UK glory almost drove me potty

John needing a change of luck in York

- NEIL GOULDING

JOHN HIGGINS is keen to banish his York hoodoo by winning a fourth UK Championship. 

The Scottish snooker star, 48, has failed to pass the quarter-finals since the prestigious ranking event moved back to the Barbican Centre in 2011.

World No.11 Higgins’ last UK triumph came the year before, the final time the tournament was staged in Telford.

That memorable victory was the all-conquering Wizard of Wishaw’s first big win after returning from a six-month ban he describes as “torture”, for bringing the game into disrepute.

The four-time world champion was found guilty of failing to report a bribery approach, but cleared of all match- f i x ing charge s following an undercover newspaper sting.