IT will be a big night when Paul Davison returns to the York Barbican for the UK Championship, as the Pickering professional tells STEVE CARROLL

THIS should be as raucous as snooker gets.

One one table, the Whirlwind Jimmy White - backed by his passionate and noisy fans as he aims to roll back the years and knock out Stephen Maguire.

Across the arena, the Thunder from down under - the 2013 champion Neil Robertson - will begin his campaign to win another UK Championship crown.

And amid all this is a home town story to cheer.

There's not much Pickering professional Paul Davison hasn't seen in two decades of potting balls for a living. But the prospect of playing again at the York Barbican has him champing at the bit.

The 44-year-old enjoyed a career highlight two years ago when beating Gerard Greene in front of his supporters in the UK first round.

He almost sprang a huge surprise just a couple of days later, leading Magician Shaun Murphy 3-0 in the second round before the Triple Crown winner waved his wand and came through 6-3.

Those experiences made missing out 12 months ago all the harder to take.

Davison was forced to watch from the seats as the tournament returned to the Minster city, having dropped off the main tour, and the disappointment at not being able to participate only motivated him even further to regain his place on the top table.

Now he is back among the big boys and, on a fantastic Thursday evening at the Fishergate venue, he will join White, Maguire and Robertson in a busy main arena as he bids to beat in-form Kyren Wilson.

It should be quite a night.

"It will be a good atmosphere," Davison reckons. "It's going to be a really good atmosphere and it should be really busy. I will be ready from shot one."

Wilson provides a quandary for the experienced pro, who practises out of a custom built snooker room at the Quikslide Windows showroom in York.

He's a player whom Davison says he has had the better of over their many meetings on the amateur and paid circuits, but times have changed for the Kettering prospect.

Wilson has surged up the rankings in the last 18 months, taking the Shanghai Masters title and making the semi-finals of the Champion of Champions tournament on his way to 22nd in the world rankings.

"He has been in good form, that's for certain," Davison said. "He's come on leaps and bounds in the last year or two. I played him a number of times in the PIOS (Pontin's International Open Series) and I played him in the Paul Hunter Classic last season.

"He has beaten me once in the UK - three or four years ago in Sheffield - but that's the only time he has beaten me.

"It is going to be a really tough game. He did well in the Champion of Champions event.

"If you look only at the rankings he should be a heavy favourite to win.

"But, from past matches, he is going to have a difficult game. He should be favourite with the season he has had but I am going there thinking that I am the favourite and that I am going to win."

While he could have had a kinder draw, Davison believes he will be spurred on by familiar surroundings and is hoping his supporters make just as much noise as those cheering for the legends of the game across the other tables.

"I thoroughly enjoyed both matches I played there last time," he said."I probably should have beaten Murphy in the end and I am looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd.

"When the draw came out I thought 'As long as I am in the main arena I am not bothered who I play'. When you are at a venue where there is a big arena at the front you want to be in there. You want to be playing on the big stage.

"It is a special moment - because it is at home. You don't have to book a hotel. I can have a bit of a lie in and go and practise in the afternoon, get ready for the game and go the venue.

"I have got plenty of people coming. There will be plenty of guys from Filey, where I work, and quite a few from Pickering and all the York boys. They will get behind me and give me a good lift. There is nothing better than hearing people cheering for me to win."

He is also hoping the boost of a big tournament can turn around a season that has seen him lose three matches - and his last two - in deciding frames.

Davison explained: "I have played well. It's just a few close matches. In Belgium, I lost 4-3 to Ian Burns. In China it was 4-3 to Li Hang. I was 3-2 up in that game and I lost it on the black.

"Mark Davis beat me 4-3 in a PTC. Marco Fu got two tons, two 50s and a 60 against me in the International Championship and I was playing really well then.

"Your season can soon turn around. If you can win two or three matches then you have earned some money and you are right back in it.

"I have been around long enough to know what to do. If I can get my game in good shape, and it will be for the UK, I can do well. When someone is playing well and doing well there is only one way they can go.

"If you can get on top of them, someone has to beat them sooner or later. Why not me? I have played Kyren lots of times. He knows I can play. It is going to be a good game and I am really looking forward to it.

"When the draw came out, I went to the practise table and I had a bit more belief about me. You always look forward to playing at the Barbican."