 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Tony Knowles akaberekerwa muBolton musi wa 13 June 1955. Akatanga kutamba snooker pazera remakore mapfumbamwe pamatafura ekirabhu yemagariro inotungamirwa nababa vake, Kevin. Akaenderera mberi kuhwina UK Junior Championship kaviri, muna 1972 achirwisa Matt Gibson uye muna 1974. Chikumbiro chake kuWorld Professional Billiards uye Snooker Association kuti ave mutambi wenyanzvi chakagamuchirwa muna 1980, mushure mekurambwa munaNovember 1979. Haana kukunda mutambo mugore rake rokutanga, asati afambira mberi kuburikidza nemakwikwi maviri ekudzidzira kuti asvike munharaunda yekutanga ye1981 World Snooker Championshipapo akarasikirwa ne 810 kuna Graham Miles. Akasvika kumaquarter-fainari e1981 UK Championship nekubvisa Geoff Foulds, Fred Davis naDoug Mountjoy kubva mumakwikwi asati akundwa 59 naTerry Griffiths. Gare gare mumwaka iwoyo, Knowles akawana kutariswa paakakunda 101 achipesana nemutambi anodzivirira Steve Davis mumutambo wekutanga we1982 World Snooker Championship, mushure mekugara kunze kwekusvika usiku usiku mushure mekutamba kwezuva rekutanga paakanga avaka 81 kutungamira. Akakunda Graham Miles 137 muchikamu chechipiri, asati arohwa na1113 naEddie Charlton mumakwikwi ekupedzisira. 