BRAY HAILS MCDONALD AND NOBLE FOR BOWING OUT AT THE TOP

RUSS BRAY has praised John McDonald and George Noble for retiring at the “very top” and says it’s the right time to let the “young blood” take over.

‘The Voice of Darts’ stepped away from the major PDC circuit after last year’s World Championship, ending a remarkable 28-year career that made his trademark gravelly call of “Ooooonnne hundred and eight-y!” famous around the world.

PDC’s legendary Master of Ceremonies, McDonald, and top referee Noble will also hang up their microphones at the end of this season, bringing the curtain down on decades of service to the sport.

Bray admits the sport is in safe hands as a new generation steps up.

He told DartStream LIVE: “It doesn’t hurt to change blood around; it’s a young man’s sport.

“Of course, you have Littler, Humphries is only 30 and Van Gerwen is 36 or something like that.

“They are young kids still. It’s only fitting that when you get to your sell-by date — which we all have.

“I realised mine two years before I stepped down. I told Matt Porter in 2022 I’m looking to step down.

“He said, ‘Do us a year in 2023 and make 2024 your swan song.’

“I said, ‘Yeah lovely,’ and did it until the 2024 World Championship.”

The 68-year-old believes McDonald and Noble’s upcoming retirements are well earned.

He added: “George and John — they are giving up at the very, very top. The World Championship — there’s no bigger or better tournament than that.

“I did the same, right at the very top, then came out of it and let the young kids come in.

“These guys, they don’t make mistakes. They’ve got years ahead of them in doing it.

“They’re good because they’re all different — that’s another big thing.

“Yeah, freshen it up. In the initial sense, people don’t like change.

“And then what becomes new is what they expect every time.

“The guys coming in — like Charlie Corstorphine, who took over from me, Huw Ware, Kirk Bevins — these boys will become the norm until 20 years’ time, when we refresh it again.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.