A retired tiler, whose first purchase after winning the National Lottery was a pool table, is now set to represent England as captain on the European stage.
Neil Jones, 59, who said he had just £13 in his pocket when he won £2.4m in 2010, has been chosen to skipper the England B1 team in the European Pool Championships next month.
The Stoke-on-Trent resident said he was “sobbing” after getting the call-up to lead the side.
His progress may have been sparked by the lucky lottery win, but it hasn’t come without hard work.
Mr Jones says “thousands of hours” of training, particularly during the COVID lockdowns, helped him hone his skills.
Having previously played snooker as a junior, he rose up through the ranks to become a regular county player, before his first England trial back in 2021.
He narrowly missed out, but continued playing and practising until he was asked to trial again earlier this year, where he impressed enough to be awarded his England colours during a Home Nations tournament.
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On his chance to be England captain during the championships in Malta, Mr Jones said: “I try to motivate the other boys [on the team], so when I was asked if I wanted to be captain for England, I couldn’t say no to that.
“I was sobbing, I couldn’t talk. If my dad had been here now, he would be in Malta with me.”
On his rise through the pool ranks, he added: “Not long after we won, I went to the local pool hall and there was a friend of mine who I used to do karaoke and watch the football with.
“I picked a cue up, had a knock, and then I came back home and measured up our dining room so I could buy a decent pool table.
“I went out and bought a new pool table, so now when Coronation Street is on, I’m in here – so I get lots of practice.
“Winning the lottery allowed me to put those hours in. If I didn’t win, I wouldn’t have been able to buy the table, I wouldn’t have had the time – I’d still be on my hands and knees tiling.”
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While he has had the support of partner Julie and his family, Mr Jones, who plays at The Plaza club in Fenton, says he wishes his late father was here to see his success.
He said: “My dad was so supportive of me. He was so proud.
“When he was in hospital, I used to tell him the county results every month and he’d say ‘you really want this don’t you? It will come’ and it did – it was really emotional.”
‘Money can’t buy you an England place’
Recalling the Iottery win back in 2010, he added: “I didn’t tell anyone at first, not until we went public.
“There were no words. I was checking the ticket for 45 minutes. It was all on Ceefax back then. Julie rang Camelot and they said, ‘are you sitting down? You’re the only winner and it’s £2.4m’.
“It took about 18 months to sink in. It was absolutely amazing, fantastic. It’s a cushion – when a bill comes through the door, you know you can pay it.
“It’s a completely different life, but anyone who knows me knows I’m grounded. Down the pool club, it’s not a big deal, no one mentions it.
“It’s about what you can achieve, because money can’t buy you an England place.”
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Adding a final word on the upcoming tournament, Mr Jones said: “I didn’t have that much money left in the world when I won, and now I’m captaining my country.
“I can’t wait to fly out to Malta, put on that England shirt and lead the team out.”
The European Pool Championships are taking place from 1-8 November.
