Darts Mad.com » Exhibitions

An Evening with The Crafty Cockney

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:42:55 +0000

Eric Bristow Exhibition – Hyde FC Social Club, December 2nd 2011

With Hyde setting the pace at the top of the Blue Square Bet North league there was a chance to take a breather from the rigours of non league football and an enthusiastic crowd turned up for a fun evening of arrers with a bona fide legend of the game.

Thirty years on from his heyday Eric Bristow still requires no introduction, even those who don’t follow the darts know all about The Crafty Cockney.

His powers on the oche may have waned with age and the effects of the dreaded darttitis but the cheeky arrogance is still in attendance and his rapport with the crowd began even before proceedings started.

If you have never been to one of these nights then I suggest you give it a try some time. You will get to meet, mingle and chat with a true darting legend and if you are brave enough to buy a raffle ticket or ten you have every chance of being drawn out to take to the stage (with your very own walk on music) and tackle the man himself at a leg of 501.

This is precisely what happened to sixteen lucky punters on Friday night and Eric saw off all but three of them. More of that shortly but let’s just say your intrepid reporter has something to dine out on for a long while.

Paul Booth was our accomplished host for the night and our MC kept the action moving throughout proceedings with the emphasis on having fun. There could have been five people in the room and they would still all have left at the end of the night having thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

With the bar queue revolving like a carousel the draw for the first half of the night was made and would you believe yours truly was drawn three times out of the first four tickets..! Having initiated and organised the night the cries of “fix” rang out and my ticket was put back for an end of night auction for those who weren’t fortunate enough to be drawn. Darting chivalry at its finest I like to think.

And so, Eric was officially introduced to the audience and the action got under way to a quip from the back of “it’s just like watching UK Gold”.

We got the full spectrum of darting abilities from the sublime to the ridiculous. We were treated to a 180, there were plenty of 26’s, and a peculiarly high amount of 45’s. In fact one punter managed to hit 45 virtually every throw before being put out of his misery by some dead eye finishing from the Crafty Cockney.

In the early stages it was Eric’s finishing that was the difference and the old adage of ‘scoring for show, doubles for dough’ was born true as punters missed and Eric hit. He’s still deadly around the double 8 and 16 which were given a little kiss on more than one occasion.

At the break it was 7-1 to Eric with only one local pub team player canning his nerves and getting the better of the challenge. He will have a story to tell the rest of his darts team and I’m sure it will be a story they will hear more than once.

Speaking of which, two other punters have their own little story to tell, one of which Eric will be hoping to forget all about.

It is arguable that the second half challengers had a slightly easier task as the pints of Guinness bought for Eric began to line up. But let that take nothing away from the efforts of one lady who, although she threw her darts like Fatima Whitbread, somehow managed to take out The Crafty Cockney with an exhibition finish of her own.

With both players creeping down to a finish it was Eric who arrived first but blew a number of darts to leave himself on Mad House.

Some creative scoring by our MC had enabled ‘Fatima’ to find herself on 40. Double Top is the finish in this position, of course. Unless that is you prefer the exhibition checkout of double 18, double 2; which is precisely what she did to have the place in uproar and Eric stunned..!

It took some time for Fatima to come down from the ceiling and for the crowd to get over what had just happened but that is the beauty of darts. It’s all about hitting the double and if you miss, even a Tess Sanderson impersonator can sneak in and win.

When the second half line up was drawn would you believe your intrepid reporter was drawn out again?! This time there was no escaping it and I was persuaded to tackle Eric in my own 501 shootout.

An opening 45 was bettered by Eric’s 60 and within a few visits we had traded a couple of tons and some 85’s to sit on the verge of a finish. I had 190 left and set up my finish with a booming 140 that could easily have been a maximum.

Eric was first to the double though and had one dart at double 16. “Don’t miss, Eric” came a shout from the crowd. “Nah, no chance” replied Eric who promptly missed.

Up I stepped (with Eric’s own darts in my hand) for my own small moment of glory. “Don’t worry, he won’t hit this” came the crafty, cocky quip from my opponent who was poised for the kill.

