LLOYD WANTED TO PUNCH RIVAL ON OCHE
19/05/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
LEGEND Colin Lloyd revealed he once wanted to punch big rival Peter Manley in the face.
Two-time major winner Lloyd faced fourth seed Manley in the semi-final of the 2002 World Championship.
The contest was four sets apiece when Manley brought out the dark arts.
‘Jaws’ told talkSPORT: “I’ve always been one to use the stem and a loose flight.
“When you’re playing on a hot stage, the stem would open up a little bit.
“Of course, my flight kept popping out. I had a flight on the floor, I picked it up and put it in.”
Former World Matchplay finalist Manley thought he’d have a word with iconic referee Russ Bray about Lloyd’s flights.
And when Bray had to remind Lloyd to take extra care with those flights, it left the latter seething as he knew exactly why he’d been asked.
Lloyd added: “Russ Bray comes down and goes, ‘Lloydy, can I just say, can you just watch your flights.’
“I said, ‘What do you mean, watch my flights?’ He goes, ‘Well, you’ve been walking up to the board and it’s putting Peter off because you have to keep picking up your flights.’
“I said, ‘Well, Russ, I can’t help if my flights keep coming out.’
“I turned and looked at Peter, I just wanted to go up there, smash my fist into the middle of his face and push him off the stage. He got me. He knew he got me.
“I said to him afterwards, ‘If that’s what you have to resort to to beat me, that’s pretty sad, actually’. Bearing in mind I’d only been on the scene for three years.
“There started a respectful but love-hate relationship with myself and Peter over the years.”
If Manley thought his mid-match request to Bray would work as a distraction technique, it did just that.
The Carlisle thrower won the following two sets to beat Lloyd 6-4 and advance into the final.
However, Lloyd perhaps enjoyed a sense of justice when Manley faced off against Phil Taylor.
‘The Power’ dispatched Manley 7-0 to win his 10th world title, with Taylor dropping just two sets the entire tournament.
