Joe Perry

World ranking — 12

Earnings — £721,385

MAKING his Premier League debut, Joe Perry enjoyed the best season of his career in the 2007-08 campaign, climbing to number 12 in the rankings.

He takes on the current Premier League leader, Mark Selby, in Kidderminster aiming to cement third spot in the last four.

Perry enjoyed a fine run at the Grand Prix, progressing from the group stages and getting to the quarter-finals before losing to Gerard Greene.

Perry also reached the last eight of the Welsh Open – but saved his best until last at the World Snooker Championships.

His run started in the final qualifying round, when he came from 8-4 down to beat John Parrott 10-8.

Wins over Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan mean that he’s ranked third in the table.

Perry, whose father is a London taxi driver, is a devoted Arsenal fan and often visits the Emirates Stadium to cheer on the Gunners.

He married Joanne at Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire in 2005 and their honeymoon took them to Hawaii and Las Vegas.

Their first child, daughter Lexie, was born in October 2006.