Sniper' hungry to get back to big stage

JONATHAN REDHEAD
30 December 2006 12:29

When Darren Webster goes to work fitting windows on Tuesday morning, it's likely darts legend Phil 'The Power' Taylor will just be waking up as world champion for the 14th time.

Although the pair seem worlds apart they shared the stage last night as Norwich's Webster took on the legend in the biggest match of his career in the quarter-final of the Ladbrookes.com World Championship at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet.
Sniper' hungry to get back to big stage

Pecker warms up with victory over Garry

By Stan Launder

WITH THE prospect of the World Championship at the famous Lakeside Country Club at Frimley Green loomimg it was an opportune moment for Brian ‘Pecker’ Woods to warm up with a super win at Maryport’s Station Inn on Boxing Day from a very strong field of very good players.

Pecker beat his frequent rival and sometimes nemesis Garry Bellard in a high quality final match of a very good day of darts.
Pecker warms up with victory over Garry

The Sunday Times: Game of blood, sweat and beers

This is not one of my favorite articles about darts, but hey who am I if I can bear up under a little houmor....

December 31, 2006

John Aizlewood
From its rowdy crowd to its pot-bellied practitioners, darts has never strayed too far from its drinking, smoking pub roots
I AM - in the interests of research, of course - eating a steak and kidney pie. It is not just any pie. It is a "luxury pie" and, with a few formerly frozen French fries, it has cost me £3.50. Needless to say, it is no more a "luxury" pie than Mr Byrite is a "luxury" clothes emporium, but, claggy crust notwithstanding, it is edible.

Welcome to the Circus Tavern, Purfleet, and the Ladbrokes.com Professional Darts Corporation World Darts Championship, which is not to be confused with the distinctly inferior Professional Darts Championship, which begins in Frimley Green on Saturday.
The Sunday Times: Game of blood, sweat and beers

uniBlog: TIME FOR THE REAL LEWIS TO SHINE

Stuart Pyke
30/12/2006 15:45:00

He is one of the most naturally gifted young darts stars the sport has ever produced but 2007 will be a defining year for Adrian Lewis.

Up on the big stage, he is pure box office and often steals the show but the last two World Championship tournaments have shown up a weakness in his game. There is a mental block and a lack of concentration, which has proved to be his Achilles heel.

12 months ago in the quarter-finals, Lewis was undone by the Manley mind games...this year he looked in the form of his life and everyone was predicting a semi-final showdown against Barneveld. Yet again though, it all went wrong - this time in the 3rd Round against Andy Jenkins.

uniBlog: TIME FOR THE REAL LEWIS TO SHINE

uniBlog: SPIRIT OF THE GAME

Sid Waddell
30/12/2006
17:45:00

Well, the conflab between Chris Mason and Phil Taylor certainly had more press coverage than Tony Blair’s desperate search for a legacy! As the furore over Mason’s press outburst and alleged obscene outburst roars on, consider this….Mason has many times told me how much he respects Phil and what he has done for the sport.

My take on the remarks in the press about big-headedness are that Chris wanted to unstabilise ‘The Power’ temporarily and make him drop an early set. I see any words slung by Mason at the end, as extreme disappointment bubbling over into venom.
uniBlog: SPIRIT OF THE GAME

Barney and Taylor set up dream final

Saturday, 30 December 2006 11:10

Phil Taylor meets Raymond van Barneveld in the final

Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld set up the dream final at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet.

The two best players on the planet both sparkled in their semi-finals, each recording a 6-0 whitewash against dangerous opponents who had been on top form previously.

Barney and Taylor set up dream final

DARTS: Taylor and Barney relish final throw

SUNDAY 31/12/2006 16:23:07

Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld have set up the dream final at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet.

The two best players on the planet both sparkled in their semi-finals last night, each recording a 6-0 whitewash against dangerous opponents who had been on top form previously.

