Craig Steadman Secures Crucible Spot with European Glory

Craig Steadman defeated Wayne Brown 5-4 in the final of the European Seniors Championship to secure the title and a place in the 2025 World Seniors Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

The 42-year-old Englishman came through a strong field to secure the prestigious continental crown for the first time in his career. The success means Steadman will return to snooker’s most iconic venue in May 2025, ten years on from facing Ronnie O’Sullivan there in the first round of the 2015 World Championship.

The tournament was staged as part of the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA) European Championships at the Vidamar Resort in Albufeira, Portugal and saw 77 cueists from 19 countries competing for glory.

Steadman, who compiled a top break of 113 during the six day event, stormed through his initial group phase with a clean sweep of victories while dropping just a single frame against opposition from Finland, Netherlands, Malta and Poland.

A whitewash win over Malta’s Frans Mintoff in the last 32 then saw the eventual champion set up a meeting with fellow countryman and former World Seniors Snooker (WSS) world number one Stuart Watson.

Steadman stormed into a 3-0 lead to move one away from victory in the last 16 contest, but Watson rallied to force a decider with breaks of 62, 44 and 70.

The former ranking event semi-finalist was ultimately able to get over the line, however, before overcoming Northern Ireland’s Declan Lavery 4-1 to reach the final day.

The semi-finals featured three Englishman and Steadman faced Lee Stephens, his fellow countryman and teammate in the European Seniors Team event, in the last four – coming away a 4-1 victor to reach the title match.

Wayne Brown was his opponent in the final after he had defeated James Darcy, Sean Gray, Peter Bullen and Brendan O’Donoghue in the knockout stages.

A high quality final saw at least a half-century compiled in each of the first six frames, with Brown scoring the tournament’s high break of 124 in the second, as the two players went blow for blow at 3-3 in a race to five.

Brown moved one away from victory by taking the seventh but, fittingly, the contest would be settled by a decider after Steadman won the eighth with help from a contribution of 40.

A 49 break in the decider was then enough for Steadman to complete the victory and book his place in the flagship event of World Seniors Snooker.