I’d been contemplating going straight for the bull, inspired by Fatima Whitbread’s earlier antics and now goaded by Eric, but I opted for the sensible finish of single 18, double 16 – Eric’s favourite double of course. Bang, bang, thanks and good game Eric.

Checking out 190 in five darts is pretty good going at any time and even Eric was impressed (I know because he told me, whispered of course) so I’ll be dining out on it for a while. As will the two other victorious challengers, especially Fatima who told me that she, along with her husband, hold Eric up as a true idol.

The truth of these nights is that everybody is a winner. A cracking night’s entertainment is guaranteed and, win or lose, if you get up on the oche you will have shared it with one of the great names of darts.

After grabbing last minute photo and autograph opportunities the smiling crowd drifted away into the Hyde night, off to spread the word and looking forward, like me, to the next evening with The Crafty Cockney.

Mike Gregory – Back on The Exhibition Circuit

steve — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:50:56 +0000

Mike Gregory is back on the exhibition circuit! A great darter who’s career was possibly cut short by ‘the split’?There may be a few young darts fans who won’t appreciate how good he was in his heyday, just ask Phil Taylor or check his impressive record here.

Heres some more information taken from the Paulton Darts League website:

Mike Gregory

Paulton is home to one of the true legends of the modern game, Mike Gregory. Whilst playing in this and other local leagues, Mike became a household name with countless TV appearances and many major wins throughout a 15 + year career as a professional darts player.

Mike has been a loyal member of the Somerset County darts team for many years and still plays Superleague for Radstock, itself mainly made up from players from the Paulton League.

In recent years Mike has also been playing for the Dolphin Inn here in the Paulton League.

Exhibitions:

Mike is available for exhibitions, personal appearances, presentations and Q&A’s. Mike will provide a stage set and the superb Paul Starr as MC if necessary. To find out more call 01761417462 or see http://www.paultondarts.co.uk/mike-gregory.php

Mike will also come along to host and run his famous ‘Mike Gregory Darts Quiz Night’ which is a great night of Darts competitions in the style of famous TV shows.

Upcoming Exhibitions:

‘Darts Quiz Night’ 11 November at Frome Town FC.

‘Darts Quiz Night’ 20 January at The Kings Arms, Stratton on the Fosse, Somerset.

Titan Clash Darts Exhibition 2012

steve — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:04:09 +0000

See below for details of a charity darts exhibition being held in March 2012 at Aintree Racecourse. The event in association with the PDPA features some great players and has a range of ticket options, and is raising funds for The Suranna Stepping Stone Charity.

Titan Clash Darts 2012 is set to become the biggest private darts event of the year. 500 people will be set to see a behind closed doors exhibition of some of the biggest darts players past and present.

The event will be held on Saturday 3rd March 2012 at the prestigious Aintree Racecourse, Sunloch Suite, Liverpool. Overlooking the famous finish line.

The evening is set to play host to current World Champion, Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis, Colin ‘Jaws’ Lloyd, Wes ‘The Warrior’ Newton, Paul ‘The Asset’ Nicholson and Alan ‘The Iceman’ Warriner to name just a few ….for now… as well as scoring and commentary from the legendary Russ Bray!

We also have another three surprise names to announce on the night…

Get to meet the players – photographs, autographs or just a pint at the bar. We also have 8 players tables for the event, where you can sit with the players throughout the evening, sharing stories and a beer between play…. but don’t forget your darts too…

Suranna’s Stepping Stone Charity

…We are also holding the event to help raise money for Suranna. Suranna is a local 4 year old little girl who we are helping raise £50,000.00 for. Suranna suffers from cerebral palsy diplegia, which means she can’t walk unaided. Money is being raised to help fund a 100% effective operation in the USA, to help her walk.

On the night, we will be holding an auction to raise money for Suranna which will include bidding to play against your darts hero amongst other things.

