Welshman Jamie Jones is set to return to snooker following the “worst year of his life” after he was banned for failing to report a match fixing approach.
The 31-year-old will compete in the World Snooker Federation Open next week in a bid to win his place back on the World Snooker tour.
In October Jones issued a statement stating how he was determined to get back into snooker after a difficult year in which at times he struggled to leave his own house.
Jones, a former World Championship and UK Championship quarter-finalist, revealed how he had been working as a grass cutter for his local council in order to get him back on his feet after feeling so low following his ban.
Jamie Jones. Picture by Monique Limbos
Before his twelve month suspension, Jones had earned total career prize money of nearly £500,000 and reached the semi-finals of previous ranking events the Paul Hunter Classic and the Australian Open.
Jones was suspended in October 2018 for failing to report an approach of match fixing and was ordered to pay £9,000 to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
In October, when his suspension was complete, Jones said: “I can finally put the worst year of my life behind me. One year ago, everything changed. Twenty years of hard work on the table was taken awy from me.
“At first I struggled to leave my house.
“The best thing I have done to get myself out of the mental hole I found myself in is to get a job, working as a ground maintenance operative (grass cutter) for my local council.
“Getting up and going to work has built my confidence back up, allowing me to be happy again.
“The best part of it all is that I have a new family member with the recent birth of my little boy, who has made me more determined than ever to lead a positive life.
“I have never felt such a desire to make a success of my snooker career. I now feel so driven by the dark times I have been through and I can’t wait to be back doing what I do best – playing professional snooker.”
The World Snooker Federation Open starts on January 10 in Malta with the winner earning a place on the World Snooker for at least two years starting from next season.
Snooker Chat 
jamie jones is great player he can still achieve his ambitions of big titles this young man had a 147 in practice at 14 years of age he has paid the consequences he can view this as a much needed rest and get back to what he does and loves best
I’m I the only one who feels sorry for Stephen Lee he was hard done by