loss of movement in his right side and speech problems.

His rehabilitation has been helped by the wellness hub at Grimsby Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Mike said: "I’m not out of the woods yet. I’ve put the two pieces of the jigsaw together and it’s just the third piece that I need to put in place within the next nine to 12 months."

Asked if competing again would represent a chance to settle old scores, he said: "I suppose so. I played against Steve Davis, [who was] was a machine, an absolute robot, and then Stephen Hendry came along and he raised the bar again. And of course you’ve got Ronnie [O'Sullivan] now.

"I played against Alex [Higgins], Kirk Stevens, Stephen, Bill Werbeniuk. There were some great characters around in the ‘80s. It was a wonderful time to be in snooker.

"If I can play again next year, I’d love to do it. But there’s still a long way to go."

Among those who have watched Mike fight his way back to health is Ian Shorley-Harlow, health and wellbeing co-ordinator at Grimsby Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Ian said: "Mike has absolutely grown in confidence, and part of that is also mentally, emotionally, and physically. All of those things combined have absolutely transformed him from what he was to the person that he now is."

Mike said he had been given "enormous" support on the road to recovery.

He said: "It’s not always the physical aspect; it’s the mental aspect as well. That you have to put together and make it into the jigsaw and combine the two.

"And, every time you walk in, they’ve always got smiles on their faces. Nothing’s too much for them. And they’ve been fantastic."