View source for 1976 World Snooker Championship

{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox individual snooker tournament
|tournament_name=1976 [[Embassy (cigarette)|Embassy]] [[World Snooker Championship]]
|logo=
|dates={{Start and end dates|1976|04|7|1976|04|23|df=y}}
|venue=[[Middlesbrough Town Hall]]<br/>Wythenshawe Forum
|location=[[Middlesbrough]]<br/>[[Manchester]]
|country=England
|organisation=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association|WPBSA]]
|format=[[List of snooker ranking tournaments|Ranking event]]
|Total prize fund=£15,300
|winners_share=£6,000
|highest_break={{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}} (138)
|winner={{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
|runner_up={{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
|score=27–16
|previous=[[1975 World Snooker Championship|1975]]
|next=[[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]]}}

The '''1976 World Snooker Championship''' (officially known as the '''1976 Embassy World Snooker Championship''') was a professional [[Snooker world rankings|ranking]] [[snooker]] tournament that took place at two venues, [[Middlesbrough Town Hall]], and Wythenshawe Forum, [[Manchester]], from 7 to 23 April 1976. Qualifying matches were played at the Prince of Wales Hotel, [[Southport]], and at the Park House Hotel, [[Blackpool]] from 29 March to 2 April.  The tournament was [[Promoter (entertainment)|promoted]] by Maurice Hayes's company Q Promotions on behalf of the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]. The winner received £6,000 from a total prize fund of £15,300.

The winner of the title was [[Ray Reardon]], who defeated [[Alex Higgins]] 27–16 in the final at Wythenshawe Forum, to claim his fifth [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]]. Reardon was the defending champion, having won 31–30 against [[Eddie Charlton]] in the [[1975 World Snooker Championship|1975]] final. During the 1976 final, Reardon made several complaints about the environment, which was adjusted to accommodate him. Charlton had complained earlier about a table, which was found to be non-standard, invalidating his break of 137.

There were seven [[century break]]s in the championship, the highest of which was 138 by [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]. It was the last World Championship before the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]] became the regular venue. For the first time, the tournament was sponsored by the cigarette company [[Embassy (cigarette)|Embassy]]; the relationship endured for 30 years.

==Overview==
The [[World Snooker Championship]] is the preeminent tournament in professional [[snooker]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Nunns |first=Hetor |title=Qatar want to take World Snooker Championship away from Crucible |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/snooker/2023/04/27/qatar-snooker-world-championship-crucible-sheffield/ |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=27 April 2023 |access-date=20 May 2023 |archive-date=9 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509135144/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/snooker/2023/04/27/qatar-snooker-world-championship-crucible-sheffield/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Joe Davis]] won [[1927 World Snooker Championship|the first World Championship in 1927]], organised by the [[Billiards Association and Control Council]], the final match being held at [[Camkin's Hall]] in Birmingham, England.<ref name="FARCE">{{cite book|first=Clive|last=Everton |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards: The Inside Story of the Snooker World |date=2012|publisher=Mainstream Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-78057-568-1}}</ref>{{rp|23}}<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Snooker – a Timeline |url=https://www.wpbsa.com/about/history/ |website=World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association |access-date=21 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418140049/https://www.wpbsa.com/about/history/ |archive-date=18 April 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="HSB">{{cite book|last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=1986 |title=The History of Snooker and Billiards|publisher=Partridge Press |location=Haywards Heath |isbn=978-1-85225-013-3 }}</ref>{{rp|50}} Staged annually until [[1940 World Snooker Championship|1940]], the tournament was put on hiatus during World War II and went into decline in the post-war era; the [[1952 World Snooker Championship]] was contested by only two players and was replaced by the [[World Professional Match-play Championship]], which was also discontinued in 1957.<ref name="GUINNESS">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive  |author-link=Clive Everton  |date=1985 |title=Guinness Snooker: The Records |location=Enfield |publisher=[[Guinness World Records|Guinness Superlatives]] |isbn=0851124488}}</ref>{{rp|110–113}} The title was contested on an occasional challenge basis until [[1969 World Snooker Championship|1969]], when the World Championship reverted to a knockout tournament format.<ref name="WSTH">{{cite news |first1=Hector |last1=Nunns |first2=David |last2=Hendon |title=History of Snooker |url=https://wst.tv/wpbsa/history-of-snooker/ |access-date=19 May 2023 |archive-date=15 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815075857/https://wst.tv/wpbsa/history-of-snooker/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The 1976 championship featured sixteen professional players competing in one-on-one snooker matches in a [[single-elimination tournament|single-elimination]] format, each match played over several {{cuegloss|frames}}. These competitors in the main tournament were selected using a combination of the top players based on results from the three previous years and the winners of a pre-tournament qualification stage.<ref name="SCENE1"/> The tournament was [[Promoter (entertainment)|promoted]] by Maurice Hayes's company Q Promotions on behalf of the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]].<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|48–50}} The defending champion was [[Ray Reardon]], who had defeated [[Eddie Charlton]] 31–30 in the [[1975 World Snooker Championship|1975]] final to win his fourth title.<ref name="HSB"/>{{rp|102–103}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Ray Reardon |url=https://wst.tv/players/ray-reardon/ |publisher=World Snooker Tour |access-date=24 May 2023 |archive-date=14 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114232239/https://wst.tv/players/ray-reardon/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

