'i played with frank lampard – now i'm aiming for world snooker championship'

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HOPEFUL ALFIE BURDEN OPENS UP ON PLAYING WITH FRANK LAMPARD AND LEE BOWYER AT ARSENAL, HIS LIFE-ALTERING INJURY AND WHY HE IS DETERMINED TO PROLONG HIS SNOOKER CAREER

08:00, 07 Apr 2025Updated 14:49, 07 Apr 2025 Snooker star Alfie Burden has recalled playing in the same Arsenal side as Frank Lampard as he gears up for the World Championship qualifiers.

Burden, 48, who turned professional in 1995, was on the Gunners books as a youngster before being released. He joined Swindon Town, then in the Premier League and managed by Glenn Hoddle,

only to suffer a devastating injury which led to a career in snooker instead. Burden, who enters World Championship qualifying in round two on Friday, recalled: “I went up there to sign

professional forms. “I was on the three-day tour. We were playing West Bromwich Albion. I played the ball off first time and a guy stamped through the back of my standing leg. I broke my leg

in four places and it was the end of my young career. It was a shocking injury.” More than 30 years on, Gunners fan Burden still wonders if he was too hasty in giving up on a career in

football and switching to snooker. “I’m quite strong-headed. When I make my mind up, I go with it, I’m quite impulsive,” he said in an interview for Reach’s World Championship publication,

which is available to order. “Snooker was a secondary sport at the time. I played it as a hobby, but I was quite good. I practised in the same club as Neal Foulds, and he always used to say

to me, ‘You could be a professional, you’re very talented’. I was like, ‘Nah, I just enjoy a game, I’m going to be a footballer’. Article continues below “If a 48-year-old Aflie could talk

to a 16/17-year-old Alfie, it would be like, ‘Go through the pain of being out for a year or 18 months and go back [to football]’. But I didn’t make that decision, I decided to switch

careers and I ended up turning professional at 18.” He has fond memories of his time at Arsenal and remains in contact with several of his former teammates, including England and Chelsea

legend Lampard. “In my Arsenal youth team were Stephen Hughes, who I still speak to now, Lee Bowyer, who was released and went to Charlton and, believe it or not, Frank Lampard,” said

Burden. “We were in the same youth side for a couple of years. Frank left Arsenal and went to West Ham, where his uncle [ Harry Redknapp ] and his uncle [Frank Snr] were, and he came through

there. The rest is history.” On his memories of Lampard, Burden recalled: “Frank was a bit chubby when he was a kid, but he always had that ability. He was a year younger but played a year

up. “You could see he was going to be a good player, and he’s gone on to have a phenomenal career. He’s one of the all-time greats of the Premier League. He’s someone I still speak to now

and then.” Burden’s son was also on Arsenal’s books before being released after having a spell at Bristol Rovers under Joey Barton. Like his dad, he suffered a serious injury but is hoping

to rebuild his career in non-league. Staying with the football theme, Burden is in the relegation zone ahead of the World Championship qualifiers. He needs to win three matches to get to the

Crucible and maybe at least two to stand a chance of retaining his tour card. “I’m in the relegation dogfight but it doesn’t faze me,” he declared. “I don’t fear anyone, I believe in my

ability and I’ll have a right good go at it. “I’m 48 now, and I accept that I’m doing well at my age to still be on the tour competing against players who are half my age in the majority of

the cases. “I know there’s still a few players of my age knocking about, but the numbers are dwindling. My hunger to play is still there and if I win two matches, it will give me a good

chance of staying on the tour.” If Burden doesn’t do enough in qualifying, he will throw himself into another dogfight, Q School, where hundreds of players battle it for the remaining tour

cards. Article continues below “I’ve dropped off the tour before and got my card straight back [at Q School], which is a feat in itself because that’s a bearpit,” said Burden, who is looking

to reach World Championship for the first time since 1998, although he has played at the Crucible more recently in the World Seniors Championship. “There are so many good players and only

eight out of 200 get tour cards. I’m not ready to hang it up, I’m still fiercely competitive.”