Editing Rex Williams (section)

==Career==
===Junior career===
Williams was born in [[Halesowen]] on 20 July 1933.<ref name="91HALE">{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=1991 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1991–92  |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=0356197476}}</ref>{{rp|277–280}} He started playing on a full-size [[billiard table]] at the age of 13 on a table installed at his father's printing works, and was coached by [[Kingsley Kennerley]].<ref name="WPBSA1">{{cite web |url=https://world-billiards.com/tott-rex-williams-part-1/ |title=TOTT – Rex Williams (Part 1) |last=Coumbe |first=Chris |date=10 April 2020 |website=world-billiards.com |publisher=World Billiards |access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> He won the Midlands Boys Titles in both billiards and snooker.<ref>{{cite news |author=Fancy Butt |title=Midland boy star after English titles |work=Sports Argus |date=4 October 1947 |page=2}}</ref> In 1948 he won the British Boys' (under-16) Championships at both snooker and billiards, and in 1950 he was the National Under-19 Billiards champion.<ref name="WHOWHO">{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1988 |title=Hamlyn Who's Who in Snooker  |location=London |publisher=Hamlyn |pages=123–124 |isbn=0600557138 }}</ref> He played an [[Exhibition game|exhibition match]] against [[Joe Davis]] in 1949, winning the one {{cuegloss|frame}} 85–51 after receiving 21 start.<ref>{{cite news |author=Fancy Butt |title=16-year-old beats Joe Davis |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=18 October 1949 |page=6}}</ref> In 1951, at 17 years old, he became the youngest winner of the [[English Amateur Snooker Championship]] (until [[Jimmy White]] in 1979), beating the 1939 champion Percy Bendon 6–1 in the final.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |title=Snooker champion at 17 |date=2 May 1951 |page=3}}</ref><ref name="HAMLYN">{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1987 |title=The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker |location=Twickenham |publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-60055604-6}}</ref>{{rp|153–155}} He also won the 1951 National Under-19 Championships at both snooker and billiards.<ref name="WHOWHO" />