Van Barneveld took only an hour to win 6-0 against Andy Jenkins, which meant he could sit back and watch Taylor try to beat Andy `The Hammer` Hamilton.

DARTS: Taylor and Barney relish final throw

Darts: The Power rushes into Barney test

By Ron Wilde at Purfleet
Published: 31 December 2006

Raymond "Barney" van Barneveld and Phil "The Power" Taylor set up tomorrow's dream final in the PDC World Darts Championship by crushing their semi-final opponents 6-0.

Van Barneveld whitewashed Andy Jenkins in the first semi-final, but Taylor was not to be outdone, handing out the same treatment to Andy Hamilton.

Taylor is a 13-time world champion, while his Dutch opponent has won the rival BDO World Championship four times.
Darts: The Power rushes into Barney test

sportinglife.com: DARTS PDC 2007 NEWS for 12-29-06

TAYLOR TROUNCES GALLANT WEBSTER

By Jon Wilde, PA Sport

Phil Taylor crushed practice partner Darren Webster 5-1 to march into the semi-finals at Purfleet.

The 13-time world champion, put behind him the controversy of Thursday night's bad-tempered encounter with Chris Mason - which ended with 'The Power' threatening to quit the sport as he accused his opponent of swearing at him when the match concluded.

TAYLOR TROUNCES GALLANT WEBSTER



BARNEY LEAVES TABERN HOPES IN RUBBLE

Raymond van Barneveld whitewashed luckless Alan Tabern to reach the semi-finals at Purfleet.



JENKINS THROUGH AFTER THRILLER


HAMILTON HAMMERS HOME MESSAGE

Jenkins: I did it, dad

By ANDREW DILLON
December 29, 2006

ANDY JENKINS paid tribute to his late father after causing a World Championship upset.

The unfancied Portsmouth thrower rallied from 2-0 down to beat fifth seed Adrian Lewis 4-3 - three weeks after his dad Chris died of a heart attack.

That put ‘Rocky’ Jenkins, 35, into the last eight at the Circus Tavern for the first time and he now meets Colin Osborne today.
Jenkins: I did it, dad

Good Places to Visit and Throw Darts

Good Places to Visit and Throw Darts
# 279 12/28/2006

Good Places to Visit and Throw Darts

WELCOME to Dartoid’s World, the only column about darts that has been ranked three times consecutively in a row one time right after the other among the top causes of barfing.

Today’s subject is my recent three-week 28,000-mile darts journey from Tampa, Florida to Thailand, Cambodia, Korea, Los Angeles and someplace called Pasco in southeast Washington where I threw a challenge match and met a darter named Shawnee Jumping Turtle.

My first stop was Bangkok - there had just been a coup here so I thought it would be a good place to visit and throw darts. Dartoid’s World

Sid Waddell uniBlog: RAGGLE HAGGLE GIPSIES OH!

You lot may not know it but I am an adopted Didekai – a member of the travelling fraternity. My Grannie Mary Jane sold plants to horse traders in Alwick, Northumberland in the 1930s and she taught me words like ‘gadgie’(man), ‘jugel’(dog) and the great Dide word made famous by Del Boy – ‘custy’ (sweet, great, lovely).

So, the other night I had a deep discussion of such terms with Chris Mason and an Essex pal of his. They said that ‘custy’ should be pronounced ‘cushty’ and that my northern pronunciation was wrong! Who is right and who is wrong? BLOG me if you know or have any other gypsy words!

Sid Waddell uniBlog: RAGGLE HAGGLE GIPSIES OH!

Taylor fumes after crushing Mason

Taylor is seeded second at Purfleet
Phil Taylor crushed Chris Mason 4-0 to reach the last eight at the PDC World Championships - then accused his fellow Englishman of verbally abusing him.

