Thornton: I’m not ready for PDC “scrapheap”
By Phil Lanning
EXCLUSIVE
ROBERT Thornton has vowed he’s not ready for the PDC “scrapheap” after being invited to the World Seniors Championship.
The Ayrshire ace is back in demand despite missing out on keeping his PDC tour card after 12 years in January.
Since then The Thorn, after a last minute call-up, has produced an excellent Players Championship week in Germany beating the likes of Nathan Aspinall, Michael Smith and Daryl Gurney.
Now he’s been given a place in the World Seniors Championship early next year. But he’s not ready to give up on the Pro Tour.
Thornton, 53, said: “I’m not on the PDC scrapheap, far from it. There’s a lot more to come from me just yet.
“It’s only been a few months since I lost my tour card, I was gutted about it at the time. But since then I feel like I’ve been given a new lease of life.
“I’ve got something to fight for now. I want that place back on the tour. Sometimes in life things happen for a reason, I truly believe in stuff like that.
“I’m a typical Scot, we are fighters. I genuinely believe that when I’m on the ropes or when I’m written off, that’s when you get the best out of me.
“I went into two major finals against Phil (Taylor) in the UK Open and Michael (van Gerwen) in the Grand Prix and no one gave me a hope in hell. But I won both.
“It just goes to show that you can never ever write off Robert Thornton and I believe the recent Players Championship in Germany proved that. I can still beat top players on any day, I’ve just got to make sure my best game is there.
“Above all my focus is on winning my tour card back early next year. After that I’ll decide what to do.”
The World Seniors Championship is set to be a real walk down memory lane with the likes of Taylor, John Part, Andy Fordham, Wayne Warren and Roland Scholten who was added this week.
Thornton added: “Obviously I want to stay on the PDC tour but the Seniors does look like it will be very special.
“I’d love to take on the likes of Phil, Andy or Party again. I think it’s going to be a great tournament. But we’ll see what happens first. If I don’t get my card back, then I’ll go for it. And I’ll want to win it!”
Images by Taylor Lanning.