There were 27 entrants for the 1976 tournament.<ref name="SCENE1">{{cite magazine |title=Thirteen battle for last two World Championship places |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=January 1976 |page=19 }}</ref> In addition to Reardon, several former champions entered. Multiple-time champions [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] and [[John Pulman]] had first entered in [[1937 World Snooker Championship|1937]] and [[1947 World Snooker Championship|1947]] respectively.<ref name="GUINNESS"/>{{rp|54–55}} [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] (1969 and [[1971 World Snooker Championship|1971]]) and [[Alex Higgins]] ([[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]]) were the only players to have won the tournament since 1969 apart from Reardon.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hayton |first1=Eric |last2=Dee |first2=John |date=2004 |title=The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History |publisher=Rose Villa Publications |location=Lowestoft |isbn=978-0-9548549-0-4 |page=12}}</ref> The draw for the tournament was due to be televised on the [[BBC]] Television current affairs programme ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'', with recorded footage of three players as part of the segment.<ref name="FIASCO"/> Although Higgins was at the [[Lime Grove Studios]] as planned, Spencer said that he was unaware that he was expected to be at the Manchester studios, and [[Dennis Taylor]] was playing in a tournament in Portsmouth, so could not attend the Birmingham studio.<ref name="FIASCO"/> [[Graham Miles]] was appointed as a substitute for Taylor, but got stuck in traffic and abandoned his journey when he realised he would not arrive on time.<ref name="FIASCO"/> The draw was not televised;<ref name="FIASCO">{{cite magazine |title=The great Nationwide fiasco |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=March 1976 |page=3}}</ref> WPBSA officials met actress [[Glenda Jackson]] at Lime Grove by chance, and she agreed to make the draw.<ref name="FIASCO"/> The main tournament matches were held at either [[Middlesbrough Town Hall]] or at the Wythenshawe Forum, [[Manchester]].<ref name="SCENEDRAW"/>

The tournament was sponsored by tobacco company [[W.D. & H.O. Wills]], using their [[Embassy (cigarette)|Embassy]] brand.<ref name="SPON">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Sponsors add interest|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-sponsors-add-interest/125063003/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 March 1976 |page=16}}</ref> As part of the arrangement, they also sponsored a [[1976 Women's World Open (snooker)|Women's Open tournament]], an international amateur tournament, and an open tournament for players in the UK.<ref name="SPON"/> Embassy's sponsorship of the world championship, which followed an approach by Hayes, endured for the next 30 years.<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|48–50}}<ref name=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=World Professional Championship |url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416080933/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html |archive-date=16 April 2013 |website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|access-date=11 May 2012}}</ref> It was the last world championship before the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]] became the regular venue.<ref name="ESC">{{cite web |title=World snooker championship 2022 – when is Crucible main draw, how to watch with Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump in action |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2021-2022/world-championship-2022-how-to-watch-as-mark-selby-looks-to-defend-title-with-ronnie-o-sullivan-judd_sto8864182/story.shtml |publisher=Eurosport |date=4 April 2022 |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref>