Tickets & The Night

Ticket prices: -

Players Table – Table of 10 package – £550.00

Standard Table of 10 – £350.00
Standard Single Ticket – £37.50 each

To buy tickets, click here

Itinerary

Doors and bar open at 5:30pm

Players arrive 6:30pm for meet and greet

LETS PLAY DARTS – 7:30pm

Darts Ends 11pm

Bar Closes 12am

For more information visit the website - http://www.titanclashdarts.co.uk

http://www.surannassteppingstone.co.uk

Phil Does Colchester

steve — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:13:45 +0000

15-Times world champion The Power beaten……by Rileys Mickey Mac!

Tuesday night (13th September) saw the second leg of the Phil Taylor roadshow at Rileys Colchester, and one Rileys regular will be dining out on tales of the evening for a long time to come.

Phil, the darts ambassador for Rileys, challenged 10 people to play a leg against him and, as expected, the 15-times world champion came out triumphant in each leg. That was until Rileys regular Mickey Mac took to the Oche.

Mickey, who plays for Colchester Rileys superleague, managed to beat The Power in the one-leg competition. Phil had 8 left with 2 darts but he missed. Mickey had 74 required; first dart he hit 14, followed by a double top and with his final dart he hit double 10 to a resounding roar from the watching crowd. Phil took it all in great humour, congratulating Mickey before going on to beat the rest of the challengers.

The event was part of the Phil Taylor Roadshow currently taking part at a number of Rileys clubs across the UK.

Maurice Kelly, CEO of Rileys said: “It was a great evening, we were delighted with the huge number of people turning up to meet Phil, and a handful were lucky enough to get the chance to play against him. Phil was his usual brilliant self and the crowd loved him. There was a great atmosphere, it was a real treat for our customers who also had the added bonus of Bobby George turning up! The management and staff at the club really enjoyed themselves too!”

After the darts Phil then did a Q&A session with questions from the crowd and then ended the evening signing autographs and having his photograph taken with the fans.

Further confirmed dates and venues for the Phil Taylor roadshow are: 21st September @ Rileys Edinburgh; 21st October @ Rileys Wolverhampton; 21st November @ Rileys Loughborough; 24th November @ Rileys Birkenhead.

More dates to be confirmed, check Rileys website for details www.rileys.co.uk

An Evening With Phil Taylor in Stockport

steve — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:37:44 +0000

DartsCorner.co.uk, The Stockport College Darts Academy and The Wycliffe Hotel are pleased to be able to offer a unique and very special evening with the Darts Master himself…. Mr Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.

The evening at the Wycliffe Hotel includes a 4 course meal, chat and tales from the oche from the 15 time World Champion, and a chance to shoot some tungsten against the big man.

This event is a rare chance to get up close and personal with undoubtably the best dart player the world has ever seen. Please contact the venue directly to book your places.

Evening with Phil Taylor, 14 October 2011 – Booking Information

Wycliffe Hotel, Stockport, Tel 0161 477 4395 or email

Charity 24 Hour Darts Marathon & Darts Exhibition

steve — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:19:28 +0000

Please find details of a 24 hour Darts Marathon organised by BDO player Rohit ‘Rock it’ Rabadia, also featuring an exhibition with Stephen Bunting and Dean Winstanley. It sounds like a great couple of days of darts! Rohit is looking for raffle/auction prizes and of course sponsorship. Find out more about Rohit here.

“Rock It” Fundraising Event

24 HOURS CHARITY DARTS MARATHON

We are proud to be working with not 1 but 2 charities,
www.macmillan.org.uk and www.cancer.org.uk (cancer research UK)
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH CHARITIES

Starting Friday 23rd September 2011 at 6:30pm to Saturday 24th September 2011 8:00pm

Program for the 24 hour darts marathon:

• All participants to start the marathon on Friday at 7pm
• Entries for spectators, Friday 7pm to Saturday 2pm £3 in advance, more on the door
• Entries on Saturday from 2pm – 8pm £5 in advance, more on the door

Ladies and Gents please note that the busiest period during the 24 hours will be Saturday 2pm – 8pm when the exhibition match between Dean Winstanley and Stephen Bunting will take place, the chance to play either Dean or Stephen, Raffle, Auction and presentation. So tickets during this period are limited, get them before they sell out!

