ERAS OF DARTS: Which of the superstars reigns supreme?

By Iona May Todd

ERAS OF DARTS: Which of the superstars reigns supreme?

THE Green Machine’s darting domination of the late 2010’s. The deployment of ‘The Nuke’ at present. The Power’s perpetual omnipotence looming over the game.

In darts, eras are characterised by those who reigned supreme at the time. I’m talking less Taylor Swift, more The Power Taylor. And whilst my perceived golden era of darts may differ from than of yours (always Phil’s, btw), every fan of this sport has an affinity for one player’s era in particular.

Now, according to Michael Van Gerwen, “every 17 years a [darts] star gets born.” As such, reflecting upon eras of darting supremacy, would one of the superstars prevail in the almighty fight?

Does MVG’s prime era blow the era of ‘The Nuke’ into flames? Does The Power strike them both to the ground? Or is there no competition for ‘Crafty Cockney’ Eric Bristow?

Crafty Cockney Era – 1980’s

To investigate this properly, it’s only right to start with the first ever darting star.

Eric Bristow’s era spans throughout the 80’s. At this time, the ever-confident Cockney clutched five World Championship titles, with an unmatched run between 1984-1986.

Coined “the high emperor of darts” by The Guardian, the late Bristow’s legacy lives on in his 70+ professional titles. Being the prototypal darting dominator, as well as a pioneer in forming the PDC, the Cockney’s Era lays the foundation for today’s sport. For this, Bristow earns major brownie points.

But could he battle it out for progression in the Darts Hall of Fame? Well, referring to averages alone, my research led me to Bristow’s highest televised darting average – this being 105+ against Alan Glazier in 1983. Now, this impressive average has survived for eight years. That was until, Phil The Power Taylor struck it down…

Did the maker really make a ‘monster’? – Crafty Cockney GOAT Rating: 3.5/5

The Power Era – Mid 90’s-Early 2010’s

Talking about the Cockney’s prodigy and successor, we’re swiftly pushed into Phil Taylor’s reign. Whilst the mid-90’s to early-2010’s of darts was somewhat defined by the lightning talent of Taylor, it’s fair to say the God-like presence of The Power pulses through the bloodline of darts through every era since.

Following mentorship from Bristow, Bristow himself referred to Taylor as “creating a monster.”

16-Time Champion of the World. 200+ professional wins. Winner of every ranking major in 2009. 3,343 days in total spent as No.1 in the world. A ‘prime’ spanning almost 15 years.

Widely considered the greatest darts player of all time, The Power’s gold-standard of accolades go untouched in the wider sphere of the sport.

A great believer of throwing two 180’s before bed, Taylor remains an untouchable, omniscient figure in the game; his name reverberating through the winds of each tournament.

Even despite this, former pro-darter Andy Cornwall, has said that “Luke Littler is better than Phil Taylor.”

And Cool Hand Luke Humphries, recently proclaimed that it was Littler who “is the greatest darts player who has ever lived.” Whilst Littler disagreed with Humphries, stating that “Phil Taylor will always be the best,” it’s interesting to see how the discourse shifts further and further through the era’s we progress.

Time to talk averages. Now, Taylor’s highest ever televised average struck in at a whopping 118.66 in the 2010 UK Open. This record stood for 6 years and stuck as testament to Taylor’s darting legacy.

Now that is until…well, well, well, if the darts-eras don’t keep repeating themselves…

I mean… come on, there’s no other rating for this is there? – The Power GOAT Rating: 5/5

Mighty Mike Era – Late 2010’s

Let’s rewind to the late 2010’s. The walkway is alive with electric-green light, with sounds of Seven Nation Army rumbling through the linoleum. We’re live at the 2016 Betway Premier League in Aberdeen. Lowlights gleam upon MVG as he goes arrow-to-arrow with Michael Smith. With a cool, grounded, enveloping aura and a rapid-fire shooting hand, the Green Machine sets the World-Record televised average for a darts player of 123.40.

With blistering consistency, 2017 seems a time defined by Mighty Mike at his electric-green prime. The snatch of that year’s Premier League title. A World Series of Darts Finals win. A Players Championship Finals triumph. A record-breaking 112 match-average.

The meteoric season of MVG stained the darting climate, to the point that current darting stars, like Luke Woodhouse, regard him as having the “biggest fear factor of all.” Even PDC owner, Barry Hearn, believes it is Van Gerwen’s “aura,” which itself intimidates opponents into submission.

Considered to be the “definition of aura” by a plethora of social media users, MVG’s presence is strong enough to demand great wins in the current era of the sport.

From players trembling to imposing sport-shattering seismic tremors, with over 160 PDC titles, combined with 9 WDF/BDO titles, the Dutchman’s dominance still sends aftershocks through the darting sphere.

Talking averages now, notable mentions for highest three-dart average following MVG’s reign include Gerwyn Price’s 136.64 at the 2021 PDC World Championship final. And another which, (didn’t I tell you the eras repeat themselves?) leads us to detonation in 3…2…1…

Major points just for vibes alone – Mighty Mike GOAT Rating: 4/5

‘The Nuke’ Era – Present Day

The Poster Boy of darts today, Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler has reignited the sport with a combination of blazing success and sensationalism.

Having only been competing in the PDC since 2023, 19-year-old ‘The Nuke’ is awash with accolades, from two PDC World Championship titles, back-to-back UK Open Championship wins, to being the youngest ever Premier League Finalist and Winner. His flaming feats continue in being the current world record holder for the highest-three dart average in a set at a PDC World Darts Championship, with a three-dart average of an eye-watering 140.91.

A boiling pot for media attention and victory, Littler’s impact has ricocheted across the sport just as much as it has across the nation. Impacting this argument, The Power even declared ‘The Nuke’ as having a “good bloody chance” of overtaking his wins. As such, the ‘Luke Littler Effect’ has drawn in some of the PDC’s highest viewership in modern history, lending this era to be one of the most sparkling yet.

Throughout this piece, we’ve considered major match-ups. The Power has said that if he were to meet Littler on the oche in his prime, it would be a “50-50 match-up.”

And could he have battled the prime Green Machine? A showdown of ultimate aura versus inextricable young rule would be a spectacular one nonetheless. Though, when it comes to Littler’s longevity, Van Gerwen said recently, “to say he is the greatest player of all times…. if he can continue this for another 10 years or 15 years then yes, he is right. But first, let him do it.”

As this era continues, the avenue’s of Littler’s dominance remain closeted behind a purple, velvet curtain.

There is still greatness that remains to be seen with this one – ‘The Nuke’ GOAT Rating: 4.5 /5

Of all the eras, each superstar has dominated the scene with an individualism and characterisation which pivoted the darting sphere into the position it’s in today. In my personal opinion, Phil Taylor’s crown remains straight, with his diamond darting jewels still as shiny as they were the day he achieved them. Though, your subjectivity may disagree – even so, isn’t that the point of eras? To have a favourite?

So where does that leave us?

Like every era, we go full circle and return to where we began. Like Michael Van Gerwen said, “every 17 years a [darts] star gets born.” In this vein, the newest darting superstar should be two years old by now. The realm of darts waits with open arms for the newest nappy-wearing pro to shift the scene once again.

Image by Taylor Lanning.