=== Prize fund ===
The winner of the event received £6,000 from a total prize fund of £15,300. The planned breakdown of prize money for the event is shown below,<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton  |title=More money in the pockets |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-more-money-in-the-pockets/125040371/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=21 November 1975 |page=27}}</ref><ref name="SCENECASH">{{cite magazine |title=Wills plan ambitious programme for world snooker back-up |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=January 1976 |page=19 }}</ref> but it was later decided that there would not be a playoff for third and fourth place.<ref name="SCENEDRAW"/>
{{div col}}
* Winner: £6,000
* Runner-up: £2,000
* Third Place: £1,200
* Fourth Place: £1,100
* Quarter-finalists: £600
* Last 16: £300
* Highest break: £200
{{div col end}}

== Tournament summary ==
===Qualifying===
One group of qualifying matches was played at the Prince of Wales Hotel, [[Southport]].<ref name="SCENEE2"/> The other group took place at the Park House Hotel, [[Blackpool]].<ref name="SCENEE2"/> At both venues, first round matches were played on 29 and 30 March 1976, the second round matches on 31 March and 1 April, and a final on 2 April.<ref name="SCENEE2"/> All matches were the best of 15 frames.<ref name="SCENEE2">{{cite magazine |title=Embassy World championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=April 1976 |page=E2}}</ref> At Blackpool, veteran [[Jackie Rea]], who had made his tournament debut in [[1949 World Snooker Championship|1949]], eliminated [[Ian Anderson (snooker player)|Ian Anderson]] 8–5, and then saw off [[Bernard Bennett]] by the same score.<ref name="SCENEQ"/> He lost in the {{cuegloss|deciding frame}} to [[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]] in a match that determined a qualifier for the main event.<ref name="SCENEQ"/> Taylor had previously accounted for [[David Greaves]] 8–1; Greaves had previously defeated Jim Charlton 8–5.<ref name="SCENEQ"/>

The qualifying place from the Southport section was taken by [[Jim Meadowcroft]], who won 8–5 against [[Willie Thorne]].<ref name="SCENEQ"/> In the first qualifying round, [[Ron Gross]] defeated [[Maurice Parkin]] 8–5, Lou Condo eliminated [[Marcus Owen]] 8–6 and Dennis Wheelwright won only a single frame against Meadowcroft.<ref name="SCENEQ"/> In the next round, Gross led Meadowcoft 4–3 but lost 4–8, and Thorne won 8–3 against Condo.<ref name="SCENEQ"/>

===Main tournament===
[[File:Middlesbrough Town Hall, Yorkshire.jpg|thumb|alt=A large building with arched windows.|Middlesbrough Town Hall ''(pictured in 2011)'' was the venue for the matches in the top half of the main draw.]]
The leading 14 players in the [[Snooker season 1975/1976#Order of Merit|Order of Merit]], a ranking based on performances in the preceding three world championships, received automatic entry to the final stages and were joined by two winners from the qualifying competition.<ref name="SCENE1"/> The leading eight players in the Order of Merit were seeded.<ref name="SCENECASH"/> The top half of the draw was played at [[Middlesbrough Town Hall]] from 10 to 16 April, and the bottom hal was staged as Wythenshawe Forum from 11 to 19 April.<ref name="SCENEDRAW"/> The final was held over 4 days, from 20 to 23 April, at Wythenshawe Forum.<ref name="SCENEDRAW">{{cite magazine |title=Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=March 1976 |pages=5–7 }}</ref> There were two {{cuegloss|sessions|session}} of play each day, at 2:00&nbsp;pm and at 7:30&nbsp;pm.<ref name="SCENEDRAW"/>