The third-round clash had been given an added edge by Mason's criticism of Taylor in a national newspaper.
Taylor fumes after crushing Mason

More articles on the conflict:

I'll punch out the Power

By ANDREW DILLON
December 29, 2006



PHIL TAYLOR was challenged to a car park punch-up by bitter darts rival Chris Mason last night.

The Power beat Mason 4-0 as the feuding duo traded insults at the oche.

And Taylor threatened to quit as the PDC World Championship descended into chaos in Purfleet.

Mason, 37, raged: "If he wants to sort it out in the car park, I’ll see him there because I’m a better man than him.

"I grew up hard, making bog chains. Taylor used to be a big fish in a small pond, now he thinks he is God. It seems to be one rule for him and one for the rest of us."
I'll punch out the Power


Angry Taylor in quit threat

The Evolution and De-Evolution of Women’s Darts on SEWA

SLEEPYKRAMER: writes "Having been a recent inductee into the life of SEWA-darts.com, I quickly realized that here was a place where anyone and everyone could discuss anything and everything related to the darting world. And be able to do it in a manner that was totally and completely politically correct. Inasmuch as the aspect of moderators making sure that things do not get out of line and that people are respectful in their agreements and disagreements. So many threads…..so many topics…..so little time to keep track of them all. I felt like I found darting nirvana. Many subjects and topics came and went. Discussions were healthy, fun, serious, moody, and opinionated, yet directed in such a manner that regardless of the positive or negative, everyone got something out of it. Full article at: SEWA-darts

Darts extends to rural areas

BY JOY NDOVI
06:05:51 - 27 December 2006

Blantyre and Districts Darts League's (BDDL) campaign of extending to rural areas kick-started with Christmas Eve Open tournament at Ntono Spot in Thondwe, Zomba.
Gearbox Kamboga of Zomba defeated 18 players to emerge champion walking away with a live goat as a Christmas present.
BDDL said they also organised the tournament in an effort to try and erase the mentality that the sport was for urban people.
Gordon Tsakamu, member of the organising committee, hailed the young players for their performance.
"We are also trying to fine tune upcoming young players, who will be joining the league next season," Tsakamu said. "Most the players are quite good and next season we should expect BDDL to be more competitive."
Darts extends to rural areas.

Darts: Dan Mavuso describe sponsors as crime fighters

Dan Mavuso describe sponsors as crime fighters
By Faith Vilakati

DARTS - THE Swaziland National Sports Council (SNSC) Development Officer, Dan Mavuso has described sponsors of sports as crime fighters and sports developers.

Mavuso said during tournaments a number of people, mainly the youth, are kept busy and away from mingling with bad company that would lead them to commit crime and do drugs as they would be either watching the games or playing.

He made these remarks last Saturday during the Kai Kai Holiday Park E9 000 League prize presentation function held at the motel’s hall at Hhelehhele.

He thanked the sponsor for the support and called upon other companies to take a leaf from them.

"'This is one sport (darts) the Strategic Alliance is proud of because whenever they participate in international tournaments they bring back prizes.' Darts: Dan Mavuso describe sponsors as crime fighters"

SCHOLTEN'S DART OF GOLD

27 December 2006
By Jim O'Brien

DUTCH darts ace Roland Scholten bought his missus HGV lessons for Christmas - so she can drive him to tournaments in a new motor home.

The world No.4 is planning to buy a luxury camper van to save on hotel bills when he is competing across Europe.
SCHOLTEN'S DART OF GOLD

Last eight’s Terry target

By Steve Carley
Comment

LEDBURY darts ace Terry Jenkins bids for his place in the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship quarter-finals tomorrow.

Jenkins take on James Wade in the third round at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet at 7.10pm after world number 11 Wade edged out Dave Ladley 4-3 today.

World number six Jenkins has already defeated Mark Lawrence and Steve Beaton in the competition.
Last eight’s Terry target

Darts: 'Patronising' Taylor gets under skin of Mason

The Times December 28, 2006

Gary Jacob
"There may be several ways of trying to topple Phil Taylor, but dismembering his flamboyant personality does not seem wise. Chris Mason has never lacked confidence and labelling Taylor as patronising and arrogant can only provoke the holder of the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in their third-round match today.

