CROSS TOP PRICE AT 45/1 TO WIN WORLDS WITH AK BETS

By Phil Lanning

ROB CROSS admits that his Scottish boss saved his fairytale career from falling apart. 

The 2018 world champion begins his latest bid to regain the World Championship crown he won in sensational style on his debut against Scott Williams at the Ally Pally tonight (Monday).

But Voltage, 35, revealed he owes everything to his Leith-born manager Rab Bain for keeping his glory run on the right path. 

Cross is a clear and undisputed top price at 45/1 with AK Bets to win the world title, get that price here

He said: “I’m lucky to have Rab. He’s always been a top sponsor with his firm RBS Scaffolding but he took over as my boss during Covid when I was probably at my lowest ebb.

“I think Rab is one of the best in the game. He’s no nonsense, he tells you as it is. No b***shit. 

“Listen, I’ve had some tough times. There were moments during the pandemic and a year after where I had really lost my love for the game. 

“But Rab dragged me up by the b***s. He just found a way off kicking me up the backside in a good way. He made me enjoy the game again. 

“I’m not saying I would have ever quit, but there were times when I didn’t feel it at all. 

“It was all about finding the right structure in my life with darts. 

“I’d gone from being a normal worker nine-to-five to suddenly being away from my wife and kids, sometimes six days a week. 

“I lost my way a bit but Rab’s a genius at working out what a player needs. He’s been around the game for years and proper saved me.”

It will be a tough opening clash for Cross against one of his stablemates Williams, who is another player under Bain’s management wing along with Josh Rock.

He added: “I know that Josh (Rock) and Scott (Williams) feel the same. He’s doing the same for them. 

“Trust me those boys are going places. They have so much talent. I predict big things for both of them. 

“The only thing is that I’ve got to stop Scott this year. It’s the nightmare draw for all of us to be fair. 

“We played a couple of years ago at the Ally Pally and it was a shocker. I think both of us were a bit psyched out by playing each other. 

“We definitely won’t be mates this year. It’s business and I’ve got to beat him. He’ll want to bash me up. This is how you’ve got to be these days, it’s dog eat dog.” 

Cross got the closest to replicating his title win last year with a semi appearance, but lost out to the incredible Luke Littler. 

He added: “That boy is going to take some stopping again, as is Luke Humphries. 

“But all the elite players can have spells of greatness. The likes of Michael (Van Gerwen), Gerwyn (Price), Gary (Anderson) and myself can all produced a fortnight of great form to win this tournament. 

“It’s about finding that consistency over six matches. I did that in 2018, I know I can do it again.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.