===First round===
First round matches were played from 10 to 13 April at [[Middlesbrough]], and from 11 to 14 April at Manchester, as the best of 29 frames.<ref name="SCENEE3">{{cite magazine |title=Embassy World championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=April 1976 |page=E3}}</ref> Defending champion Ray Reardon won 15–7 against John Dunning and made a break of 106.<ref name="REARFAVE"/> Reardon won all but one of the last 14 frames.<ref name="REARFAVE"/> After a complaint by Reardon about distractions, spectators were barred from bringing drinks into the arena and from lighting cigarettes when the competitors were in the process of making their {{cuegloss|shots|shot}}.<ref name="REARFAVE">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Reardon still the favourite |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-reardon-still-the-favourite/125088875/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 April 1976 |page=16 }}</ref> [[Gary Owen (snooker player)|Gary Owen]] lost 9–15 to Dennis Taylor. It was Owen's last appearance at the world championship. Snooker historian [[Clive Everton]] later wrote that Owen "seemed to have lost all heart for the game" and was a lesser player than in the days when he had won two [[IBSF World Snooker Championship|World Amateur Snooker Championships]].<ref name="EMB">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton  |date=1993 |title=The Embassy Book of World Snooker |publisher=Bloomsbury |location=London |isbn=978-0-7475-1610-1 |pages=41–44}}</ref>{{rp|42}}

Spencer took a 12–1 lead against David Taylor and won 15–5, finishing the match with a 138 break in the 20th frame.<ref name="SCENER1">{{cite magazine |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton  |title=Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=May 1976 |pages=5–7}}</ref> After two sessions, [[Cliff Thorburn]] led Higgins 8–6, but he lost the first four frames in the next session and, going into the concluding session, the pair were tied at 10–10. Thorburn held a lead at 13–13 and 14–13, but Higgins won the 28th frame to take the match to a deciding frame, which Higgins won after breaks of 33 and 32.<ref name="BLOW">{{cite news |title=Irish Hurricane blows Canada's Thorburn aside |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-irish-hurricane-blows/125085407/ |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |date=15 April 1976 |page=42}}</ref>

A quarter-final between two of the unseeded players was set as Meadowcroft won five of the next six frames after leading Williams 9–5; and Miles lost 10–15 to [[Perrie Mans]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Two seeds crash to early defeat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-two-seeds-crash-to-early-de/125089456/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 April 1976 |page=19 }}</ref> According to article in ''[[The Times]]'', Williams "struggled all through" his match.<ref>{{cite news |title=Williams and Miles out in First round |newspaper=The Times |date=14 April 1976 |page=16}}</ref> Davis held a 15–7 lead against [[Bill Werbeniuk]], but lost the first four frames of their concluding session before going three frames clear at 14–11.<ref name="G13A"/> The match went to a deciding frame, which was won by Davis.<ref name="G13A"/>

Having been 1–3 and 4–5 behind Pulman, Charlton took four of the last five frames on the first day.<ref name="REARFAVE"/> Charlton made a break of 137 in the penultimate frame, but, following his criticism of the [[snooker table]], officials measured the size of the {{cuegloss|pockets}} and found that five of the six were too large, meaning that his break was not recognised.<ref name="G13A">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Charlton makes 137 break in confident win |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-charlton-makes-137-break-in/125094438/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 April 1976 |page=21 }}</ref><ref name="SMH15A">{{cite news |title=Charlton snookered by a faulty table |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-charlton-snook/125084339/ |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 April 1976 |page=24}}</ref>

===Quarter-finals===
The quarter-finals were played from 14 to 15 April at Middlesbrough, and from 15 to 16 April at Manchester, as the best of 29 frames.<ref name="SCENEE3"/> Reardon led Taylor 7–0, and was 12–2 after two sessions,<ref name="BLOW"/> and won 15–2. He compiled a break of 115 in the last frame.<ref name="SCENEJUN">{{cite magazine |title=Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=June 1976 |pages=13–19 }}</ref><ref name="BLOW"/> Meadowcroft praised Mans's {{cuegloss|pot|potting}} as "fantastic"<ref name="SCENEJUN"/>{{rp|13}} Mans constructed a 9–5 lead and won 15–8.<ref name="BLOW"/><ref name="SCENEJUN"/> The 1972 finalists Spencer and Higgins were level at 7–7 after their first two sessions.<ref name="RAYBY2"/> Higgins had the better of the third session and finished it 11–9 up.<ref name="RAYBY2"/> He was one frame from victory at 14–12, but Spencer took the next two frames to force a deciding frame;<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> it was won by Higgins.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> Charlton led Davis 5–1, 8–7 and 11–9 at the close of their first three sessions.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> They were level at 13–13, before Charlton added the next two frames for victory.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/><ref name="RAYBY2"/>

