Darts

Gilding: From church band to UK Open glory

March 8, 2023

By Phil Lanning

ANDREW GILDING has revealed playing guitar in a church band and joining a darts team stopped him from becoming a recluse.

Just a few years later, ‘Goldfinger’ delivered one of the biggest shocks on the oche by beating Michael van Gerwen in Sunday’s UK Open final in Minehead.

Gilding, 52, has opened up for the first time on an incredible rollercoaster journey to becoming a major champion which saw him previously work in an abattoir and becoming unemployed.

That period of time plunged him into mental issues before the church band and going to the pub to play darts got him back on the right track.

He told Oche180: “I had a couple of factory jobs, in the early-mid 90s. It was like an abattoir, but not the killing part, it was in the butchery part, jointing up pork and I worked in a chicken factory as well. So always jobs where it was cold.

“I was then unemployed for a while and I actually became quite reclusive in my early 30s.

“I had some mental health problems and I started to spend all my time indoors. I started getting out when I played guitar for a church band and from there I joined a local pub darts team and Ashing Queen’s Head.

“I started going to a few local tournaments, found a local businessman, who was my first sponsor, so thanks to them. I started getting in bigger tournaments, a few BDO tournaments and went on from there.”

Gilding admits it’s been a whirlwind few days after winning the £110,000 with the win over MVG. After answering thousands of texts he then has a plan to save for a new house.

He added: “Since Monday I’ve done a lot of driving, then just answering texts. I have still got a few to answer, everyone has got in touch with me saying well done.

“I have had one nasty one but that is one in a thousand messages of well done and congratulations.

“My favourite one was the nasty one, but that’s beside the point. I had all sorts, Gary Anderson has been singing my praises, which is amazing. Old friends that have lost touch with have been contacting me, it’s great.

“The nasty message? It was some random person on Twitter, they were just commenting on my teeth. I get that now and again, I find it funny, I don’t care what people say. You get the trolls on Twitter, you have got to expect that.

“Now I want to buy a house, that’s been the plan, I have been slowly saving up some money, the dream is to have my own place.

I have never thought of moving outside of Suffolk, I suppose for darts it would be better to be in the middle of the country for travelling but I would rather be near my family.”

Now Gilding admits he will have to keep his feet on the ground ahead of returning to the ProTour in Barnsley next week.

He said: “I can imagine there is going to be a lot of pressure in Barnsley next week for the floor tournament.

“Everyone is going to come up and say well done and I will try and keep my head shrunk. I expect to lose because I will be maybe over-confident. I will try not to be but we’ll see.”

Price vows to take the boo-boy jeers

February 2, 2023

By Phil Lanning

GERWYN PRICE admits he will take all the jeers from the boo-boys after being banned from wearing headphones on stage.

The Welshman stunned the oche world when he donned the headphones during his World Championship quarter-final defeat to Gabriel Clemens on New Year’s Day.

But the Professional Darts Corporation confirmed they have ratified a new rule to stop players being able to use them during matches.

On the eve of his Premier League clash tonight (Thurs) against Nathan Aspinall, Price was open about the subject. He said: “I wore them once, I won’t be wearing them again and it’s best left at that, if I’m honest.

“I’m not a fan of earplugs, so from now on I’m just going to take whatever comes my way, like I have for the last couple of years, and just focus on playing darts.

“There’s nothing else to say about it: I’m just concentrating on this Premier League, and whatever’s happened in the past I would appreciate it if people would stop talking about it because I tried something, it didn’t work and we move on.

“I’m here to play darts, to do the best I can – whatever is thrown at me – but I’m looking forward to Belfast. I’m sure I’ll get a decent reception here after doing as well as I did last year, and hopefully I can reward the crowd with some more good darts, hopefully with another one or two nine-darters as well.”

After his Worlds defeat to Clemens and headphones hullaballoo, Price also stated that he might not play at the Ally Pally again.

But he added: “I’d rather just focus on the Premier League, if I’m honest, rather than all that other stuff.”

Price has failed to win the Premier League thus far and not even made the finals night – yet produced the best performance a year ago with two nine-darters on one night in Belfast.

He said: “I hit back-to-back nine-darters in Belfast last year but then I broke my hand after the UK Open and it went downhill from there. Fingers crossed I stay fully fit for this campaign and start with a bang.

“It gets mentioned now and again, but as long as I keep playing that well I’m not too bothered. If I can keep plodding along and picking up trophies now and again, that’s the main thing.”

