Snooker stalwarts face uncertain future after Q School disappointment
Mark Davis and Robert Milkins - two of professional snooker's longest-serving players - both face uncertain futures in the sport after failing to graduate from the recently completed UK Q School.
English duo Davis and Milkins were relegated from the pro circuit several weeks ago during the qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Snooker Championship after both finishing outside the world's top 64 rankings, and not being placed high enough on the one-year list to save their spots.
However, both cueists had the chance to immediately bounce back to the top-flight through this year's Q School at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, but neither were able to claim one of the eight two-year tour cards on offer.
Two-time ranking event winner Milkins, who is now 50-years-old, was ousted 4-3 by Duane Jones - another player who recently suffered demotion - in the last 64 of event two.
Several days' later, Milkins was on course for graduation having won his opening three matches before being pipped 4-3 by Chinese youngster Gong Chenzhi in the penultimate round. 19-year-old Gong went on to reclaim his professional stripes.
Having lost his opening tie in event one by the odd frame to Welsh youngster Oliver Briffett-Payne, Davis' journey in the last chance saloon of event two was similar to Milkins', negotiating three rounds before his hopes were extinguished in the last 16 by Andrew Higginson who scored a 4-0 victory. Former Welsh Open runner-up Higginson also went on to convert in the final round on Sunday.
Defeat for Davis ends his 35-year unbroken streak on the professional snooker circuit since his rookie season in 1991/92.
A former world number 12, 53-year-old Davis may now elect to hang up his competitive cue in order to concentrate on a coaching career and continue his role as the Chairman of the WPBSA Players Body.
Davis is arguably one of the greatest-ever players not to have won a ranking event title, coming closest at the 2018 English Open when he narrowly lost 9-7 to Stuart Bingham in the final in Crawley.
'The Battler from Hastings' can be very proud of a long career on snooker's premiership, though.
Twelve-times a Crucible contestant in the world professional championship, Davis thrice played at the Masters - snooker's most prestigious invitational event - the first of those appearances coming in 2003 when he won the qualifying competition for it.
In 2012, Davis won the World 6-Reds Championship in Thailand after defeating Shaun Murphy in the final, and returned the following year to successfully defend the title with a final victory over Neil Robertson. Davis - who also won the 2016 World Seniors Snooker Championship - is the only player to have claimed back-to-back world 6-reds crowns.
Whilst Davis' decline down the world rankings was a gradual process, the opposite was the case for Milkins, who only three years ago was the world number 12, and a top 16 seed at the 2024 World Snooker Championship.
Earlier this decade, Milkins - who first turned professional in 1995 - was facing relegation from the World Snooker Tour before enjoying, by far, his best spell in the sport.
Having lost all six of his previous world ranking event semi-final outings, Milkins fulfilled a dream at the 2022 Gibraltar Open when he not only made a final, but went all the way, lifting the trophy after defeating Kyren Wilson in the final.
Even better was to come for 'The Milkman', though, less than 12 months on when he won the Welsh Open in Llandudno.
Not only did his 9-7 victory over Murphy secure him the biggest accolade of his career to date, but he also scooped that season's £150,000 European Series order of merit bonus prize.
But since those heady days, Milkins hasn’t reached another semi-final, and across the last two seasons he made the last 16 of a ranking event only twice. As a consequence, he tumbled down the world rankings as the money he previously accumulated came off his rolling two-year total.
For both Davis and Milkins, there is the option for them to return to the amateur scene where there are tour cards to be won and decent prize money on offer.
The Q Tour system - which has expanded in recent years - now offers four tour cards and seven regular events per season with a £6,000 first prize on offer at each. Performances from these competitions are also rewarded with wildcard selections for big professional events - this was how Chinese history-maker Zhao Xintong won the world title in 2025 despite not having a tour card at the time.