Top player snapping off front tip of stud in pitch (3)
I believe the answer is:
tar
'pitch' is the definition.
(I know that pitch can be written as tar)
'top player' is the wordplay.
'top' means to remove the first letter.
'player' becomes 'star' (star is a kind of player).
'star' with its initial letter taken away is 'TAR'.
'snapping off front tip of stud in' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tar that I've seen before include "'Thick, dark, sticky liquid (3)'" , "Jack < to blacken" , "Old salt, sailor" , "Jack ..., British sailor" , "Liquid from wood, coal" .)