Price also dismissed any desire to reclaim his World No.1 spot from new World Champ Michael Smith.

He added: “That’s not my priority – if I win tournaments, everything else will take care of itself. I’ve been world No.1, I’ve been world champion and I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to get there again, but if I keep fit and healthy, and in good form, that’s the main thing.

“I’m here to play and here to win, right here and right now. We start in Belfast, where I did well last year, and on to Cardiff next week – hopefully it’s going to be a better year for me in the Premier League.

“I’m hungry to do well over the next 10, 12, 16 weeks and as long as I keep that hunger then I’ll be all right.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.

Wright reveals he feared wife Jo “was dying”

November 23, 2022

By Phil Lanning

EXCLUSIVE

PETER WRIGHT admits he feared his wife Joanne “was dying” after she was rushed to hospital during the Grand Slam of Darts.

The reigning PDC World Champion was left fearing for her health after she endured complications from a gallbladder removal op and required medical attention during the Wolverhampton event.

Wright, 52, was told to play on by hairdresser Joanne – who designs his whacky hairstyles and head paint jobs – but went out of the tournament in the group stages.

And now for the first time, they have revealed the full extent of her serious health issues this month.

Snakebite said: “It has been a dreadful couple of weeks. Jo was taken to hospital on the first weekend of the Grand Slam.

“Jo was in absolute agony and told me she feared she was dying because the pain was that bad.

“Firstly docs thought she was just rundown after the gallbladder and hysterectomy removal.

“Apparently the pain was caused by a slit in the bile duct which meant bile was leaking inside her.

“Since then she has deteriorated with other issues including dehydration and even a collapsed lung.

“On top of it all, I wasn’t allowed into the hospital to see her for six days. It’s just been ridiculously worrying for us all.

“Obviously I couldn’t concentrate on darts at all. My mind was completely on Jo and not the Grand Slam, I was not at the races at all.

“The worry still isn’t over at all. Jo is still in hospital and is undergoing tests and trying to recover.”

Joanne also admitted that she feared for her life after being put on powerful painkillers.

She added: “I was hallucinating and seeing monsters, it was very scary.

“If a window had been high enough to jump out of to die, I would have jumped.

“I’m not allowed home yet because of the collapsed lung. It’s been one thing after enough. I’ve still to have another back operation. The gallbladder op was supposed to be the easier of the surgeries.”

Wright, who lives in Suffolk, has been married to Joanne for 14 years and they have three children.

He has also pulled out of this weekend’s Players Championship but will return to the oche to defend his World Championship on December 15.

He added: “We’ve had so many health issues this year. I had my gallbladder out just a couple of months ago as well. Our daughter Naomi also had a knee op this week.

“It’s been so tough. I will return to defend the Worlds. But it’s far from the best preparation.”

Words copyright of Oche180. Not to be re-printed without permission.

Images by Taylor Lanning.

Van Gerwen admits he needed the LOO during final!

October 10, 2022

MICHAEL van Gerwen admitted he was desperate for the LOO during the World Grand Prix final.

The Dutchman won his sixth title with a 5-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall in Leicester on Sunday night.

But Van Gerwen, 33, revealed that he had stomach cramps and a need for an urgent comfort break as his rival fought back from 4-0 down to 4-3.

He revealed: “Halfway through the match I suddenly got severe stomach cramps, from then on it was really literally and figuratively playing with clenched buttocks.

“It was also awkward, the crowd put themselves fully behind Aspinall and started booing me. So you see him getting stronger set after set. Fortunately, I then did the right things at the right time to still take the win.

“I think my performance in this tournament has been absolutely incredible.

“My confidence was there, my spirit to fight was there. In the final I had a little bit of stomach problems.

“You need to make sure you keep your focus going. It wasn’t that easy but you have to deal with that in the moment.

“I did switch off big time. But I dealt with it and that’s the only thing that matters for me.

“Early doors in the game I absolutely smashed him but he came back really well. But I had stomach problems and that’s what I told Nathan.”

Van Gerwen once again hit out at rival Peter Wright for having a “big mouth” and believes he is the rightful favourite to win the Worlds in early January.

He added: “Peter Wright had such a big mouth throughout the tournament but he never turned up against me.

“As long as the other guys have a big mouth, I just do my thing and hopefully can win more tournaments.

“Of course I’m favourite for the World Championship and they all know I’m favourite. But I need to make sure I keep this performance going.