===Early professional career===
Williams turned professional in 1951 at the age of 18, and entered the [[1952 World Professional Match-play Championship]].<ref name="WHOWHO" /> He met [[Alec Brown (snooker player)|Alec Brown]] in the first round in a match over 61 frames played from 17 to 22 December 1951 at [[Darlaston]], [[Staffordshire]].<ref name="T241251" /> Brown won comfortably, taking a winning 33–17 lead after the fifth day and eventually winning 39–22.<ref name="T241251">{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=24 December 1951 |page=7 |title= Snooker}}</ref> Williams made his debut at [[Leicester Square Hall]] in early 1952, playing [[John Pulman]] in an exhibition match on level terms.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rex Williams |work=Dundee Courier |date=11 March 1952 |access-date=9 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19520311/097/0005 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Pulman won the six-day match 42–31.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rex Williams |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligence |date=17 March 1952 |access-date=9 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19520317/152/0005 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Williams then beat [[John Barrie (snooker player)|John Barrie]] 40–33 in another exhibition match, receiving 10 points each frame in the [[Handicapping|handicapped]] match.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Close |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=18 April 1952 |access-date=9 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19520418/087/0003 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=21 April 1952 |access-date=9 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19520421/168/0005 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In May and early June 1952, Williams played in the qualifying competition for the [[1952/1953 News of the World Snooker Tournament]]. In his first match he played 66-year-old [[Willie Smith (billiards player)|Willie Smith]] and won 22–15.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=50xAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5029%2C760725 |date=8 May 1952 |page=7 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=50xAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z5EMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5029%2C760725 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The qualifying was won by [[Jackie Rea]] who advanced to the main event.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=9 June 1952 |page=3 |title=Snooker}}</ref> Williams met Kingsley Kennerley in the first qualifying round for the [[1953 World Professional Match-play Championship|World Championship]]. Kennerley had already beaten him 23–14 in the News of the World qualifying and beat him again, this time 25–12.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nmdAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3660%2C4736097 |date=20 October 1952 |page=9 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nmdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jZQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3660%2C4736097 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Albert Brown (English cricketer)|Albert Brown]] was ill for two of his matches in the News of the World Tournament and Williams played [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] in a three-day exhibition match, in place of the planned second contest. Williams received a 14-point start but Fred Davis won the match 23–14.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w9Y-AAAAIBAJ&pg=6783%2C101638 |date=1 September 1952 |page=9 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w9Y-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=20wMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6783%2C101638 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 1953, Williams played Joe Davis in an exhibition match. Williams received a 21-point handicap but Joe Davis won 43–30, scoring 4 centuries on the final day.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X0tAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3616%2C2409661 |date=23 March 1953 |page=11 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X0tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jVkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3616%2C2409661 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Williams met [[Harry Stokes (snooker player)|Harry Stokes]] in the 31-frame qualifying round of the [[1954 World Professional Match-play Championship|World Championship]] in early October 1953 and led 3–2 after the first session.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_EpAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5892%2C3361409 |date=6 October 1953 |page=2 |title=World Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_EpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XoYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5892%2C3361409 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Williams was then ill and the match was rearranged for a later date.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eBA1AAAAIBAJ&pg=2023%2C3555021 |date=7 October 1953 |page=9 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eBA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=2023%2C3555021 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The match was, however, later cancelled and Stokes advanced to the next round.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hRA1AAAAIBAJ&pg=3563%2C5456294 |date=27 October 1953 |page=4 |title=Title match cancelled |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hRA1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqULAAAAIBAJ&pg=3563%2C5456294 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===1960s revival of snooker===
In 1964, the Conayes £200 Professional Tournament was staged at the Rex Williams Snooker Centre in [[Blackheath, West Midlands|Blackheath]], being the first commercially sponsored professional snooker event since 1960. Williams was one of the four competitors, along with Fred Davis, John Pulman and Jackie Rea. Pulman won the event.<ref name="FACTS">{{cite book |last=Morrison|first=Ian |date=1989 |title=Snooker: records, facts and champions |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0851123643}}</ref>{{rp|8}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |title=Williams ready for snooker clash |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=22 September 1964 |page=15}}</ref> Williams was instrumental in the revival of the [[World Snooker Championship]] in 1964, obtaining sanction for the competition after taking the [[Billiards Association and Control Council]] (BA&CC) chairman Harold Phillips out to lunch. The championship was staged on a challenge basis, with the first match being scheduled between Pulman, the winner of the [[1957 World Professional Match-play Championship]], and Fred Davis.<ref name="FACTS" />{{rp|8}} Pulman beat Davis 19–16.<ref name="91HALE">{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=1991 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1991–92  |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=0356197476}}</ref>{{rp|294–295}}<ref name="EVERTONBFA" />{{rp|41}}

Later in [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|1964]], Williams challenged Pulman for the title. The match was over 73 frames, played over 6 days from 12 to 17 October at [[Burroughes Hall]]. Williams led 8–4 at the end of the first day<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K21AAAAAIBAJ&pg=4497%2C1975697 |date=13 October 1964 |page=5 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K21AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4497%2C1975697 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> but Pulman won 11 of the 12 frames on the second day to lead 15–9.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LG1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=2979%2C2177634 |date=14 October 1964 |page=5 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LG1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2979%2C2177634 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Pulman extended his lead to 31–17 after four days<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Lm1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1421%2C2571892 |date=16 October 1964 |page=6 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Lm1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1421%2C2571892 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and won the match on the fifth day, taking a 37–23 winning lead. Pulman made a break of 109 in frame 57.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L21AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6487%2C2771180 |date=17 October 1964 |page=6 |title=Snooker |access-date=9 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210001716/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L21AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6487%2C2771180 |archive-date=10 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The remaining 13 "dead" frames were played on the final day with Pulman finishing 40–33 ahead.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=19 October 1964 |page=5 |title=Snooker}}</ref> Williams and Pulman met again in late 1965 in a series of short matches in South Africa, but Williams was unsuccessful again, losing 25 matches to 22. In one of these matches in East London in the Eastern Cape, Williams made a break of 142, breaking the World Championship record of 136 set by [[Joe Davis]] in [[1946 World Snooker Championship|1946]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=17 November 1965 |page=4 |title=World Snooker Record}}</ref> This stood as the world championship record break until 1981, when [[Doug Mountjoy]] compiled a 145.<ref name="WHOWHO2">{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1988 |title=Hamlyn Who's Who in Snooker  |location=London |publisher=Hamlyn |pages=74 |isbn=0600557138 }}</ref> In December 1965, during an exhibition match in [[Cape Town]] against [[Mannie Francisco]], Williams followed Joe Davis as the second man to make a recognised [[Maximum break|147 break]].<ref name="WHOWHO" /><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=24 December 1965 |page=3 |title=Williams Achieves Break of 147}}</ref>

