KING TEARS REVEAL FINANCIAL FEARS

MERVYN KING’S tearful PDC comeback was fuelled by fears over his financial future, according to ex-pro Matt Edgar.

‘The King’ broke down after regaining his Tour Card at Q-School, just two months before turning 60, following a nightmare year that saw him declared bankrupt.

The oche veteran owed over £500,000 to HMRC in unpaid tax, built up after he admitted he did not realise he had to pay tax on his winnings during his darts career. 

Former pro Edgar believes King’s reaction highlights the harsh reality facing older players who lack long-term financial planning. 

He told the Mission Darts Podcast: “I mean, I know most darts players. How many of them have planned years ahead?  

“I know who has, but how many of them have ever planned that far ahead to the point where they have pensions?

“Now, with Mervyn King, we can assume that if there was issues in regards to tax filing, we can assume that there’s probably not that much planning gone into things like pensions.

“Which means he becomes a worker for a lot longer, that the retirement age changes and moves further away.” 

Edgar believes King’s emotion reflected the challenges of generating income away from the oche at this stage of his career. 

He added: “Is Mervyn King selling a lot of darts right now?

“He’s not seen on TV that much, and that we know is something that helps promote sales.  

“He’s not big on social media. Yeah, it’s not the most marketable of darts because it’s not something people would traditionally use.

“Mervyn King’s darts, I believe, he made originally out of wood, wasn’t it?  

“It was a woodcraft project. And when he had dartitis and the bobbily dart helped him get over dartitis.

“So great story behind the dart. But a story behind the dart only works if there’s a way to tell the story that people listen to.  

“A great story can be written, but if no one reads it, it’s, you know, if a tree falls in the woods, isn’t it?

“Like, does it make a sound?  So, I think here, I mean, Mervyn King had opportunities.

“He could have still continued playing on the Modus Super Series. He could have done it. But the amount of income that’s available now on the PDC, £1,250 for a win, for one win.

“The sponsorship opportunities that come because of the potential access he’s got to major tournaments.  

“So, I don’t think this was last chance saloon, but I think he nearly said it. Because when he was in tears, he went, this is like a last chance.

“Then he quickly moved it to Q-School. It’s been a long, tricky time and all this.

“I think in a way, he believed that if he didn’t get through Q-School this year, he was pretty much done for.” 

King has had a brilliant career finishing runner-up at the Premier League and reaching the semi-final of the World Championship. 

The Norfolk thrower has picked up six Players Championship titles and won the European Darts Grand Prix.

Image by Taylor Lanning.