Even though this is going to be the busiest time, we request for you to support us during the night time periods. We will require chalkers for all the games and help with other activities so anytime you can help please do offer so the event runs smoothly and continuously. Knock out darts tournaments will be taking place between Friday 7pm – Saturday 2pm. So please join us during this time to get as many people entered in these knock outs.

Football cards will be running throughout the entire event.

Food and snacks will be sold during the event.

LIMITED tickets in advance ONLY. The chance to play a BDO player – both players will play a maximum 20 spectators each, best of 3, 401 double start double finish.

• £5 each to play
• £10 each to play and to have professional pictures emailed to you.
• £15 to play, picture and a DVD of the night.

The above must be booked and purchased in ADVANCE ONLY
Additionally the DVD can be purchased separately by ordering in advance for £5.

Sponsor a player on their personal forms, or online at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/rockit
If you would like to advertise in the booklets which will be given out to all spectators on the day please contact me for more info on rohit@rohitrabadia.com

If you would like to donate any gifts for the auction or raffle please get in touch.

Saturday	3pm – 4:30pm BDO Exhibition match
	4:30pm – 7pm Spectators play Dean or Stephen
	7pm – 8pm Presentation, Auction and raffle

24 Hour Charity Darts Marathon Facebook Event Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rohit-Rabadia-Charity-Page/236376063060634#!/event.php?eid=139006082851723

Any enquiries about the event contact Rohit: 07764491139 or email rohit@rohitrabadia.com

Eric Bristow Exhibition Dec 2011

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:43:37 +0000

DartsMad.com and DartsExhibitions.co.uk presents…

An evening with The Crafty Cockney, hosted by MC Paul Booth.

5-time World Champion and darting legend, Eric Bristow, comes to Hyde Football Club for an evening of darts and fun!

Eric will be taking on members of the audience so bring your darts if you fancy your chances of beating an 80′s icon.

Doors open at 7pm on the night and tickets are available in advance for £10. Use the form below to order up to 8 tickets for you and your friends.

Find out more about what an Eric Bristow exhibition entails here and make sure you book early to secure your ticket for this not-to-be-missed event.

Adrian Lewis v Martin Adams in Wolverhampton

steve — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:36:33 +0000

The biggest match in darts today is coming to Wolverhampton as Adrian Lewis prepares to take on Martin Adams in a special exhibition.

It’s world champion versus world champion as reigning PDC title holder ‘Jackpot’ Lewis takes on BDO counterpart Martin Adams at the Cleveland Arms pub, Stowheath Lane, on Wednesday September 14.

The two global kings will display their trophies and play each other in a best of 19, first to 10 leg contest, to decide the ‘undisputed’ world champion.

They operate on completely different sides of the fence, as Adams is a staunch BDO supporter and has vowed never to cross over to the PDC.

‘Wolfie’ has even turned down flat an invitation to Wolverhampton’s Grand Slam, a PDC event where BDO players are invited, every year since its inception in 2007.

Lewis and Adams will also play six punters each on the night with 11 drawn at random by their ticket numbers and the other spot to be auctioned on the night.

There will also be the opportunity for fans to have their pictures taken with the world champions and their trophies.

Tickets for the night are £15 each or four for £50 and can be purchased by calling 01902 451 021.

Source – Express & Star Website

Face Off 2011 Derby Exhibition Details and Ticket Giveaway

steve — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:57:10 +0000

Face Off 2011

MDA and Mitchell Promotions are proud to present Face Off an event which is set to be the largest independent darts event in derby to be held at the Heritage hotel, Macklin Street, Derby, DE11 1LF on Friday September 2^nd 2011.

The event is unique in the fact it features top players from world darts going up against amateur players form all over the midlands. The top players include Colin Osborne (who lives in Derby), 5 Times world champion Raymond Van Barneveld , Gary Anderson and 2 times champion of the world Ted “The Count” Hankey.

