SYKES REVEALS HOW LEEDS UNITED REJECTION LED TO DARTS SUCCESS

TOM SYKES swapped football for darts after being told he was “TOO SMALL” following academy spells at Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday.

The Castleford Tiger enjoyed a stunning European Tour debut at the Slovak Open, reaching the semi-finals in Bratislava before falling 7-2 to former world champion Rob Cross.

Sykes announced himself on the big stage with victories over Niko Springer, Martin Schindler, Cameron Menzies and Jermaine Wattimena during his memorable run.

But before making waves on the PDC tour, the 33-year-old had ambitions of forging a career in football.

He told the Weekly Dartscast: “I was a left winger, so I was pretty quick when I was younger, and I can’t say that now, but I’m not very quick at the minute.

“I played for a year at Leeds United Academy, played at Sheffield Wednesday Academy for a year. I played to a decent level to be fair, but yeah, obviously I didn’t make it.

“I got told I was too small, but that’s like the standard excuse nowadays, isn’t it? For footballers and stuff.”

Sykes revealed what persuaded him to start entering darts tournaments and taking the oche more seriously.

He added: “Mainly people telling me to stop being stupid because you’re never going to make it as a footballer now because you’re now 25 and that were it basically.

“They were all telling me just to stop playing and concentrate on darts really.

“My dad mainly, my dad used to tell me every week, he used to ring me every Saturday morning, ‘Are you playing darts today?’

“And I’m like, no, I’m playing football and he’s like, what are you doing that for?

“Obviously you got people telling you, you’ve got this ability in darts, you need to pursue it further.”

The world No82 admits there came a point when he realised those around him were right.

He continued: “I sort of fell out of love with football a little bit as well.

“It sort of switched, so I sort of started playing more darts than football and then playing football in the winter.

“Being a 26-year-old knowing that I’m not going to do anything with it, it was just like, yeah, I suppose they’re probably right.

“So, I suppose I needed to start knuckling down and start playing darts properly.

“Plus, nowadays I couldn’t think of anything worse than putting a pair of football boots on and walking out onto a football field.

“Whereas before I was absolutely obsessed with it, you’d never seen me without a football at my feet.

“So yeah, it sort of switched on its head just like randomly, but yeah, it’s all worked out. So I’m happy.”