“I tell everyone the truth, I don’t care whether it’s good. If you can tell yourself the truth, you can look at yourself in the mirror.

“There’s more to come. Even in a bad year like I’ve had now, I’ve won most of the important tournaments.

“The trophies are the property of me, they all know they are my property. But I need to make sure I keep doing that. I can say whatever I want in my interviews but I need to show it on the stage.”

Pictures by Kieran Cleeves/PDC.

Lewis admits heartbreak as he aims for top again

July 17, 2022

By Phil Lanning

ADRIAN LEWIS admits it’s been heartbreaking to find his top game again while his wife fights serious illness.

The two-time world champ returns to the big stage at the World Matchplay in a heavyweight clash of the titans against Michael van Gerwen in Blackpool tonight (Sunday).

But Lewis, 37, revealed that his bid for the glory days has been a struggle as missus Sarah battles with kidney disease.

He admitted: “We’re not robots. The biggest challenge has been family illness going on away from darts which people don’t know about.

My wife Sarah has got a kidney disease. That has meant a lot of time spent in hospitals, it does take its toll.

“Especially because I’m away all the time, it’s about looking after the house and the kids. There’s always the possibility of Sarah having a bad turn, it’s such a worry.

“She got diagnosed in 2015. They say by the time she is 40 she’ll be in and out of hospital all the time, that’s what it is coming to.

“Sarah is obviously going through it but to watch her go through it takes a lot out of you mentally.

“For me, darts is a mental game. Sometimes if you can’t get your head right it’s difficult.”

Lewis, world champ in 2011 and 2012, has never won the Matchplay at the Winter Gardens, and knows that facing Van Gerwen is a mouthwatering prospect for the fans.

He also believes he can get back on the road to winning a third world title, adding: “I’ve been playing half decent and not getting the results. If you average you get beat.

“At the moment I’m just trying to enjoy it really. I know I can win another world title. I’ll keep going, keep working at it and taking little steps.

“I can beat anybody and I can lose to anybody. MVG is a quality player and he’s just come back off winning the Premier League.

“I know he’s got an issue with his hand that he’s got sorted out.

“But if you look at the draw you don’t want any of them!

“I don’t think anyone’s been in absolutely great form. My game plan is to go up there and do my best.”

Van Gerwen has won two Matchplays in 2015 and 2016 but is recovering from an op on his arm to resolve a carpal tunnel syndrome issue.

He said: “I don’t have the full power back in my hand yet. I can feel it when I lift up my daughter, things like that you know it’s not 100 per cent.

“But they did say six to eight weeks minimum before I’m totally OK. I’ve also heard people have problems for three to five months as well.

“But to play darts is not a problem for me. I still need to be careful with some things I do.

“For me it was nice to say I’m still there by winning the Premier League, especially in front of the big crowds again.

“It gives you a great confident boost. There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders. You want to hurt the opponents.

“I’m the main man anyway. They all talk about me and want to beat me. When I lose it’s a big story and one of the other’s lose, it’s just one of them things.

“The pressure is on my shoulders but I can handle it. You have to perform.

“But my arm is strong enough to pick up the Matchplay trophy, that’s for sure.”

MVG is also wary of tactics on stage from Lewis, adding: “Adrian is capable, he is one of the most talented players in the world. Has he done enough for his capability? No, I don’t think so. But it doesn’t matter, it still makes him a really good player.

“With all the little things he does on the stage, he’s always tough to beat.

“We all know what Adrian is like, he’s full of tricks, everyone knows his game.

“He stamps, he talks. I always tell him anyway to his face, not behind his back. It’s a bit of banter between us.”

Taylor reveals he wanted to hit rival with “a shovel”

June 24, 2022

PHIL TAYLOR has told Gerwyn Price to “calm it down” and admits that he wanted to “strangle” Paul Nicholson.

The 16-times World Champion opened up on a legendary career of mind games and rivalries and revealed he misses the banter with Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson.

But Taylor, now 61, also said he wanted to hit out at foes Peter Manley and Nicholson.

He told the Darts Show Podcast: “I could wind people up dead easy. Peter Manley was good, I enjoyed the banter with Peter. Now we get on really well, he makes me laugh.

“But at the time I didn’t like him at all. As soon as he walked into a room I wanted to hit him with a shovel. It was horrible.

“He made me practice. He beat me at Blackpool and took the board down to sign for somebody.

“After that I won about near enough everything. I won one and a half million. And I always called it Manley’s millions. I went thank you very much for that. The other players were having a go at Peter about it.”