However, Mason’s bold attack on Taylor does not extend to the oche, where the world No 15 has already given up any hope of victory after watching his next opponent ruthlessly defeat Mick McGowan 4-1 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, on Tuesday."

Priestley claims narrow victory

"Third seed Dennis Priestley came from 3-1 down to beat Dane Per Laursen 4-3 and reach the last 16 at the PDC World Championships in Purfleet.

Laursen took control of the game from the start to build up a comfortable lead and inch to victory.
Priestley claims narrow victory"

Related articles:
Priestley through to last 16 in darts championship
Belfast Telegraph, UK -

Priestley comeback stuns Laursen RTE.ie, Ireland

MENACE FIGHTS BACK IN THRILLER

Priestley: Cow did I survive?

The Menace scrapes through

Darts: Taylor turns on the power to stay in running for fourteenth world title

"Irritated by toothache, Phil Taylor last night inflicted pain on one of the pretenders to his crown. “The Power”, the overwhelming favourite, was given the fright of his life by Mick McGowan in the second round of the Ladbrokes.com World Championship last night but, in the end, Taylor’s experience was the deciding factor as he won 4-1. Taylor was supremely consistent in averaging 109 — but he had to be.
Darts: Taylor turns on the power to stay in running for fourteenth world title"

Ovens too hot as Smith's hopes end

"STEVE Smith found Denis 'The Heat' Ovens just too hot to handle as he crashed out of the first round of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship at Circus Tavern, Purfleet, writes Ziad Chaudry.

It was an unhappy return to the Essex venue for the talented 27-year-old Dagenham qualifier, who last played in this event back in 2004. He managed to scrape only two legs during the 3-0 hammering he received from the vastly experienced Stevenage darter. Ovens too hot as Smith's hopes end"

allAfrica.com: Tanzania: Empire Wins Independence Day Darts Trophy

"Empire Darts Club of Arusha were over the weekend crowned winners of the Jirani Mwema Darts tournament held in Himo township in Kilimanjaro region. The tournament was held at the packed Highway Bar & Restaurant.

The tournament, held under the auspices of Taita Taveta Darts Association, was conducted on Round Robin best of 18 score. Teams from Arusha (4), Moshi (1), Himo (1) and Taveta Kenya (4) took part in the tournament which attracted many spectators.
allAfrica.com: Tanzania: Empire Wins Independence Day Darts Trophy"

DARTS: POWER: I OWE BRISTOW

"DARTS: POWER: I OWE BRISTOW

Cockney crafted me into champ

Mike Walters

PHIL 'The Power' Taylor has revealed how oche legend Eric Bristow turned him from the Crafty Potter of Stoke's pub circuit into the Harry Potter of world darts.

It was Crafty Cockney Bristow who put Taylor on the flight-path to greatness by offering him a £9,000 scholarship to quit his job making toilet handles.

DARTS: POWER: I OWE BRISTOW"

icWales - Darts: Taylor unlikely to Power to final

"Phil Taylor knows that if he is to collect a 14th world title on New Year’s Day he will have to do it the hard way.

‘The Power’ was handed no favours by the draw for the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet for, apart from the first round and potentially the quarter-finals, in every match he looks sure to face an opponent who is in cracking form.
icWales - Darts: Taylor unlikely to Power to final"

icLanarkshire - Darts league final fling of the year

"MOLLY Mac’s showed some resemblance of the form that they are capable of when they gave The Swan from Chapelhall a fright in their encounter in the Airdrie and District darts league this week.

Rooted firmly at the bottom of the league, Molly’s have struggled but took The Swan all the way with the match only being decided in the last double.
icLanarkshire - Darts league final fling of the year"

Two Make 180 Starts In The Same Darts Match (from This is The West Country)

"TWO players threw rare 180 away-shots during the same first-division match in the Burnham & Highbridge Men's Darts League.

