PRICE DOMINATES WADE AFTER BACKSTAGE WARNING

GERWYN PRICE told James Wade backstage he was going to “smash him up” and did exactly that with a ruthless 5-0 demolition at the Grand Slam of Darts.

‘The Iceman’ produced a merciless whitewash of his close friend, averaging 100.20 and landing five of six doubles in a clinical display at the WV Active Aldersley Leisure Centre.

Former world champ Price, who suffered a 5-4 defeat to Ricky Evans in his opener, now sits second in Group D and needs victory over Stefan Bellmont to reach the last 16.

Price revealed he sent a clear message behind the scenes to Aldershot slinger Wade before their match.

He said: “I was practising with him and he was like, ‘Ah all the best.’

“I said to him backstage, ‘James, I’m your friend, but on stage I hate you. I’m not here to be your friend – I’m here to smash you up.’

“Maybe that hurt him a little bit.”

World No.14 Gerwyn Price says he fed off the must-win pressure and took a cheeky swipe at Wade’s long walk-on antics.

He added: “Sometimes I prefer that pressure when you lose, you’re going home. In a knockout situation I seem to find my best – and I did that today.

“James missed a couple of chances in maybe one or two legs but I was clinical.

“I said to him when he came on, ‘Did you not read the players’ brief?’

“He’s a good friend – sometimes he tries to get in your head a little bit, and it does work now and again, but not today.”

Markham thrower Price admits the triumph helped him rediscover his trademark fire after losing some of his aggression in recent months.

He continued: “It’s happened to me before where I’ve lost in the group stages and gone on to win the tournament.

“So it doesn’t matter as long as you have one life. I’ve used that one now — no more left.

“I think I’ve lost that sort of aggression a little bit, which I need to try and find.

“I don’t do it on purpose – today it was a big game and it came out.”

Three-time Grand Slam winner Price also debuted his new walk-on song, ‘Discoland’ by Gerry Cinnamon, which he hopes will get the crowd buzzing again.

He said: “I actually love the song — they just need to crank the volume up a little bit.

“It’s a little bit boring when it’s quiet. I had it playing in the car a couple of times — when the volume’s up, it’s a cracking song.

“Especially in the Premier League, if I’m here next year, it’s a good song to get the crowd going.

“It’s Gerry Cinnamon’s Disco Land, but it’s not his original one, it’s by somebody else, and he did it live and it was amazing.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.