World ranking: 27
Last five seasons: 31-34-74-123-166
Date of birth: 13-08-74
Lives: Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
Turned professional: 1991
Best ranking event performance: Quarter-finals China Open 1999
Last season's prize money: £41,975
Career prize money (up to start of 2001-2002 season): £154,725
Highest tournament break: 142 - Embassy World Championship 1997

Joe Perry caused one of the upsets of the 1999 Embassy World Championship, beating six-times world champion Steve Davis 10-9 in the first round.

Perry, who developed his game through a series of challenge matches in clubs around the country, led Davis 7-2, was caught at 9-9, but kept his composure to claim a famous victory on the final black. He also gave Ronnie O'Sullivan a run for his money in the last 16 before losing 13-8.

His run at Sheffield enabled him to leap 40 places in the world rankings and he continued his progress last season by breaking into the top 32. He was helped by a good run in the China Open in Shanghai, where he reached the quarter-finals before going out 5-4 to Stephen Hendry.

Perry climbed a further four places last season, when he reached the last 16 of both the British Open and Regal Welsh.