===Semi-finals===
The semi-finals were played from 16 to 18 April at Middlesbrough, and from 17 to 19 April at Manchester, as the best of 39 frames.<ref name="SCENEE3"/> Mans was known to be a skilled potter and {{cuegloss|safety}} exponent, but lacked {{cuegloss|position play}}; he had made only two breaks of 50 or more in reaching the semi-finals.<ref name="EMB"/> According to Everton, Mans's "limitations were drastically exposed",<ref name="EMB"/>{{rp|42}} as Reardon took the first session 4–2 and went on to win 20–10 with a top break of 133.<ref name="EMB"/><ref name="RAYBY2">{{cite news |title=Ray Reardon in lead by two frames |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-ray-reardon-in-lead/125088512/ |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=17 April 1976 |page=26 }}</ref> After the match, Mans accepted Reardon's offer of a 30-minute session of advice about shot selection.<ref name="EMB"/>

All but one of the six frames in first session of the match between Higgins and Charlton went to Higgins, and he finished the first day leading 8–5.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> By the close of day two, Higgins was 14–12 ahead, having made a break of 121 in the 22nd frame.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/><ref name="A20A">{{cite news |title=Charlton bids to make final |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-charlton-bids-to-make-final/125084903/ |newspaper=The Age |date=20 April 1976 |page= 22}}</ref> Charlton was only one frame behind at 16–17.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> but Higgins took the next two frames, and Charlton took the two after that.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> Higgins won 20–18, to progress to his first world championship final since his victory in 1972.<ref name="HSB"/>

===Final===
The final was played as the best of 53 frames from 20 to 23 April at Wythenshawe Forum,<ref name="SCENEE3"/> meaning that Reardon had travelled to where Higgins had been playing.<ref name="EMB"/> Higgins had the better of the earlier exchanges, and led 4–2 after the first session.<ref name="RLH">{{cite news |title=Reardon leads Higgins in world event|newspaper=The Times |date=21 April 1976 |page=9}}</ref> After the session, Reardon complained to the organisers that he could not see the balls properly due to the bright lighting that had been installed for television, and the lighting levels were reduced.<ref name="RLH"/> He won five successive frames during the second session, and led 8–5 after the first day.<ref name="RLH"/> Reardon complained about the quality of the snooker table during the afternoon session on the second day.<ref name="HSB"/>{{rp|106}} Everton endorsed Reardon's complaints about the table, later detailing how it was extremely difficult to pot balls along one side {{cuegloss|cushion}}, while balls were holding close to the opposite cushion, and the ball did not rebound off cushions as expected.<ref name="EMB"/> Higgins had taken a one frame lead at 10–9 before the table was attended to by fitters during the interval.<ref name="HSB"/>

Reardon took six of the seven evening frames for 15–11 lead going into the last day.<ref name="HSB"/> During the evening session, referee Bill Timms declared that Higgins had failed to hit the {{cuegloss|object ball}} after being {{cuegloss|snookered}} by Reardon.<ref name="EMB"/> Higgins told Timms that "I'll have to accept it, but you're wrong."<ref name="EMB"/>{{rp|44}} Reardon, by exercising his right to have Higgins play the next shot rather than accept a {{cuegloss|free ball}}, demonstrated his agreement with Higgins rather than with the referee.<ref name="EMB"/> With both players making playing errors, Reardon played tactically and won five successive frames, the last with a break of 87, to lead 15–11 after two days.<ref name="EMB"/>

