Snooker results: Ryan Day stuns Mark Allen to win the British Open title

The 42-year-old, who turned pro way back in 1999, had won all three of his previous ranking titles since 2017 – including the 2021 Shoot Out – but none as prestigious as this event, which sees him pick up a cheque for £100,000.

As well as being the big underdog with the bookmakers and most snooker fans, Day hadn't given himself much chance of defeating the in-form Northern Irishman either.

After his scrappy win over Robbie Williams on Saturday, the Manchester United fan said: "To be honest, if I could concede the match now, I would. I'd go home and play golf then watch the Manchester derby with a couple of beers."

Thankfully, not only did he miss United's 6-3 hiding at the hands of City, but his extended stay in Milton Keynes earned him the biggest pay day of his long career.

There had been very little between the pair throughout the final. Allen got off to a flying start with a break of 126 and another century of 105 edged him 3-2 ahead only for Day to hit back with runs of 58 and 54 in an opening session that ended 4-4.

Neither player was able to open up a two-frame lead until Day made successive breaks of 74, 70 and 84 to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 9-7 lead before finally getting over the line in a scrappy 17th frame.

Day told ITV Sport afterwards: "I was genuine when I said that last night [wanting to concede the match], but I'm delighted. Today was a completely different match and I knew I had to be on the top of my game.

"I thought the first session this afternoon was top quality, and I'm just delighted with the way I finished the match off.

"The three events that I've won, they're not the biggest events, but this, back on UK soil with my family in front of me, it's the biggest win of my life.

"There's been really bad days, and they come more often than they used to, but you've got to keep plugging away, and practice, maybe that's the key to success.

"I've played some good matches this week and I've played some poor ones, but at the end of the week I'm going to be lifting the cup."

Allen was typically gracious in defeat, admitting Day was a deserved winner of a match the Northern Irishman was unable to boss in the same manner he had in the earlier rounds.

He added: "Ryan fully deserved to win. He looked super aggressive at the end and you have to go and win these tournaments – I just didn't do that today."