They were Tom Boll (The Rosewood) and Dave Douglas (Crown Inn, East Huntspill). Boll's team won 7-2 as he and Nick Poole had an 18-dart doubles leg.

Signals' Dave Baker had a 180 and a 15-dart singles leg as the leaders beat Socialites 6-3. Nomads' Andy Linthorne took the last singles game to earn them a 5-4 victory against The George, despite a 180 by Dave Binding for the losers.
Two Make 180 Starts In The Same Darts Match (from This is The West Country): "

icNewcastle - Darts: Hammer time

"Andy Hamilton believes he is ready to make a huge impact in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship - thanks to the help of Chris Mason.

'The Hammer' is back on the Circus Tavern stage where he first made a name for himself two years ago, reaching the quarter-finals, and he has continued his improvement since then. Now up to No.19 in the rankings, the 39-year-old is one of the in-form players on the circuit having reached the semi-finals of the World Matchplay at Blackpool in July.
icNewcastle - Darts: Hammer time"

Darts exhibition night at the Four Winds

Start: 13 Jan 2007 - 7:00pm

End: 13 Jan 2007 - 11:59pm

Details: Calling all darts players and followers.

On saturday the 13th of January 2007. There will be a darts exhibition night night at the Four Winds on aberavon seafront

Professional dart player dennis (the menace) priestley will be playing 16 local players in challenge matches, followed by a question and answer session.

Tickets are priced at £5 and include chicken and chips plus a disco. Doors will be open from 7.00pm-2.00am

For further info and tickets please contact craig on 01639 891365 or e-mail craig at keeper1801977@yahoo.co.uk

Its sure to be great night of darts and entertainment.

Venue:

Four Winds Hotel
Princess Margaret Way
Port Talbot
SA12 6QW
01639 884 548
http://www.fourwindshotel.co.uk

Darts exhibition night at the Four Winds

clubcall - McGowan eyes Taylor shock

"Irishman Mick McGowan is targeting a shock when he takes on 13-time world champion Phil Taylor in Darts World Championship on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old has burst his way onto the darts scene over the past few months since he knocked Taylor out of a Players Championship event in Holland last month and also strung together some other impressive performances.
clubcall - McGowan eyes Taylor shock"

Independent Online Edition: Darts: 'Jackpot' hits back to see off stubborn Jones

"Adrian Lewis thwarted a superb fightback from Wayne Jones to win an exhilarating second-round match at the World Championship in Purfleet yesterday.

The 21-year-old from Stoke produced a performance of which his mentor, Phil Taylor, would have been proud as he triumphed 4-3 with the help of 13 maximum scores of 180. It was also a terrific display from Jones, who showed the quality that took him to the semi-finals of this tournament last year. Independent Online Edition: Darts: 'Jackpot' hits back to see off stubborn Jones"

Ladies Darts.com - LDA Newsletter December 2006

"LDA Newsletter December 2006
Back in February 2006, at the Open Dutch tournament in Veldhoven, Netherlands, a meeting was held between a number of concerned players and officials, and interested parties.

Why the concern?

Well the announcement that the World Dart Trophy would no longer involve a womans competition had much to do with it. A strange decision, one would think, considering that the organisers are...
Ladies Darts.com - LDA Newsletter December 2006"

Unicorn - News: CIRCUS CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS

"CIRCUS CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS
24 December 2006


It will go down in the history books as one of THE best matches ever seen at the Circus Tavern. Those who have witnessed every one of the 14 World Championships at Purfleet, are adamant that Lloyd/Barney is in the top five or six Circus classics.