They will be joined by 4 local players who are Andrew Hibbert – Leicestershire/Coalville, Drew Smith – Burton Upon Trent, Lyndon Hextall – Leics and Ricky Sudale – Woodville. All the amateur players have great pedigree and have all played county level.

Tickets are available NOW and are priced in three tiers:-

Gold VIP £65 or 5 for £300 – Includes early entry, meet and greet before the event, Reserved VIP seat front of stage and a free official event programme as well as free signed photo with one of the four pros of your choice.

Silver VIP – £30 each includes reserved seat for the event and free event programme

Bronze – £15 of 4 for £50 includes entry to the event and the last of the unreserved seating.

Tickets are available to buy online on the website www.mdapromotions.co.uk and for more information please call 07851428018.

Advertising opportunities and packages are available at the venue and in the official events programme and on the website.

For More Information Please Visit www.mdapromotions.co.uk or call 07851-428018.

All of the amateur players are available for interviews please call 07851428018 to arrange times.

Thanks to Matt at MDA, DartsMad.com has a pair of bronze tickets to give away to one lucky reader, simply email the answer to the following question.

MDA currently manage PDC Pro Justin Pipe, Pipe beat darting royalty in the first round of this years World Matchplay in Blackpool, who was it? and by what scoreline?

This competition is now closed, the winner is Michael Griffiths, Lancashire

The Iceman Speaketh – Alan Warriner-Little Interview

steve — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:00:30 +0000

We caught up with the Iceman, former world No. 1, ITV4 pundit and current CEO of the PDPA Alan Warriner-Little. With the CV above he should know his arrers!

DM: So you are currently back on the road again doing the exhibition circuit?

AWL: Yes had a couple of years off, but the thinking behind the exhibitions is to get playing and practising again, then review it in 6 months time see how I have progressed and see if I feel in my own mind I have the game to play some of the circuit events.

DM: What can punters expect from an evening with the Iceman? And are there any dates yet that we should put in our diaries?

AWL: I leave it till when I get there, when I know what kind of players they are and what they are expecting. They all know you can play darts so often they are looking for something different, so I might throw off a stool, hit a double covered with paper, on my knees off a tray into the bull etc. Which may only come off 2 out of every 5 times but when it does people are like ‘bloody hell did you see that’. Then when they go to work in the morning they have something to talk about. At the end of the day it’s an exhibition not an event. It’s all about fun and mingling with people. People want to meet players and stand at the bar and share a drink and a joke etc. I’m happy when people walk out the door at the end of the night with a smile on their face, although some people do just want to play against the pro and try to win!

I’ve got exhibitions coming up in Fife on 19^th / 20^th / 21^st August and 14^th October in Huddersfield. And a Manchester/Suffolk/Essex/Appleby/Morecambe/Ireland Tour yet to Confirm

DM: How is your game these days? Will we ever see you in a return competitive darts or are you happy with life as it is? Do you miss your former job as a psychiatric nurse?

AWL: Well I have just returned from a 4 day tour of Ireland and 3 of the 4 days I played really well, the 4^th one I died a death near the end through exhaustion. In an exhibition you relax and have fun. Ask me again in 6 months about returning to competitive play, I wouldn’t put myself on the oche unless I had confidence in my own ability. I wouldn’t want to go up there and lose first round, as you see with Mardle and Manley 99% of the time at the moment, and no disrespect, not always to a good/top player.

Yes I had been a psychiatric nurse since 18, and believe it or not I only packed it in about 6 years ago.

DM: Do you miss it?

AWL: No, but have some good memories

DM: So when you were a pro you balanced the two?

AWL: Yes, but you have to remember 10 years ago there were not as many events, nowadays it seems like there is a tournament every week, but back then I could work 4 days a week and have a Monday or Friday off to travel to events so it wasn’t too difficult to fit it in.

DM: Would you have liked the luxury of being a full time darts player? More practise opportunities?

AWL: I suppose you didn’t need to be in the early days, but around the time Barry Hearn came in; ‘Yes’ it would have been beneficial.

