MARK Williams almost packed away his cue for good when he failed to qualify for the Betfred World Championship last year, but now believes he can triumph for a third time.

Wife Joanne persuaded the veteran Cwm cueman to stick at it, and Williams says that was only because she could not bear the idea of him being at home all the time.

The persistence has paid off, and 43-year-old Williams is closing in on season's earnings of £500,000 while having one eye on the Crucible title he landed in 2000 and 2003.

He halted a six-year stretch without a ranking title by triumphing at the Northern Ireland Open in November and has also landed silverware at the German Masters and Six Reds World Championship.

Losing to Stuart Carrington in the final round of qualifying for the World Championship 12 months ago was a sickener for Williams.

He decided there was only one thing for it – a boozy break in Burnham-on-Sea.

"This time last year I was away in my caravan, getting drunk and watching the World Championship on TV," he said.

"But 12 months on I'm playing in it and looking forward to it.

"I was thinking about retiring and it was only my wife that convinced me to carry on playing. I don't think she could stick me being in the house 24 hours a day.

"I've won some very good tournaments this season and I couldn't have thought this would happen.

“My career looked to be sliding down the wrong way, to the end, but I've come back with a bang.

"Just to be back at the Crucible is good but I'm coming into the tournament playing some of the best stuff I've played in a long time. I can be dangerous for any opponent."

Williams, who has climbed to seventh in the world rankings, starts his Crucible campaign against qualifier Jimmy Robertson today.

He puts his resurgence down to working with coach Steve Feeney, whose SightRight coaching programme has given Williams a whole new outlook.

"I'm playing totally differently to how I've been doing it for many years, and I wish I went to see them about five years ago," he added.

"I'm in a totally different position for every single shot that I play now compared to how I used to be."

Should Williams land a third world title on May 7, he says it "would be brilliant".

"But if I never win it again I'd have no problems with that either," he said. "I couldn't give a monkey's about who wins it, if it's not me. I'd be back to the caravan."