Higgins won the first two frames of the fifth session, but Reardon took the next three for 18–13.<ref name="EMB"/> In the 29th frame, Reardon recovered from 68 points behind to take the frame. He won the 31st frame after {{cuegloss|snookers required|needing snookers}}.<ref name="OWNCLASS">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Reardon in a class of his own |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-reardon-in-a-class-of-his-o/125086415/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 April 1976 |page=16 }}</ref> In frame 32, with Reardon well ahead on points, Timms awarded Higgins a free ball, a decision disputed by Reardon.<ref name="EMB"/> Reardon won that frame to increase his lead to 19–13, but complained about Timms's refereeing to the organisers.<ref name="EMB"/> It was subsequently announced that Timms was ill, and [[John Williams (snooker referee)|John Williams]] would referee the rest of the final.<ref name="EMB"/> With Higgins conceding several frames while there were still {{cuegloss|red ball|red balls}} on the table during the sixth session, Reardon ended the third day leading 24–15.<ref name="EMB"/> Reardon won three of the first frames on the fourth morning to secure his fifth title victory at 27–16, with a {{cuegloss|session to spare}}.<ref name="EMB"/><ref name="RCAR"/> Writing in ''[[The Guardian]]'', Everton felt that Reardon "won without ever displaying his most dominating form", and that he "looks in a class of his own and there is no obvious successor in sight.<ref name="OWNCLASS"/> Similarly, ''The Times'' report of the final session concluded that "Reardon looked a class above the rest."<ref name="RCAR">{{cite news |title=Reardon a class above rest |newspaper=The Times |date=24 April 1976 |page=15}}</ref> Part of the final was shown on BBC Television.<ref name="FUNFOR">{{cite magazine |title=Some funny things happened on the way to the Forum |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=June 1976 |pages=3–4 }}</ref>

===Aftermath===
The Sponsored Events Manager for W.D. & H.O. Wills,<ref>{{cite news |title=Wills stay out of Grand Prix |newspaper=Evening Post |date=27 August 1976 |page=15}}</ref> Peter Dyke, commented that it had been an "interesting and rewarding involvement" and said that the company would be interested in maintaining an involvement with snooker.<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|52}} However, he complained that the promoter, Hayes, had declined to tell the company details of income from gate receipts and other sources.<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|52–53}} Hayes's company Q Promotions went out of business shortly afterwards; it had been beset by problems including confusion over bookings for professionals it managed, including Higgins, which led several snooker clubs to pursue costs from the company.<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|52–53}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Botsford |first1=Keith |author-link1=Keith Botsford |last2=Everton |first2=Clive |author-link2=Clive Everton |title=How snooker's Mr Big missed his cue |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=11 July 1976 |page=25}}</ref> [[Mike Watterson]], whose first sporting promotion had been a match between Higgins and Reardon in 1972, subsequently became the promoter for the 1977 Championship.<ref name="ENC">{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1987 |title=The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker – revised edition |location=Twickenham |publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-600-55604-6 |page=148}}</ref> Sports historian Ian Morrison wrote that following the "near disaster" of 1976 for the sponsors, "Watterson convinced them that he could make the championships work, and the following year he proved himself correct."<ref name="ENC"/> A similar account is provided by Everton: "Pessimists feared that Embassy would pull out of snooker forthwith. They stayed because there was the prospect of more television coverage and better promotion{{nbsp}}... Watterson promoted the championship with an efficiency and flair it had never previously experienced."<ref name="FARCE"/>{{rp|54}}

