legend

By Phil Lanning

EXCLUSIVE

LEGEND Jamie Harvey reckons Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson will be having a pint looking down on the World Seniors Championship.

Harvey, now 65, has revealed he’d love to be part of the new tournament early next year which already includes Phil Taylor, Dennis Priestley, Bob Anderson, Ted Hankey, Keith Deller and latest entrant Martin Adams, announced earlier today.

Former World No.4 Bravedart has certainly lived up to his nickname, battling back from cancer to keep playing in a stellar career. Now he wants another crack at the big time.

He said: “I’d like to be invited for the Seniors Championship. I was once fourth in the world so I think I deserve my chance.

“I hope I’m not forgotten just because I’ve been ill and not very loud on social media but I am still here and I can still play. 

“There’s no doubt I’d have to do some serious practice over the next few months to be ready for it. So it would be nice to know.

“I had a frozen shoulder for about three years. But recently I’ve been throwing and it’s been alright.

“I think it would be a great tournament, just a shame that Eric and Jocky aren’t still around. They’d be box office.

“I miss the big man Eric a great deal. We had some great times and we got on great. There was never a dull moment trust me.

“I know that Eric and Jocky will be looking down on us. Probably laughing and saying how easy they could beat us all!”

Harvey was diagnosed with throat cancer 12 years ago, had a 10-hour op to save his life, then underwent chemo and radiotherapy.

He also had his voicebox removed and had a permanent laryngectomy stoma fitted to enable him to speak. In all, he lost four stone during the extensive treatment.

However, he also still laughs about his legendary moment on the stage when he fell down a hole live on Sky Sports – and hopes it wouldn’t happen again.

He said: “It was a World Pairs match, Keith Deller and I v Bob Anderson and Phil Taylor.

“I didn’t fall off the stage. Sky Sports had a flowerpot in front of a hole on the stage.

“During a TV break we stayed on stage to practise but didn’t see Sky remove the flowerpot. I stepped back and fell down the hole.

“Bob said I’d fallen down on purpose to win as it put him and Phil off — they were p****** themselves.

“I couldn’t fall down a hole these days, I wouldn’t be able to get back out of it. I’d be lying there for days and days!”