DM: James Wade has recently made public his mental health problems, can you offer any advice given your previous vocation? Do you think there is too much pressure on the stars of todays game? With relationship breakdowns etc all making the headlines, is it just a sign of the times in this celebrity obsessed society?

AWL: Well I think it’s great that he has gone public and told everybody, James is a high profile sportsperson and if it helps other sufferers that’s great. It is an illness and like any other needs treatment. A few people close to him knew, and obviously things were discussed and it was decided to break the story and I think he is feeling a lot better for it. As with football, every time a darts player is on TV they are under scrutiny by possibly millions of people and the slightest things get picked up, maybe by one person and they put straight on Twitter etc. So yes there is a lot of pressure on them.

DM: You are a former celebrity darts player AND contestant on Bullseye!, I take it you are aware of the campaign to bring the quiz back to prime time viewing? Nostalgia aside, how good would that be? Will you be attending the Bullseye theatre tour later this year in any capacity?

AWL: Yes John Lowe mentioned it to me a while back, they have a big product with the name Bullseye and I think if they get the right format it will be popular, it’s a crowd puller. I might go and watch the theatre tour if there is one local to me. We watch the repeats on Challenge its unique, I love it and of course my wife likes to watch in case it is an episode that I am on! With the tour a good presenter who knows how to work the crowd will be essential. Someone like Paul Booth would get the job done with a bit of comedy in there. I hope it works for them.

DM: You’ve taken on the role of CEO of the PDPA recently, how much of your time does that consume and what are your responsibilities?

AWL: I’ve been involved for about 7 years and been the CEO for the last 3. It’s a full time job, and now we are based in Carlisle I can dedicate even more time to it as before I was travelling to the offices in Coventry which was a 4 hour drive. Peter (Manley, PDPA Chairman) lives in Carlisle and I’m not too far away in Maryport so it’s a logical move . Now we have a full time secretary I can work more from home doing emails, phonecalls etc. In simple terms we represent professional darts players, provide information, make partnerships, negotiate deals etc to enhance their careers. We liaise with the PDC, and the DRA in every aspect including tournaments, we now have a big say in the running of the game from a players point of view.

DM: Can you expand on that do you mean like a Union?

AWL: Well people get that impression but we are a players association and unlike Unions we work with the PDC and DRA in partnership, using our experience as players, to help promote the sport and get the best for our members. Between myself and Peter we do have a lot of experience in all aspects and know what players want, and although we might sometimes get some stick, I think they do respect our darting knowledge.

DM: The DRA dished out a number of fines/suspensions to players in their January meeting, do you have any influence over this process and do you think the punishments are befitting of the alleged misconduct?

AWL: We work closely with the DRA yes, and they will ask our opinion on things, but they are an independent body and ultimately they decide, and at the end of the day if a players actions or comments bring the game into disrepute then, they have to accept the consequences. People get the wrong impression of the DRA the last thing they want to do is suspend or fine anyone……….but players do need to be responsible and accountable for their actions. I’ve never really been into fining players, but what else can you do? There needs to be a deterrent just like there is in any other sport.

DM: We’ve enjoyed watching/listening to you on ITV4 for the past few years. Presumably for you there is an element of disappointment there for you with the Grand Slam coverage being taken over by Sky?

AWL: Personally I was absolutely gutted, I felt I’d found a little niche and just started to really learn the job with an accomplished professional team. I think Matt Smith is an absolutely fantastic presenter, and what I think people like about him is he knows exactly what’s going on with the darts but knows how to have laugh as well, and it’s a nice relaxed atmosphere to work in. As I said I’m gutted, but there is nothing I can do about it, presumably it was all down to money, and ITV are perhaps struggling financially. I don’t really know the ins and outs, and don’t want to get involved.

From a darting point of view, it’s disappointing as it took the PDC a long time to get on terrestrial TV. Plus the tournament was different and involved a few BDO players, which worked and is what the fans want to see. But Sky do a fantastic job with their existing darts coverage, as with football and have set the standard for others to follow.

DM: Would you take up a position with the Sky punditry team if the offer presented itself?