In 1967, Williams and Fred Davis played a 51 match series that was billed as the World Open Matchplay Snooker Challenge, even though no other entries were solicited.<ref name="EVERTONBFA" />{{rp|41}} The following year, Williams convened a meeting of players at his house that led to the revival of the [[Professional Billiard Players Association]] (PBPA), with Williams as chairman.<ref name="CWAUG83">{{cite magazine |last=Findlay |first=Helen |date=August 1983 |title=The workings of the W.P.B.S.A. |magazine=Cue World |location=UK |publisher=Transworld Publications |pages=33–35}}</ref><ref name="Thompson">{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Dan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-dday-looms-for-williams-1112840.html |title=Snooker: D-day looms for Williams – Sport |work=The Independent |date=15 August 1999 |access-date=19 August 2012 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925232538/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-dday-looms-for-williams-1112840.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===World professional billiards championship and the WPBSA===
Williams won the [[World Professional Billiards Championship]] seven times from 1968 to 1983, including a reign as champion from 1968 to 1980.<ref name="87HALE">{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=1987 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88  |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |page=275 |isbn=0356146901 }}</ref> In 1968, Williams was on a trip to Australia, and decided to travel to Auckland in New Zealand to play the reigning champion [[Clark McConachy]] for the billiards title, which had not been contested since McConachy's 1951 win. By this time, McConachy was 73, and his play was affected by his [[Parkinson's disease]]. Williams won the title 5,499–5,234, and made the match's highest break, 293.<ref name="GUINNESS">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=1985 |title=Guinness Snooker – The Records |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0851124488}}</ref>{{rp|154–156}}<ref name="HBIL" />{{rp|141–142, 213}}

[[Leslie Driffield]] was nominated as the BA&CC challenger to Williams for the professional Billiards Championship. Williams declined to play Driffield within the five months time limit that the BA&CC had set, which expired on 7 July 1970, and forfeited the title, which was then contested between Driffield and [[Jack Karnehm]] in June 1971. On 1 October 1970, the PBPA disaffiliated from the BA&CC. The PBPA changed its name to the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] on 12 December 1970, and declared itself the governing body for the professional game, recognising Williams as champion. Driffield and Karnehm were, at first, the only two professionals to recognise the BA&CC as continuing to have authority over the game.<ref name="EVERTONBFA">{{cite book|author=Clive Everton|title=Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards: The Inside Story of the Snooker World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7O7SQxTjSLIC|year= 2011|publisher=Mainstream Publishing|isbn=978-1-78057-399-1}}</ref>{{rp|44–45}}<ref name="HBIL" />{{rp|pages=146–147}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=14 November 1988 |title=A great billiards amateur |work=The Guardian |page=39 |id={{ProQuest|<!--ProQuest data goes here--> }}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=30 September 1970 |title=Challenge taken |work=The Guardian |page=19 |via=ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 20 September 2019.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1174311.stm |title=WPBSA v TSN |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=16 February 2001 |access-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030101203136/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1174311.stm |archive-date=1 January 2003 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wpbsa.com/about/history/history-of-the-wpbsa/ |title=History of The WPBSA |website=wpbsa.com |publisher=World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association |access-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810132839/https://www.wpbsa.com/about/history/history-of-the-wpbsa/ |archive-date=10 August 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the 1970s, Williams made four successful defences of his title, against [[Bernard Bennett]] in 1971, Karnehm in 1973, and [[Eddie Charlton]] in 1974 and 1976.<ref name="HBIL" />{{rp|pages=214}} He also won the 1979 UK Championship, which was the first time the event had been held since Fred Davis won in 1951. Williams beat Karnehm in the semi-final and John Barrie 2,952–2,116 in the final. He reached the 1980 and 1981 UK finals, both against Karnehm, losing 2,423–2,518 in 1980 and winning 1,592–1,112 in 1981.<ref name="GUINNESS" />{{rp|113–115,118}}<ref name="HBIL" />{{rp|160}}<ref name="BDP79">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Rex Williams coasts to victory |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=12 February 1979 |page=12}}</ref>