I watched it back on Sky Sports on Saturday afternoon and it was simply sensational. The defeat just about sums up Colin Lloyd’s year……in January, he will lose his World No.1 tag when the PDC switches to an order of merit.
Unicorn - News: CIRCUS CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS"

The mysterious Mr. Rat - Global Darts Forum

If you have never encountered him on a darts forum you will know that he has good inside information on the world of darts. When he surfaces; it's always with tips that seem to prove out. This leads many have wonder who "The mysterious Mr. Rat" might be, and how he comes by his information, but I for one am willing to live with things the way they stand. "The mysterious Mr. Rat" and his inside information is good enough for me.

"I have heard mention of the infamous Mr. Rat alot, mainly in Forums, just who is he I ask!

Also Dartoid has been trying for ages to get an Interview with him but cant get hold of him except by emails that they have shared.
....
follow the topic at: The mysterious Mr. Rat - Global Darts Forum"

Evening Star - Painter crashes out

"IPSWICH Town fan and 13th seed, Kevin Painter, was a first round casualty in the Ladbrokes.com world darts championship yesterday.

Cambridgeshire-based Painter, who attends matches at Portman Road whenever his playing commitments allow, lost to England's Colin Osborne at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet. Evening Star - Painter crashes out"

BREITBART.COM - Winnipeg's Gerry Convery loses to Steve Beaton at world darts championship

"Winnipeg's Gerry Convery loses to Steve Beaton at world darts championship

PUREFLEET, England (CP) - Gerry Convery of Winnipeg lost 3-0 to Steve Beaton of England at the Ladbrokes.com world darts championship Wednesday.

Beaton, the 1996 world champion, took the first set 3-0, including 100 finish in the second leg and a 12-darter to move clear in the match. Beaton also won the second set without reply from Convery, although the Canadian twice pressured his throw without being able to get off the mark.
BREITBART.COM - Winnipeg's Gerry Convery loses to Steve Beaton at world darts championship"

Darts: Lewis sees off Jones - Guardian Unlimited Sport

"Adrian Lewis thwarted a fightback from Wayne Jones to win his second-round match at the World Championship yesterday. The 21-year-old from Stoke won 4-3 with 13 maximum scores of 180, while Jones showed the form that took him to the semi-finals last year.
Darts: Lewis sees off Jones - Guardian Unlimited Sport"

The Sun Online - Sport: Ray back from dead to KO Jaws

"RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came back from the dead to KO Colin Lloyd with a sudden-death win at Purfleet.

The Dutchman is making his debut at the PDC World Darts Championships after switching from rival body, the BDO, in February.

Barney went three sets down against the man dubbed Jaws before producing a magnificent comeback to win 4-3 in the biggest clash of the tournament so far. The Sun Online - Sport: Ray back from dead to KO Jaws"

Planet Darts - PDPA's Christmas Gift To Variety Club

"PDPA's Christmas Gift To Variety Club

THE Professional Darts Players Association have donated a Sunshine Coach to the Variety Club's Golfing Society to help children with special needs.

The PDPA made the presentation of the minibus to representatives from Woodside School in Belvedere, Kent at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Planet Darts - PDPA's Christmas Gift To Variety Club"

Darts Steventon Run Is Over (from Oxford Mail)

"Steventon Social Club surrendered their un- beaten Winter League record away to Section 2 rivals Rowing Machine.

They looked home and dry after taking a 3-0 lead, but a splendid fightback by Jamie Burke, Jason Coates and Pete Eagle levelled the match.
Darts Steventon Run Is Over (from Oxford Mail)"

Darts County Youth Pipped (from Oxford Mail)

"Despite flelding an under-strength side, the Oxfordshire Youth team fought all the way before going down to Berkshire.

The Under 18s lost 5-4, with most games going to a deciding leg. Oxon's winners were Daniel Ford (14.30 average), Jack Wells (16.03), Sam Green (12.19), and 12-year-old Jack Lucas (16.70), who was man of the match.
Darts County Youth Pipped (from Oxford Mail)"