The taxi drivers were all down in the mouth and the gift shop owners were glum; it had been the worst season for 40 years. Reasons: bad weather and cheap flights to Ibiza and Alkidiki. But with the darters and their zany fans in town for a week things certainly perked up.
For a start, Tommy Cox’s stage crew found the best pork pie shop in England. It is in the covered market and had venison, mince and jelly packed prime pork. I made them my ready-snack of choice. And once again the Shalimar Gardens Tandoori house served up excellent curries, designer lagers and tiffin at the end of a hard day on the raspy tonsils. Add to this being guest members of the Riley Pool and Snooker centre for the week and you have one happy commentary team.
And how about The Power? A few days chilling with Robbie Williams by his Malibu pool meant Phil came to the Fylde coast full of verve and hit a 109.5 average to beat James Wade in the final – a new record figure in PDC events. Then the magic Stokie cried tears of pride as the 1200 strong crowd chanted his name as if he were Caesar back with the spoils of all Gaul. Bully too for young Prince James Wade. On Sky interviews he came over as a worthy modest pretender to Phil’s crown.
GEORDIE JOY
I always get going a bit when new talent lights up the oche, and Kevin McDine is what we call in Geordieland a ‘stumour’ i.e. a phenom. He lives in the Midlands now but is still as ethnic a Tynesider as ever walked. My old mucker Graeme Stoddart is advising the lad on points in the pro game and swears the kid’s patter and attitude is in the Bristow and Alan Evans bracket
Although Kevin was beaten 16-6 by Taylor in the latter stages at Blackpool he popped in two Bull finishes.
And doesn’t 19 year-old Michael Van Gerwen shake the oche when he plays. Great to see such fabulous young tyros in our sport.
SID AND ROD GO HOT-RODDING
I warmed up for my Blackpool stint at Fish O ‘Mania at Stoke. Rod Harrington and I were in a Pro-Celeb team with two international anglers and we had a bit to live down. Two years ago we lost heavily to a team containing a bevy of Page Three girls!
Rod is a regular fisherman and caught three kilos in his hour on the peg. I managed only one kilo but did lose a mighty barbel by a fluke. The fish was hooked by an opposing team but got tangled in my line. I wrestled with it like Hemingway with a giant marlin and whooped when it came thrashing out. Then our noble skipper said it was fishing protocol to give back the fish to the original ‘hooker.’
No sweat – we won the crystal goblets by two clear kilos.