A MAN who travelled the world at the very top of his sport says his mate made more money working at Tesco.
Paul Collier, now 53, holds the record as the youngest snooker referee to officiate a world championship final.
But the Welshman quit the game after its governing body slashed referees’ pay twice.
He told WalesOnline: “The game was in a mess. I warned they’d have no referees left.
“I told them I’d got a mate in Magor Tesco earning more than I was and I was travelling the world refereeing snooker tournaments.”
Bosses begged Paul to referee the Crucible after most of his colleagues quit the job.
He agreed out of love for the game – but soon packed it in when nothing changed.
The 53-year-old switched jobs to run a “little cafe” next to his mate’s garage in Abertillery.
Paul said: “My granddaughter can’t work out why I live in the house I do.
“She thinks I’m worth £2.5million, which is apparently what Google tells you. I wish.”
Paul first donned the white gloves aged 15 – when he would have been too young to play the games he was refereeing.
He decided to become a ref after a string of thrashings at the local snooker hall made him realise he wasn’t good enough to be a pro.
In 1992 Paul officiated his first professional tournament – which involved John Higgins, Mark Williams and a young Ronnie O’Sullivan.
He became the youngest person to referee a final in 2004 when O’Sullivan faced Graeme Dott at the Crucible.
The match was briefly derailed by a streaker, whom Paul approached before backing away.
Paul returned to his job as a referee in 2011 after a six-year break to run his cafe.
He officiated three more Crucible finals over the course of his 30-year career – encountering two more streakers.
Paul retired for good last month after officiating his final professional match between Jak Jones and Kyren Wilson.
He often sees Jones practising at their local snooker hall Redz in Cwmbran and is good friends with stars like Steve Davis.
Paul said: “I’ve earned a half-decent living standing feet away from the best players in the world.
“For someone as interested in snooker as I am, that’s a dream come true.”
PAUL's first final at the highest level in 2004 was famously interrupted by a male STREAKER before the fourth session.
A naked man jumped out of the crowd, whipped off his shirt and trousers.
He then tried to hide under the table before being escorted away by security.
Collier, 53, recalled: “I was the youngest referee of a world final at the time, it was quite an experience for me.
“I’d never done the one-table before and normally everybody does a semi-final then a final, but I was straight into a final.
“I’ve seen bits of it back. It was unfortunate because it was the year we had the streaker and that idiot came out of the crowd.
“I’m focused ready for the last session of the final and this bloke’s crawling round naked under the table.
“If you look at it I’ve hit him with the rest as we’re trying to get him out from underneath.
“It broke the atmosphere. You don’t expect that. It would be nice not to have one this time!”
