Best player NOT to reach a series final?

[Neil Zussman]

I'm not for one moment suggesting I hold the title. I'm just curious to know what esteemed company I'm in. I think I'm right in saying that Steven Briers only reached the quarter-final? Although admittedly he improved a heck of a lot before the CofC. Were there any other really good players (at the time of filming preferably, although if they've improved a lot since they can get a mention) who only made the quarters or semis? (Apologies to anyone on the forum whom I've forgotten)

[Charlie Reams]

Paul Howe must have the title as best player never to reach any final.

[Kirk Bevins]

Jon Corby surely falls under this bracket too.

[Ben Wilson]

From the 9-round era there's also Tim Morrissey, who lost in the semis of both his series and the supreme championship (the former aged just 12, the latter aged 18-19), though he did win his c of c. You could make a similar argument for Natascha Kearsey, though I doubt she's in the sort of hyper-uber-skill level of Howe or Corby.

[Jon O'Neill]

Paul Howe, close thread.

[Charlie Reams]

Moving to public forum...

[Douglas Wilson]

It depends on whether you mean 'best player' based on their performance on the show or since.

If it's on the show then I fail to see how it is PH when Corby, Hurrell and Briers all out scored him in the heats and also didn't reach the final.

[Gavin Chipper]

It depends on whether you mean 'best player' based on their performance on the show or since.

If it's on the show then I fail to see how it is PH when Corby, Hurrell and Briers all out scored him in the heats and also didn't reach the final.

Paul Howe was also very good in the CofC but I don't know if that's allowed to count as it was after the series but still on the show.

Also David Williams is the 9-round octochamp record-holder, so I'm surprised he hasn't been mentioned. Lucy Roberts and Terry Knowles both scored over 500. Also Helen Grayson was the number one seed in series 6 even though she didn't play her 8th game, outscoring octochamp Darryl Francis. She was on for about 500 points (she needed 63 in her last game).

[JimBentley]

Paul Howe, close thread.

IAWTP. Honourable mention for Jack Welsby, though.

[Matt Morrison]

Paul Howe, close thread.

I don't think it's a close thread at all. Has to be Paul Howe. Close the thread.

[JackHurst]

Jeffrey Hansford, I can think of at least 59 finals he didnt make.

[Matthew Green]

Diego Maradona

[David O'Donnell]

Paul Howe definitely.

[Jon Corby]

It depends on whether you mean 'best player' based on their performance on the show or since.

If it's on the show then I fail to see how it is PH when Corby, Hurrell and Briers all out scored him in the heats and also didn't reach the final.

I'm not sure what reason Paul might give for not scoring more in his heats, but by the filming of the Series 54 finals (and the subsequent CoC) he was playing at an incredible standard, definitely the best I've seen not to make a final (although I only really started watching avidly at Series 54 anyway, so maybe that doesn't count for much!)