Match-fixers should be banned for life – Mark King

After receiving his suspension, King said he received a phone call from three-time world champion Mark Williams and a few other professional players.

“One of the first players that rang me straight away was Mark Williams,” King said.

“He said, ‘listen, I don’t care what’s going on. I’m just ringing up to see how you are’. That’s a proper friend, we’ve known each other a long time.”

King said he was struggling to pay the costs.

“Well, I obviously haven’t got £113,000 in my back pocket for a start,” he said.

“I’m out of work because obviously I’m a 51-year-old man. I did a little bit of a labouring job but that was a bit too much for me.”

He said he was not sure if he would return to the sport when his suspension was lifted in just under three years.

“I honestly don’t know at this time,” he added.

“I love playing and I love the life of it and travelling all around the world and playing but at the same time I still feel hurt and angry.”