Nicholson famously waved Taylor off stage after beating him in the 2011 UK Open.

Taylor added: “The only one who got really under my skin was Paul Nicholson. I felt like strangling him. He was winding people up, especially me. They were coming over from the BDO and I was always the target, I was the main man.

“I thought that was funny, I thought ‘you’re an idiot’ because the crowd are going to go mental at you now and he wasn’t the person to take it. How brash he was, he’s actually very sensitive and he’d break his heart about it.

“I said to him ‘Paul don’t do it because you’ll only make a rod for your own back’.

“You will get labelled with that every time you play. You’ll get booed. Like Gerwyn (Price) now.”

Taylor also gave his advice to current boo-boy Price, adding: “Calm it down a little bit. Do it at the right times. He did a lovely 170 at the weekend. The young German lad was sitting on double top. Then, yes, let it go. But not if you hit a ton.”

The Power also revealed he loved his battles with Dutch giants Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen, plus the banter with Adrian Lewis and Scots star Anderson.

He said: “Michael is winner definitely a winner mentality. Apart from Barney, who was a terrible loser. Hating losing with a passion. I’ve seen him grab his arm and pull all the drinks on the floor.

“Michael, I’ve seen him break his heart. That to me says a lot about Michael. He really is trying 100 per cent.

“It’s different now. I always got on with Barney but then I always wanted to beat him. But I still enjoyed it.

“Then the youngsters coming through, you don’t it because they’re a different generation, different conversations. They’re in there with iPads, things in their ears. We used to have a laugh and a joke, especially me and Adie and Gary Anderson. We were always taking the mickey out of each other. It’s all changed so it was time for me to go now.”

Image by Taylor Lanning

Sherrock aims to be a States smash hit like Raducanu

June 3, 2022

By Phil Lanning

FALLON SHERROCK is aiming to be a New York smash hit like Emma Raducanu on her World Series debut.

The Queen of the Palace hits the Big Apple in the US Masters tonight (Friday) when she takes on Leonard Gates at Madison Square Garden.

Sherrock, 27, admits that she has learnt to deal with the hype and would love to make her name in the States like tennis ace Raducanu.

She said: “I definitely feel for Emma. It’s horrible. I get why people put pressure on, ignore everyone and just deal with the pressure you put on yourself. I just chill out and play.

“I do feel sorry, the online abuse is ridiculous. I don’t understand why social media platforms don’t do anything about it.

“Can I be the next Emma in New York? I hope so, I’ll try.

“I do think it’s getting closer. I think the only issue right now is there’s not enough women able to do it. I think there’s about three women.

“Hopefully the Women’s Series is going to build up the women’s game so they can get to that stage and get a big win.

“It’s closing in but I still think there’s a massive gap of who can do it. Right now only about three people who can do it.

“I’ve been close, maybe if I play a bit more, I’ll get there. My issue still is the floor games. I can’t take my stage game to the floor. On stage I never think I’m going to lose, it’s like a weird confidence boost. The more I play on stages, it will eventually get there.”

Sherrock also admits she doesn’t read social media after getting so much stick over the hype following her wins over men at the Ally Pally in late 2019. She added: “Most of the time it’s not the professional people who are saying it. The people on TV just see women playing men. The actual professional game of it, they see women as good players now. Which is where we’ve wanted to get to but now we get everything and the kitchen sink thrown at us.

“I’ve learnt to cope and deal with it. At the start I got caught up with it, reading everything, it got really bad. Now I just don’t read anything. People have their opinion yes it’s massive hype and stuff. I did do it, it’s not like I didn’t do it.

“With today’s society, it’s just how the world is. You just have to accept that people will criticise you, people are going to love you. You might as well ignore everything and do what you’ve got to do.”

Anderson admits he’s stuck in a “rut”

April 28, 2022

By Phil Lanning

GARY ANDERSON admits he’s in a Premier League “rut” before facing protege Michael Smith.

The Flying Scotsman has remarkably only won five matches in 11 nights before their quarter-final clash in Dublin.

Ando, 51, is bottom of the league and takes on Smith who is just one place above him and without a win in five weeks.

He said: “Michael’s been in a couple of finals this season and we all know how good he can be.

“It’s a few weeks now since he’s won and he’s in a bit of a rut, similar to me, and it’s hard to get out of it.

“Even winning your first game one night can change things around but the more you lose the harder it gets.

