"Then we'd get all the players together and fire questions at both of them," said Williams, after qualifying for today's semi-final in the Rothmans Malta Grand Prix.

"We'd see then which is the best person to run the game. You cannot be fairer than that.

"I understand Jim McKenzie has had a couple of chances but he's turned them down."

Williams and Hendry, through their legal team, are calling for an injunction to prevent World Snooker going ahead with an ultimatum that gives their membership until the end of the month to sign up for next season's official tour.

"If this injunction comes off it will give players more time to sort out their future," said Williams.

"At the moment we're being backed against a wall. It's supposed to be a players' association but we're not being given time to make up our minds."

Williams was among a group of professionals who attended a players meeting in Newport last Monday to hear McKenzie issue his ultimatum.

McKenzie has since insisted entry forms "have been flooding in" from players wanting to support the governing body.

"But due to confidentiality I cannot reveal the identity of the players who have signed up," he said.

That statement drew an immediate riposte from TSN managing director Gerry Sinclair.

"Why are they suddenly being so coy," he said.

"Just recently they've been sending out press releases glorifying in that fact they've signed the likes of John Higgins, Peter Ebdon and Alan McManus.

"Why now are they not naming names?"