NICHOLSON OPENS UP ON FINANCIAL STRUGGLES DURING CAREER LOW

PAUL NICHOLSON admits he was “running out of money” and “had to sell his house” during the lowest point of his darts career. 

‘The Asset’ was once among the world’s top 10 and won a major title at the Player Championship Finals in 2010. 

Nicholson also secured FOUR ProTour crowns in 2011 and finished as a runner-up at the World Cup of Darts the following year representing Australia. 

But by 2016 the 46-year-old was close to losing his Tour Card after a big slump in form on the big stage. 

He told the Tops and Tales podcast: “I wouldn’t qualify for the Worlds for a while.  

“The European Tour was very, very difficult to get on all of a sudden after being a seed for the first two, three seasons and tour life was different.

“I was earning a lot less money and around 2016, I’m close to losing my card. I’m close to running out of money.” 

Former World Championship quarter-finalist Nicholson ended up selling his home and was ready to hang up the darts to take on a bar job. 

He added: “I had to sell my house and rented an accommodation with my girlfriend. She had to support me for a little bit of time. 

“There was a time in the summer of 2016, where I swallowed my pride whole, like it was a five pound pill. 

“I said ‘go and get a job then.’ I haven’t had a job since 2008. So, eight years, what do I do? 

“I was one of the best 10 players in the world at one point. But this is a massive reality check. 

“So I actually got a job to work at a golf club in the bar. I got the job and I thought, right, okay, we’re going to do this.” 

But just as Nicholson was about to swap the oche for pulling pints, a phone call changed everything. 

He revealed: “That same week, my saviour called me, Dave Allen again.  

“My saviour said, ‘Rod Harrington doesn’t want to do the Austrian darts event next week and you’ve had a bit of commentary experience. Would you like to go and work there with Chris Murphy and Dan Dawson?’

“I said, yes, please. I’ll take that. Yes. Thank you. I’ve done some commentary gigs, but that was my break. That was my big break. Vienna 2016.

“That tournament was brilliant and it coincided that was the last European tour event Phil Taylor would play.

“He won that one. It was his last one, but it was my first one. That was where things sort of tipped towards the media side.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.