ANDERSON BEST PRICE 10/1 FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH AK BETS

By Phil Lanning

GARY ANDERSON has vowed that being told he’s FINISHED fires him up for more World Championship glory. 

The double world champion returns to his favourite stomping ground at the Alexandra Palace to face Jeffrey de Graaf tonight (Sunday)

The Scot, who turns 54 today, admits that being written off is the main reason that he’s determined to shut up the doubters. 

Anderson is fancied to go all the way and is available at a stand-out 10/1 with AK Bets to go all the way and lift the Sid Waddell Trophy. You can snap up those tasty odds right here

He said: “I just let people see how he’s done. They say he’s too old, he’s finished. I think that’s what keeps me going. I’m quite happy to sit back and then somebody pipes up.

“I’ve got to get back on the board again. Like I say, I’ve got no expectations. I really do not practice.

“I said, if I did retire, you’d be the last to know. Nobody would know.

“I’d just disappear and that would be it. So, that’s it. I might just have to play until I’m 64. If I can still wind them up, I’ll still keep playing.

“I said, if I did retire, you’d be the last to know. Nobody would know.

“I’d just disappear and that would be it. So, that’s it. I might just have to play until I’m 64. If I can still wind them up, I’ll still keep playing.”

Anderson turns 54 today (Sunday) when he takes on dangerman De Graaf – and it’s the 10-year anniversary since his first world title in 2015.

He added: “Was I 44 when I won the first one? Yes. So I’d be 54.

“The body’s not the same. Eyesight, I’ve got new glasses on, so my glasses are getting stronger.

“Yeah, aches and pains. Getting out of bed in the morning, creaking and cracking.

“It can be a very easy game, or it can be an absolutely heartbreaking game, and it’s one of these things that.

“Like I say, same with snooker, you see the boys, surely they could still play snooker at 50, 60, 70-years-old.

“It just seems like one of these games where you get a bit sick of it, they’ve done it for so long. 

“I had that a few years ago, I was just sick of it. I’ve had enough of travelling, staying at hotels, but I’ve got myself kind of sorted out now.

“I’ve got my life split into three bits, so I’ve got my fishing rights, my kids, and then my darts, so hopefully it’ll work out.”

There has been talk from PDC president Barry Hearn of the Worlds moving away from the Ally Pally to venues with a bigger fan capacity. 

But Anderson is adamant it should stay put. He added: “It should stay where it is. I mean, there’s talk going to Dubai.

“Can you imagine our crowds going across to Dubai? No, I don’t think it would go down well across to Dubai.

“Yes, you need bigger crowds, but it works, doesn’t it? It just works. There’s talk of Saudi, Dubai, as you say.

“I think supporters, there’s people going to be able to afford to get across there. It’s not just getting across there, it’s tickets, it’s hotels, it’s flights, it’s food. So they’re quite strict on everything else, of course.”

Anderson is also backing Rangers-daft Josh Rock to have a good run at the Worlds when he plays either Karel Sedlacek or Rhys Griffin tomorrow.

He added: “Josh’s starting to come good, though. I think he was under a lot of pressure.

“I know he’s had a second child this year. I mean, he was turning up to tournaments as favourite, and he hadn’t really won anything. That’s a lot of pressure to put on and Josh is a cracking player, and he’ll be good.

“Once he starts playing his proper game, he’s getting close to it. But there’s a lot of young Luke Littlers kicking about. I can tell you that. There’s hundreds of them.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.