Jimmy Robertson insists he is finally ready for snooker’s professional tour.

The 23-year-old English Amateur champion has twice earned his place as one of the 96 professionals in the world alongside the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins but been unable to stay there.

He will get another crack at making his living from the game from August after finishing top of the amateur rankings in the Pro-Ticket Tour to get the one automatic place back with the big boys.

Robertson, from Bexhill-on-Sea, believes he is better equipped than ever to become a success after maturing from a 16-year-old hot prospect into the player he is today.

He said: “I want this to be third time lucky. When I was 16 years old I got on the tour through the world junior play-offs and missed out on all the amateur tournaments.

“I went from being one of the top juniors to getting through to the pro tour and I wasn’t really ready. I just did not have the experience.

“I won my first match and then lost virtually every other one.

“I had a stale patch for three years where I was still playing but I wasn’t doing anything in terms of results.

“Then I got some coaching from Del Hill in Lincoln and he sorted me out. That season I qualified for the pro tour again but then I came back off again.

“To get on there three times tells you something but you need that run and a breakthrough. Everything needs to come together when you’re playing.

“I still feel the same as last year but, hopefully, those close matches will go my way this year.”

“So this time it is third time lucky and we will see what happens.”

Robertson, who was hailed as a future star of the game after bursting on to the pro scene so young, believes he was ready for the challenge last year but things just did not work out.

He said: “When I went on last season I had all the amateur experience I needed and felt ready but I lost too many close matches.

“If I had them, I would have stayed on the tour but you lose and you come off. It’s tough.”

Robertson knows greater consistency is key to his survival, although his performances in amateur tournaments suggest he has the potential.

This is the second time he has qualified automatically as the top ranked player and avoided the 32-player play-off for the second spot.

He said: “There are only six tournaments in the amateurs and I lost twice in the first round but had a win, a runner-up, semi-final, a quarter-final and won the English Amateur championship, which is double-ranking points and the big one.”

Robertson recently reached the quarter-finals of the European Amateur Championships in Belgium but is now having a couple of weeks break before getting to down to serious practice ahead of the new campaign which begins on August 3.

Although the likes of O’Sullivan and Hendry have made their fortunes from snooker, Robertson, who works part-time in O’Sullivan’s Snooker Centre, Bexhill, will have to go through qualifying at all the major pro events before he gets a chance to meet anyone in the top 32.

He said: “I start in round one and will have to win four matches to get to O’Sullivan’s round. Hopefully I will be able to have a run and get through.”

His realistic ambition for this season is straight forward – stay on the tour.

Robertson said: “Obviously I would love to have a brilliant run in every tournament and win one, that would be perfect.

“That’s got to be your main ambition but realistically I have got to concentrate on staying on the tour and get in the top 64 or 48.

“Staying on is the first thing and then concentrating on the top 64, then top 48 and work my way up. But I would love to win the world championship and do a 147.”

Robertson is a big fan of world No. 1 O’Sullivan but knows if he is performing to his best then it does not matter who he is playing.

He said: “Ronnie is the best player in the world in my opinion but if you make 100 when you get to the table there is nothing he can do about it.

“Football is a team game but in snooker you’re on your own. It’s up to you.”