ANDO SAYS DON’T JEER GEZZY
14/11/2023 By Phil Lanning
GARY ANDERSON has told the fans not to boo rival Gerwyn Price ahead of their Grand Slam clash.
The two-time World Champion faces the Welshman in a repeat of their fiery 2018 final when aggro kicked off on the stage between the pair.
But Anderson, 52, says those days are over and wants the crowd to behave during their last 16 head-to-head.
He said: “When I play Gezzy I hope it’s a good game and I hope the crowd are no bad and they let us play darts.
“At the end of the day the best man will win. Nae bother from the crowd, it’s bad enough nowadays.”
On the final from five years ago, he added: “That’s donkeys ago and water under the bridge.
“He’s really playing well the now, I’ve got to really up my game or he’s got to drop his game, one of the two!
“Over the last two games he’s been fantastic so it’s going to be a hard one.”
Anderson won two of his group games but lost heavily to on-form Luke Humphries. But he still believes he can go all the way and finally win his favourite event for the first time.
He added: “I can still take it or leave it but I’d be over the moon to win it. I don’t want to win it, I’d love to win it.
“It’s always been my favourite tournament. I thought I was in my 13th or 14th year. But apparently I’ve been at the Slam for 15 years out of 16 and I’ve got through the group every time.
“Luke was absolutely brilliant, I was rotten. Even if I’d picked my game up I would have probably still struggled. Luke is probably one of the top players the now.
“I’m still playing well. I’m still banging in big averages of 106 and 104.
“My form is still there. The way I’m playing I can beat anybody.
“I played Peter in Germany in an exhibition, I was 4-1 up with a 121 average. It’s definitely there, it just depends which Gary turns up!”
Images by Taylor Lanning.