AWL: Yes I would have to seriously think about it, darts gets more coverage on Sky and is on all the time. But I didn’t think ITV4 would lose the Grand Slam so have never really thought too much about it.

DM: Does your ITV4 partner in crime Chris Mason have plans to get back on the tour or exhibition circuit?

AWL: I haven’t actually spoken to Chris for ages, and as far as I know he is not playing darts in any capacity these days. I wouldn’t expect him to return to competitive play though, he can’t handle losing and that is something I’ve always been honest about and told him straight, like my Dad said to me you have to learn to lose before you can learn to win…

DM: ITV4 have recently announced they will cover the European Championships, presumably you will be involved with that?

AWL: Yes I am really looking forward to it.

DM: You are involved in player management now and look after Shaun Griffiths……..

AWL:VYes a future world champion, he has everything you need to get to the top, amazing ability for a teenager, the will to learn and practise. He listens to me, I’m not just managing him by trying to get him sponsorship etc, I also advise him on his game. I try not to put any pressure on him, he is doing well on the youth tour, which is what I’ve told him to focus on, he’s also picking up experience on the main tour. I set him two goals for this year which was to qualify for the UK Open which he did easily, and to qualify for the World Championship which he is on track to do, maybe needs to pick it up a bit. But next year he really needs to make his mark. He’s a good kid.as well.

DM: Did anyone of the veterans of the time take you under their wing when you started out in terms of mentoring or player management?

AWL: No certainly not at the beginning, I grew up playing darts in the Lancaster where darts is massive and probably the hardest darts town around, the Lancashire superleague is probably the best in the country and you had to perform. I always wanted to be the best. I didn’t really get involved with the pros until I started playing on TV. The first player I got friendly with and still am is Eric, he took me under his wing a little bit and I learnt things from him ,and from other players just by playing them.

DM: We have a new world champion this year in Aidy Lewis, how do you think he is coping with the added pressure?, His semi-final Premier League defeat of Taylor and then subsequent loss to Anderson must hurt….

AWL: There is added pressure I don’t think there is any doubt about that; we knew years back he had the potential to become a world champion. But by his own admission he has failed to perform on certain occasions, but he is a young lad, pressures of life etc. Now though, he has done the business, next year it will be hard to defend his title they will all be after him so there is extra pressure. I think he will win more TV tournaments though.

DM: Do you think in Lewis and Anderson we will see the new Taylor v van Barneveld type of rivalry or is the standard such that we will see less and less domination by 1 or 2 players?

AWL: Yes Taylor was so far ahead for such a long time it was almost unbelievable when he lost in a tournament. What has happened now is that the players just behind him Anderson, Lewis, Wade even Nicholson have all beat him, so he knows he can lose and they know they can win. They have extra confidence knowing they won’t get battered, the standard behind Phil has improved I think, the others have caught up rather than him dropping down I think. But still whenever there is a TV tournament Phil is going to be favourite.

DM: Apart from Shaun Griffiths, who else on the Youth Tour do you believe has the potential to make a name for themselves in the senior game?

AWL: Joe Cullen is a star of the future who already has the advantage of playing on the full tour last year, Reece Robinson obviously has two appearances in the UK Open, and getting to the last 16. Aaron Monk hasn’t yet fulfilled his potential since winning the World Youth. The youth tour offers a great opportunity where previously there was nothing. For instance there is £2k prize money available at each event, there is good money and TV exposure with the World Youth. The lads can qualify for the Grand Slam and the World Championships so there is a lot for them to play for. I see a lot of these players as I try to go and watch Shaun as often as I can.

DM: Yes it’s a good structured route for them isn’t it?

AWL: I think it’s fantastic, obviously it’s the first year and there will be changes for the better to try and improve it. In the next couple of years I am sure that some of the current youth players will be seeing regular on TV events.

DM: Do you think the Q school is another step forward for the game, it certainly gives players opportunities to access the main tour doesn’t it?