Williams lost the world title to Fred Davis in May 1980. Davis made a break of 583, the highest in the world championship for 46 years, in beating Williams 5,978–4,452. The championship then reverted to a knockout format, and was held in November 1980, with Williams losing to [[Mark Wildman]] in the semi-final. At the next staging, in 1982, Williams regained the title by beating Wildman 3,000–1,785 in the final; he retained it in 1983 with a 1,500–605 victory over Davis in the final. Unhappy at not being allowed to use a practice table near another match at the 1983 tournament, Williams had left the venue and returned late for his semi-final against [[Ray Edmonds]], causing the match to start 48 minutes late. There were no rules in place for penalties for late arrivals, but following complaints to the WPBSA, Williams was fined £500 by the association, and resigned as chairman, but remained on the board. Three weeks later, he accepted the board's invitation to become chairman again.<ref name="HBIL" />{{rp|162–164,214}} He continued as chairman until 1987, and took the role again from 1997 to 1999.<ref name="WPBSA1" /><ref name="Thompson"/> In 2001, he was expelled from the Association following alleged [[fiduciary]] irregularities and asked to repay legal costs of £28,268,<ref>{{cite news |last=Rowland |first=James |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/snooker-williams-is-expelled-after-investigation-9130183.html |location=London |work=The Independent |title=Snooker: Williams is expelled after investigation |access-date=3 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084555/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/snooker-williams-is-expelled-after-investigation-9130183.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> but was reinstated as a full member the following year. The Association apologised for its actions "unequivocally".<ref>{{cite news |last=Dee |first=John |date=2 May 2002 |title=Snooker: O'Sullivan rides luck in grudge match |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/3027062/Snooker-OSullivan-rides-luck-in-grudge-match.html |work=The Daily Telegraph (London) |access-date=28 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229015332/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/3027062/Snooker-OSullivan-rides-luck-in-grudge-match.html |archive-date=29 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Later professional career===
Williams reached the semi-final of the World Snooker Championship three times, losing to [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] in 1969, in 1972 to [[Alex Higgins]] 30–31 (having been four frames ahead with five left to play) and, in 1974, 7–15 to [[Graham Miles]].<ref name="87HALEA">{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=1987 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88  |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |pages=192–194|isbn=0356146901 }}</ref><ref name="EVERTONBFA" />{{rp|41}} He never won a World Championship match at the [[Crucible Theatre]] after it became the World Snooker Championship's venue in 1977, despite playing at the venue on eight occasions (a record he shares with [[Cliff Wilson]]).<ref name="BBC2020">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Coronavirus: World Snooker Championship at Crucible postponed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/51964887 |work=BBC Sport |date=20 March 2020 |access-date=26 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324013121/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/51964887 |archive-date=24 March 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CUESPORT">{{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|isbn=978-0954854904}}</ref>{{rp|1025–1027}}{{rp|1028–1030}} He recovered from 8–2 down to win 9–8 against [[Terry Griffiths]] in the first round of the [[1978 UK Championship]], in the [[1979 World Snooker Championship|future]] World Champion Griffiths' first match as a professional.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Graham aims for Reardon |work=Sports Argus |date=18 November 1978 |page=4 }}</ref> Williams was the [[1973 Pot Black]] runner-up, losing 33–99 to Charlton in the one-frame final.<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|101}}

