COLEMAN READY FOR SPOOKY UK OPEN DEBUT

RED-HOT Ashley Coleman wants to walk-on to the SPOOKIEST theme ever played at the UK Open. 

The powder coater from Suffolk booked his place for Minehead at the Rileys qualifier in Norwich at the weekend.

Coleman, known as the ‘Prince of Darkness’, followed in the footsteps of Rob Cross by almost not going to the event and then winning it. 

Cross famously went on to become World Champion just 18 months after he won his qualifier in Norwich.

Now Coleman, 26, admits he has a huge dilemma on what track he should enter the stage to in Minehead on March 1.

He revealed: “My favourite wrestler is The Undertaker. I have a jacket like The Grim Reaper. I walked into a pub one day and one of my dart team shouted out ‘here comes the Prince of Darkness’. Since then it has just stuck. 

“I’m a bit conflicted about my walk-on for the UK Open. I really want a funeral undertaker theme. But I don’t know if I’m allowed to do that. It’s just like bells and chimes, there’s no words but it does scare the crap out of you!

“But the other theme I’d go for is One Way Ticket To Hell by The Darkness.” 

Coleman admits it was an incredible few days as he missed out at Q-School but then signed for Unicorn and qualified for the UK Open within 24 hours. 

He added: “It has been a rollercoaster after Q-School, signing Unicorn and then qualifying for the UK Open.

“The best of the best having played with Unicorn, they have been the best for decades. 

“My favourite player was Phil Taylor and he was with Unicorn when I first got into darts. I always wanted that sponsorship because he’s there. If they can look after Taylor, they can look after me. 

“It was the biggest moment of my career. I signed to Unicorn, got my new darts and went to the UK Open qualifier in Norwich and winning it. 

“Within 24 hours of being with Unicorn I won a tournament, that was pretty incredible. 

“I started my first match with my new Unicorn darts. I went in with a blaze of glory and won. 

“I wasn’t even going to go to the Rileys qualifier. The parallels with Rob Cross is really strange. 

“My mate is the Darts Referee YouTube channel and ‘I said to him I don’t think I’ll go because I’d only just got my new darts’.

“He said ‘go and I’ll book you in’. He got me on a train and I won the whole thing. 

“So the omen is there I will win the Worlds. Why not? If Luke Littler can get to the final, why can’t I get to the final and win it?”

Coleman, from Haverhill, Suffolk, has got a big ambition to take on new World Champ Luke Humphries in the UK Open and make a big impression. 

He added: “I’m a powder coater by trade. I spray metal all day and I’m just a local lad who likes darts and been playing it for the best part of 20 years.

“I’ve just been building up over time as a player. The main thing is over the years I’ve put more practice in and focused more on the game. I’ve just let my ability soar. 

“My form has been great away from the professional side. I felt the only thing I’ve got to do is put my mind to it and anything is possible. 

“My plan now is to play the entire Challenge Tour and obviously try and win it. Now I’m in the UK Open I will try and win that. I might not win it but I’m going to give it my best shot. 

“I want to go to Minehead and draw the World No.1, why not? I might as well take on the best of the best. 

“If I’m going to go out, I want to go out to the best!”

Image: Ashley Coleman right signs for Unicorn last week.