AWL: Yes first year this year, and you learn what works and what doesn’t, next year I think there will be a few changes. I think a lot of the players found it difficult to understand, for instance if they didn’t get through to the tour, there was still tournaments they could still play in because at the end of the day they are still an associate member, we get so many enquiries. Next year I’m sure it will be bigger.. you have to remember last year the top 96 got tour cards, only the top 64 get cards this year because obviously the players who got cards from Q school got them for 2 years . The 65^th player could be a really good player on the tour, him and the players below will all have to go through Q School, all the players coming through in the next couple of years are good players. As such you have to earn the right to play the tour.

DM: I remember reading somewhere that your wife is having success with darts, do you . have children that are following in your darts footsteps, as per Monk, co Stompe and Harrington Jr’s? and if so, have you taught them to play?

AWL: Yes she has won the Maryport ladies singles for the past two years, we also used to play a lot of mixed doubles competitions in the pubs in north west Cumbria and had success with that. Now she plays every week in a league, like tonight which is her sanctuary and she is playing well.

My 11 year old son likes to play, him and his mates play at our house in the garage. He loves it and actually has a decent action. If he wants to play seriously when he’s older I would obviously support him, but he has to want to do it I won’t force him.

DM: Do you think there is a gap in the market for darts coaching? It’s very lucrative in other sports such as tennis/golf etc. It a service Bob Anderson has just started offering…..

AWL: Yes it’s something that myself (PDPA) are looking at, we want to do it how snooker have done it, we are working with Linda Duffy another former Bullseye contestant and a top lady player in her time. She went on to do research at University and is now a professor in sports science. We are working with Linda and another guy who is a registered teacher, investigating different teaching methods. Basically we want coaches to be accredited, so it is done right and help ensure the future of the game. Not that what Bob is doing is anything wrong, he is a good friend and will I’m sure do a good job, he has a lot of experience and may also get involved with coaching for the PDPA in the future.

DM: Would you consider offering your services if the demand was there?

AWL: Yes, I‘d love to do it. A lot of the kids round here are mad on darts and I’ve done little bits of darts with them. I’d like to setup an academy when time permits. But again I want to do it right, once the PDPA accreditation is sorted. I know Paul who runs the Stockport College academy and that is very successful and the PDC are supportive of it. I’m sure more of these things will spring up over the next few years.

DM: A few high profile players and others have indicated that there should be a ban on alcohol in darts, do you have any thoughts on this?

AWL: I do think there should be a ban. They need to consider it, as it will progress the game and make it better. I remember playing the British Professional in Redcar in 1988 and that was my first televised tournament but also the first one where alcohol, and smoking was banned on stage, so it’s been an issue for a long time. People know that dart players drink, the problem with drinking now is mostly in the post match interview, you can tell some players have had a good drink and it doesn’t look good, although some players manage this better than others Taylor, Barneveld, Wade etc. We have to look at other sports and their standards and get to them.

DM: What about the idea of darts becoming an Olympic sport?

AWL: Darts won’t become an Olympic sport as long as alcohol is in the game; it will always have the image of the sketch from, ‘Not the 9 O’clock news’ which has done a lot of damage to the sport. Even though shortly after drinking and smoking was banned, that image still sticks in peoples minds. But pubs and drinking is the roots of the game. However with the young players on the youth tour there is an opportunity to influence their habits, give them media training etc and in 5 to 10 years the image could start to change, and could draw bigger sponsors in. But there is a long way to go.

DM: Now, would you like to take part in the Dartsmad double 5 …..10 quick fire questions, 5 darts questions followed by 5 non darts?

Darts used? – 23g Red Dragon

Favourite Double or Out shot? – D16

Favourite venue – Blackpool World Matchplay

Favourite player past or present? – Eric Bristow

Who would your ideal partner be in a pro/celebrity tournament? – Jordan, so I could leave her double tops

Favourite band/singer – Greenday

Favourite food – Indian, curries after Eric got me into them

Favourite drink – Remy Martin Brandy

Jeremy Clarkson, perceptive or prat? Prat, you only have to look at his hair

Favourite comedian – Peter Kay

DM: Thanks Alan, good luck with eveything and speak to you again in Jan 2012!

Links: Alans personal website, PDPA Website