==Main draw==
Numbers in parentheses indicate seeding. Winning players are denoted in bold.<ref>{{cite web|title=1976 World Championships Results|url=http://snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=36|publisher=Snooker Database|access-date=25 May 2013|archive-date=6 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506004559/http://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=36|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy World Championship|url=http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071753/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36|archive-date=24 January 2013|publisher=Snooker Scene|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref>
{{Round16
| team-width=200
| short_brackets=yes
<!--Round 1-->
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}} (1)'''|'''15'''
|{{flagathlete|[[John Dunning (snooker player)|John Dunning]]|ENG}}|7
|
|{{flagathlete|[[Gary Owen (snooker player)|Gary Owen]]|WAL}}  (8)|9
|'''{{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}} '''|'''15'''
|
| {{flagathlete|[[Graham Miles]]|ENG}} (5)|10
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Perrie Mans]]|RSA|1928}}'''|'''15'''
|
| {{flagathlete|[[Rex Williams]]|ENG}} (4)|7
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jim Meadowcroft]]|ENG}}'''|'''15'''
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}} (3)'''|'''15'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Cliff Thorburn]]|CAN}}|14
|
|'''{{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}} (6)'''|'''15'''
| {{flagathlete|[[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]]|ENG}}|5
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}} (7)'''|'''15'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}|12
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Eddie Charlton]]|AUS}} (2)'''|'''15'''
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}|9
<!--Quarter-finals-->
|
|{{flagicon|Wales}} '''[[Ray Reardon]] (1)'''|'''15'''
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Dennis Taylor]]|2
|
|{{flagicon|RSA|1928}} '''[[Perrie Mans]]'''|'''15'''
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Jim Meadowcroft]]|8
|
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} '''[[Alex Higgins]] (3)'''|'''15'''
|{{flagicon|England}} [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] (6)|14
|
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] (7)|13|{{flagicon|Australia}} '''[[Eddie Charlton]] (2)'''|'''15'''
<!--Semi-finals-->
|
|{{flagicon|Wales}} '''[[Ray Reardon]] (1)'''|'''20'''
|{{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Perrie Mans]]|10
|
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} '''[[Alex Higgins]] (3)'''|'''20'''
|{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Eddie Charlton]] (2)|18
<!--Final-->
|
|{{flagicon|Wales}} '''[[Ray Reardon]] (1)'''|'''27'''
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Alex Higgins]] (3)|16
<!--Parameters-->
|RD1=Last 16<br/>Best of 29 frames|RD2=Quarter-finals<br/>Best of 29 frames|RD3=Semi-finals<br/>Best of 39 frames|RD4=Final<br/>Best of 53 frames
|3rdplace=no}}

==Qualifying==
Results of the qualifying competition are shown below. Winning players are denoted in bold.<ref name="SCENEQ">{{cite magazine |last=Corbett |first=Ted |author-link=Ted Corbett (journalist) |title=Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=May 1976 |pages=5–7}}</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable " style="font-size: 90%" align=c
|+Round 1 (Best of 15 frames)
|-
!Player
!Score
!Player
!Venue
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jim Meadowcroft]]|ENG}}''' || align="center" |'''8'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Wheelwright]]|AUS}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Ron Gross]]|ENG}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Maurice Parkin]]|ENG}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Lou Condo]]|AUS}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–6 || {{flagathlete|[[Marcus Owen]]|WAL}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[David Greaves]]|ENG}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Jim Charlton (snooker player)|Jim Charlton]]|AUS}} || Park House Hotel, Blackpool
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jackie Rea]]|NIR}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Ian Anderson (snooker player)|Ian Anderson]]|AUS}} || Park House Hotel, Blackpool
|}
{{col-2}}
{|class="wikitable " style="font-size: 90%" 
|+Round 2 (Best of 15 frames)
|-
!Player
!Score
!Player
!Venue
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jim Meadowcroft]]|ENG}}''' || align="center" |'''8'''–4 || {{flagathlete|[[Ron Gross]]|ENG}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–3 || {{flagathlete|[[Lou Condo]]|AUS}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]]|ENG}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–1 || {{flagathlete|[[David Greaves]]|ENG}} || Park House Hotel, Blackpool
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jackie Rea]]|NIR}}''' || align="center" |'''8'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Bernard Bennett]]|ENG}} || Park House Hotel, Blackpool
|}

{|class="wikitable " style="font-size: 90%" align=c
|+Round 3 (Best of 15 frames)
|-
!Player
!Score
!Player
!Venue
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jim Meadowcroft]]|ENG}}''' ||align="center" | '''8'''–5 || {{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}} || Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
|-
| '''{{flagathlete|[[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]]|ENG}}''' || align="center" |'''8'''–7 || {{flagathlete|[[Jackie Rea]]|NIR}} || Park House Hotel, Blackpool
|}
{{col-end}}

==Century breaks==
The following century breaks were made at the tournament.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/> The highest break of the tournament was 138 made by Spencer in his match against Taylor.<ref name="SCENEJUN"/>

* 138 {{ndash}} [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]
* 137*, 129 {{ndash}} [[Eddie Charlton]]
* 133, 115, 106 {{ndash}} [[Ray Reardon]]
* 121 {{ndash}} [[Alex Higgins]]
''*'' Not officially recognised, because five of the six pockets were found to be oversized.

