planet darts by niall edworthy
 As
appearing in the Planet Darts Website
Niall Edworthy, who has
an impressive pedigree as a quality investigative, observational journalist and
author, effectively turns his skills to an examination of the professional darts
circuit in Planet Darts (Headline Books, £12.99).
Most dart players would
rather pick up a set of darts than pick up a book, but Planet Darts is
one I recommend you all to spend some time with.
Apart from being the
first book on darts to be published in the UK for over a decade (and thus worth
reading for that reason alone), Planet Darts serves as a guide book – a
revelation in some places - for anyone interested in the current state of the
professional game.
It is also a textbook
for those wanting to know more about the pro circuit before committing
themselves to pursuing the dream of being the one darter to measure up to ‘The
Power’
Ostensibly a book about
the up and coming Essex-based darts player, Colin Lloyd, Planet Darts
is much, much more than that; although the progress or otherwise of Lloyd,
provides the all-important thread that holds this fascinating tale together.
In this thoroughly
enjoyable book, Niall takes us on a roller-coaster ride that chronicles a year
on the circuit – ‘the parallel universe of darts’ – from the euphoria of success
and a good pay day to ‘the brutal reality of professional darts’, first round
exits and hardly enough prize money to cover expenses.
We are taken to all the
major darts events of the circuit, from Blackpool and Vegas to Ireland and the
World Grand Prix. We get an insight into the VIP lounges where the stars reveal
fascinating insights into their lives, their superstitions and their drinking
capacities.
What is striking about
Edworthy's encounters with the sport's top names is the uncontrollable honesty
of most of them. I was also impressed by the classic, honest, homespun darts
philosophy, punctuated by four-letter expletives, which provides most of the
more light-hearted moments in the book. However, this work also comes as close
to anything I’ve ever read on the subject to ‘darts with the lid off.’
A first round exit in
the 2000 Skol World Championships shows Colin Lloyd contemplating giving up
darts for good - being beaten by ‘a local nobody’ in Great Yarmouth didn’t help
either.
In one particularly
tragic-comic moment, Lloydie, having been beaten in the first round of the World
Matchplay, is turned away by the 'cocky custodian' of a darts game-stall on
Blackpool's pier for failing to hit a high enough score to win a giant toy frog!
Edworthy follows Lloyd
around 'like a dog' but through the generosity of this 'aspiring talent' is
given leave to become a welcome part of a close knit circle of players that
includes Rod Harrington and Alan Warriner.
Planet Darts effectively captures the solidarity between many of
the circuit players that sees them pledging to club together winnings in the
Open tournaments, as well as the inevitable personality clashes that come with
competing at the highest level.
Lloyd comes across as a
worthy if flawed hero and the book leaves us with Colin back on the road and
battling hard having struggled in the PDC premier events.
Of course, those of us
who watched Sky Sports coverage of this year's Skol World Championships will
know that Lloyd was one of the stars of the show, reaching the semifinals.
It appears that he may
have heeded the words of his close circle of friends – advice so often it seems
ignored throughout the book and that in itself provides a neat retrospective on
what can be achieved by the up-and-coming of the game.
Planet Darts
is a revealing behavioral study of darts professionals fighting their way for
the few major riches available since the sport fell out of favour with the
majority of media moguls. The sport now awaits its next – and undoubted -
renaissance.
© 2007 Patrick
Chaplin
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