Hugely talented Scottish star Gary Anderson has signed a three-year-deal with the world’s leading darts manufacturer.
And the prized capture of ‘The Flying Scotsman’ means that seven of the world’s top eight players are now part of Team Unicorn.
“It is a great honour for me,” admitted Anderson. “I am sure that the partnership with Unicorn will help to take me to the next level and that means winning the big TV Majors in the PDC.”
The World No.3 will wear the famous Unicorn colours for the first time on Thursday when he takes on Raymond van Barneveld in the Premier League in Bournemouth.
He beat Phil Taylor for the second time this year in a Pro Tour Final at the weekend in Wigan and is No.2 seed behind ‘The Power’ for the UK Open Finals at Bolton next month.
And it is Taylor that Anderson will be targeting over the next few years!
“Phil sets the benchmark year after year and I would love to win a big TV Major beating him along the way,” Anderson said.
Unicorn Managing Director Edward Lowy said: “We are delighted to welcome Gary to Team Unicorn. He is, without doubt, one of the most exciting darting talents in the world today.”
Mr Lowy added: “By having the courage to join the PDC, Gary has been able to demonstrate his awesome ability to vast live and TV audiences, and it is only a matter of time before he starts to accumulate the ‘Major’ PDC titles.”
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Scot has revealed that he and his manager Tommy Gilmour will be sponsoring two of the players on the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour.
“I didn’t start playing until I was 25, so I wish I could turn the clock back, because the standard on the Unicorn Youth Tour is frightening. Tommy and I just decided that we wanted to put something back and what better way, than to support a couple of the up-and-coming darts stars.”
The names of the two players will be announced soon.
Anderson of course, came so close to winning the World Championship in January, before he was edged out in an epic final by Adrian Lewis.
He has also lost two other finals to Taylor in the last 12 months…..the 2010 UK Open and this year’s Players Championship Final.
But he is one of the most prolific scorers in the world and last month, Anderson broke the record for the number of 180s in a Premier League match – hitting 11 in his victory over Simon Whitlock in Birmingham.
And Anderson has already booked his place at Wembley for the PL Play-Offs later this month.
He won two big ‘Major’ titles in his BDO days – claiming the International Darts League and World Darts Trophy double in 2007, beating Mark Webster and Taylor in those respective finals.
And it has taken him only two years to reach the dizzy heights of No.3 in the world rankings, after his switch to the PDC in February 2009.
He will join the Maestro Premier category in Team Unicorn.
Anderson: “I am determined to win big titles and this deal couldn’t have come at a better time for me.”
Mr Lowy has revealed that Anderson will get all the helps he needs to help him realise that goal. “The time is right for Unicorn to start working with Gary,”
He added: “We shall support him with the best engineering and technological know-how in the business, distilled from over 70 years of Unicorn leading the darts industry…..and as with all Team Unicorn players, Gary will receive our legendary Worldwide 24/7 support!”
• Gary Anderson Maestro Premier Unicorn darts will be available Worldwide in the third quarter of 2011
By STUART PYKE
Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig, PDC
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Gary is welcomed to Unicorn by Sales Director, Richard Lowy