==Associated tournaments==
Of the other events sponsored by Embassy as part of their deal, [[Vera Selby]] won the Women's Open, which is now regarded as the first edition of the [[World Women's Snooker Championship]].<ref name="VERA">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=Selby takes the biggest prize yet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-vera-selby-takes-the-bigges/125063161/ |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 April 1976 |page=14 }}</ref> She defeated [[Muriel Hazeldene]] 4–1 in the final, and won £500 and a wristwatch worth £500.<ref name="VERA"/> Each snooker club in the UK was able to nominate two entrants for the Embassy International.<ref name="EO">{{cite magazine |title=Hughes wins £500 prize |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=June 1976 |page=21 }}</ref> The matches were played over a single frame.<ref name="EO"/> [[Dennis Hughes (snooker player)|Dennis Hughes]] was awarded the £500 winner's prize after defeating Colin Myers by 99 points to 14 in the final.<ref name="EO"/> [[John Virgo]] took £500 for winning the invitational Embassy International Amateur Tournament,<ref name="EIA"/> the results of which are shown below.<ref name="EIA">{{cite magazine |title=Embassy International Amateur Tournament |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=May 1976 |page=11 }}</ref>

===Embassy International Amateur Tournament main draw===
All matches were the best of seven frames. Winning players are denoted in bold.<ref name="EIA"/>
{{Round16
| team-width=200
| short_brackets=yes
<!--Round 1-->
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Patsy Fagan]]|IRE}}'''|'''4'''
|{{flagathlete|[[Eddie Sinclair]]|SCO}}|2
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Doug Mountjoy]]|WAL}}''' |'''4'''
|{{flagathlete|J. Clint|NIR}}|0
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|S. McMahon|NIR}}|0
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Roy Andrewartha]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|F. Nathan|IRE}}|3
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Colin Roscoe]]|WAL}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Pascal Burke]]|IRE}}|3
|
|'''{{flagathlete|[[Sid Hood]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[John Phillips (snooker player)|John Phillips]]|ENG}}|0
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jack Fitzmaurice]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Terry Griffiths]]|WAL}}|3
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Hargreaves (snooker player)|John Hargreaves]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Edmonds]]|ENG}}|3
<!--Quarter-finals-->
|
| {{flagathlete|[[Patsy Fagan]]|IRE}} |1
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Doug Mountjoy]]|WAL}}''' |'''4'''
| 
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}''' |'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Roy Andrewartha]]|ENG}}|1
|
| {{flagathlete|[[Colin Roscoe]]|WAL}}|1
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Sid Hood]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Jack Fitzmaurice]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[John Hargreaves (snooker player)|John Hargreaves]]|ENG}}|3
<!--Semi-finals-->
|
| {{flagathlete|[[Doug Mountjoy]]|WAL}}|3
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}''' |'''4'''
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[Sid Hood]]|ENG}}''' |'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Jack Fitzmaurice]]|ENG}} |2
<!--Final-->
|
| '''{{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}'''|'''4'''
| {{flagathlete|[[Sid Hood]]|ENG}}|1
|{|16
<!--Parameters-->
|RD1=Last 16|RD2=Quarter-finals|RD3=Semi-finals|RD4=Final
|3rdplace=no}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{World Snooker Championship}}
{{Snooker season 1975/1976}}

[[Category:World Snooker Championships]]
[[Category:1976 in snooker|World Snooker Championship]]
[[Category:1976 in English sport|World Snooker Championship]]
[[Category:April 1976 sports events in the United Kingdom|World Snooker Championship]]
[[Category:Sport in Middlesbrough]]
[[Category:International sports competitions in Manchester]]