David Roe is somewhat unique in the modern game in that despite never having got beyond the quarter-finals of any ranking event, he did spend three seasons ranked in the top 16.

David, who comes from Derby, had a very successful amateur career and was runner-up in the professional ticket qualifying series in 1985 which gained him a place on the pro tour for 1986/7. He headed the amateur rankings for the 1985/6 season. He also won his last event before joining the professional ranks, at Leicester, which netted him £3000.

In his opening season as a professional, his best was a last 64 place in three events which earned him an opening ranking of 84th. In the next however, he reached the last 16 in both the UK championship and the British Open and the last 32 in two others, taking him up to a highly satisfactory 39th. He also, in partnership with Steve James, reached the semi-final of the Fosters World Doubles. In 1988/9 he reached at least the last 64 of every event and achieved last 16 spots in both the World and UK championships. This took him into the top 32 at number 26.

He could not manage to build on that success and over the next two seasons, only once did he make it to the last 16 and his ranking fell to 50. He did however reach the semi-finals of the Benson & Hedges championship in 1990. Quarter-finals in both the Dubai Classic and Strachan Open in 1991/2 took him back up to 32n and in the next term, although last 16 was his best, he never failed to reach at least the last 32 and this consistency squeezed him into the top 16 - just.

Another quarter-final came in the 1994 Welsh Open helping to push his ranking up to 13th and in 1994/5, four last 16 spots enabled him to cling on to 16th position. 1995/6 gave him his fourth ranking quarter-final in the German Open but he also got to that level in the non-ranking Malta Grand Prix. The rest of that season was a story of first round exits and he dropped out, not only of the top 16 but the top 32 as well.

In the last few seasons he has continued to struggle. He returned to the Crucible in 2001 for the first time for six years and he has had a few other last 32 finishes and has managed to comfortably maintain his ranking within the top 64 to ensure his continued presence on the Main Tour. His career earnings are just over £450,000.

Achievements:

2000 Thailand Masters Last 32
1995 German Open quarter-finalist
1994 Regal Welsh Open quarter-finalist

1992 Strachan Open quarter-finalist
1991 Dubai Classic quarter-finalist

1989, 1995 World Professional Championship Last 16 (best)
1990 Benson & Hedges Championship semi-finalist
1987 World Doubles Championship semi-finalist  (with Steve James)

Amateur Record

1984 Warners Junior Champion

1985 Warners Open Finalist