“If you get a couple of results, all of a sudden things can change the other way. The way this Premier League’s gone, if you get a shot and don’t take it you’re bang in trouble and we both know that.

“I always seem to turn up and play well against Michael – even in some of the floor tournaments we’ve had some brilliant matches.”

Despite the grim record in the league, Anderson has far from written off his chances with the Glasgow night just a week away.

He added: If you can win the next three weeks then it’s 15 points and I know I’m right in the mix for the Play-Offs.

“If I play like I did the night that I won in Nottingham then I’ll be okay – it’s just that those nights are too few and far between at the moment.

“We’re both down there in the table – if it wasn’t for us the table would collapse! But it’s always competitive against Michael because we want to get the bragging rights against each other.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.

Cullen ready to spice it up in Scotland

April 20, 2022

By Phil Lanning

JOE CULLEN is ready to face the Scottish crowds and spice it up with a bit of Cinnamon.

The Ladbrokes Masters champ has been an excellent addition to the Premier League as a three-time finalist and winner in Rotterdam.

Now he faces the prospect of taking on Peter Wright for his first-ever Scottish homecoming as World No.1 and World Champion in Aberdeen tomorrow (Thursday) night.

Cullen, 32, has even taken advice for hometown hero John Henderson, revealing: “I’ve done lots of exhibitions in Aberdeen and around Scotland and I love the crowds.

“I’m in the same management stable as John Henderson, so I’ve managed to have a few with him and I change my walk on song to Belter by Gerry Cinnamon.

“It goes down well, especially when everyone has had a drink. I’m going to try and come out to it in Glasgow.

“I asked Hendo and he said that Gerry Cinnamon was a Glasgow boy, so it might be better for there than Aberdeen.

“Hendo is great. Everyone likes him. No-one has a bad word to say about him and I’m no different.”

Cullen has surprised many with his league form and his final defeat to James Wade last week leaves him just three points behind Wright.

A win over Snakebite could see him overtake him and go into the top four final places.

He added: “It’s a bit full-on and after this weekend we have five Premier League followed by five Euro Tours, which is going to be tough.

“But I’d much rather that than be watching at home and I enjoy it every week.

“It’s the pinnacle of the game to be in it and I’m one of the lucky ones.

“I’ve said a couple of times there’s been games this year on the floor that I shouldn’t have won. It’s like opponents are almost frightened to beat you.

“If you are off your game, they try to jump all over you and try too hard. I’m speaking from experience because I used to be the same.

“My first four or five years playing, whenever I drew a Premier League player, I was desperate to beat them and you struggled to play your normal game.

“The first Pro Tour I won this year, I should have lost a couple of games. “The guys had me on toast, but when it came to the big shots, they missed them.

“Sometimes you can afford a slow start as they are, if you like, caught in the headlines.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.

Tearful Menzies admits it “wasn’t pretty”

April 6, 2022

By Phil Lanning

TEARFUL Cameron Menzies admitted it “wasn’t pretty” after winning his opening WDF World Championship clash.

The Ayrshire ace beat Ian Jones 3-1 in a cracking encounter at the Lakeside yesterday afternoon.

Menzies, 32, was watched by girlfriend Fallon Sherrock as he led 1-0 only for Jones to peg it back. But he then scorched home with ease.

He said: “It was one of those games. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t nice, it was a battle.

“It was a left punch, right punch, left punch. I broke his throw, he broke me back. There was spells of scoring and then spells of nothing.

“I didn’t want to go last set, I was like please just hold your throw and get off that stage.

“All I could think about was it’s my first time up there, I’ve never won up there. So that was why I was getting adrenalin and nerves were packing in.

“I’ve played in big venues but that stage has been there for years. That was adrenalin, I don’t know!

“I just wanted to win I didn’t want that last set and go that far, I wanted to kill it off. Just get it done and chill out.

“I had spells when I was banging them in. But he didn’t let me go. I wasn’t great, I’ve played better.

“Sometimes it’s not how good you are, it’s the mentality difference. He kept making sure I wasn’t making mistakes, he was always there.”

Known as ‘Mad Cammy’ in WDF circles, Menzies could now face former BDO World Champ Wayne Warren in the last 16.

He added: “I’m just chuffed to win, that means a lot to me. Hopefully I won’t be as nervous next time.

“There’s something about that stage that makes you nervous. Lakeside is a famous stage and it brings back memories, there’s nostalgia about it, a whole buzz about it. I just wanted to win a game and it meant a lot.”

Picture WDF/Chris Sargeant