In the [[1985–86 snooker season]], Williams reached the semi-finals of the [[1986 Classic (snooker)|1986 Classic]] and the last sixteen of two other [[Snooker world rankings|ranking]] events, and after some years outside the elite top 16 ranked players, was ranked 16th for [[Snooker world rankings 1986/1987|1986/1987]]. This meant that he earnt a place in the [[Masters (snooker)|Masters]] for the first time since [[1977 Masters (snooker)|1977]]. He was beaten 1–5 by [[Cliff Thorburn]] in the first round of the [[1987 Masters (snooker)|1987]] event.<ref name="BH3">{{cite book |editor=Clive Everton |date=1986 |title=Benson and Hedges Snooker Year |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Pelham Books |isbn=0863691668 |page=43|edition=Third }}</ref> During the [[1986–87 snooker season]], Williams became the oldest player to reach a world-ranking final when, aged 53, he lost 6–10 to Jimmy White at the [[1986 Grand Prix (snooker)|1986 Grand Prix]], after having led 6–4. His run to the Grand Prix final included 5–1 wins over both Higgins and [[Steve Davis]], and a 9–8 semi-final defeat of [[Neal Foulds]]. He finished the season ranked 12th.<ref name="FACTS" />{{RP|82}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Various Snooker Records|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210111343/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html|archive-date=10 February 2013|work=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk|publisher=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|access-date=4 June 2012}}</ref><ref name="BH4">{{cite book |editor=Terry Smith |date=1987 |title=Benson and Hedges Snooker Year |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Pelham Books |isbn=0720717973|edition=Fourth }}</ref>{{rp|41–42}}<ref name="87HALEA" />

His last tournament as a professional snooker player was the [[1995 World Snooker Championship|1995 World Championship]], where he beat Steve Day and Chris O'Sullivan, before losing in the fourth qualifying round 3–10 to [[Nick Walker (snooker player)|Nick Walker]].<ref name="CUESPORT" />{{rp|1025–1027}} His highest [[Snooker world rankings|world ranking]] was 6th, in [[Snooker world rankings 1976/1977|1976/1977]].<ref name="KOBY" />

He founded a cue-making company, Power Glide Cues, and in 1975 established Rex Williams Leisure, a snooker and pool table manufacturing and hire business. [[Stephen Hendry]] bought a Rex Williams signature cue for £40 when he was aged 13, and used it until it was broken in 2003, including during his seven world snooker championship wins.<ref>{{cite news |last=Whaling |first=James |date=3 September 2018 |title=Stephen Hendry reveals his pre-match superstitions, and why he never changed £40 cue |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/stephen-hendry-reveals-pre-match-13186275 |work=Daily Mirror |access-date=3 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603111810/https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/stephen-hendry-reveals-pre-match-13186275 |archive-date=3 June 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Williams was a commentator for snooker television broadcasts for the [[BBC]] from 1978 to 1984, and after that for [[ITV Network|ITV]].<ref name="WHOWHO" /><ref name="HAMLYN" /><ref name="GUINNESS" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba433e49e |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128222054/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba433e49e |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 November 2019 |title=Rex Williams: Filmography |website=bfi.org.uk |publisher=British Film Institute|access-date=28 November 2019 <!--This is not comprehensive, links to different events show the broadcaster -->}}</ref> His book ''Snooker : How to become a Champion'' was published in 1975, and republished with some amendments as ''How to play Snooker'' in 1982 and 1988, and as ''Snooker'' in 1984.<ref name="Clarke2008">{{cite book|author=Gary Clarke|title=A Billiards and Snooker Compendium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-1gXfvMbyJAC&pg=PA64|year=2008|publisher=Paragon Publishing|isbn=978-1-899820-46-7|pages=62–67|access-date=3 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604030129/https://books.google.com/books?id=-1gXfvMbyJAC&pg=PA64|archive-date=4 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

Williams was awarded the [[British Empire Medal]] in the [[2020 Birthday Honours]] for services to snooker and billiards.<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen's Birthday Honours for sporting and charity champions |url=https://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/18784203.dudley-sporting-charity-champions-recognised-queens-birthday-honours/ |first=Bev |last=Holder |newspaper=Stourbridge News |date=10 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63135|supp=y|page=B32|date=10 October 2020}}</ref>