THE SHOWDOWN 2009 - SELL OUT TO ALMOST 1000 PEOPLE

Wow

What a night friday was the SHOWDOWN was a sell out and a major success firsty thank you to

Mike Jennar - our proud sponsor - elite darts

All 8 players

The two Nicolas, Wils and tinks, Little richard, Scott Gibling, Paul Booth
























A special congratulations to Gary Anderson our Winner what a performance!!

Results

Last 8

Wayne Mardle 4 Bob Anderson 3
James Wade 4 Mark Webster 2
Ade Lewis 4 Peter Manley 1
Gary Anderson 4 John Part 0

Semi Finals

James Wade 6 Wayne Mardle 2
Gary Anderson 6 Adrian Lewis 2

Final

Gary Anderson 5 James Wade 4

Cheers
Matt Ward

HAWAII 501, MARDLE INTERVIEW ON THE SHOWDOWN 2009

Fans at the Masters of Darts tonight can expect to see a best-ever Wayne Mardle.

Mardle, the showman of the oche known as ‘Hawaii 501,’ reckons his inclusion in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League that started last month will help him produce his best form at Hermitage Leisure Centre.

He said: “Being in the Premier League means you get used to playing the best players in the world in front of massive crowds week in, week out and that’s what you need.

“The experience I get in the Premier League will help me through when I’m playing in front of big crowds in big tournaments.”
Mardle is looking forward to playing in tonight’s big tournament.

“Matt Ward has been putting on quality events,” he said, “and this is another good tournament. I’ve got the chance to test myself against some of the best players from the BDO and we all know what Bob Anderson is capable of.”
Mardle is looking to have a massive year.

He has reached the semi-finals of the world championships five times – beating Phil Taylor in the last eight in 2008 – and has reached the final of the Stan James World Matchplay and the Las Vegas Desert Classic twice.

“I’m looking to kick on this year and win a couple of massive tournaments,” he said. “I know what I can do and I haven’t achieved as much as I can yet.

“But it’s getting tougher and tougher.

“In the past, you could maybe get away with not preparing properly, but not any more. If you don’t practice hard before a tournament, you are going home early.

“There are players coming through like Jamie Caven from Leicester, who can beat anyone on their day.

“Darts is big business these days and the standard is improving all the time. I know I’ve got to keep practising hard.”

DARTH MAPLE Feels the Force.

JOHN PART INTERVIEW.

John Part reckons anything could happen tonight !

Part clinched his third world title at Alexandra Palace in 2008 having previously become the first overseas player to win the BDO event in 1994 and then toppling Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor in the epic PDC final in 2003 that went to a deciding set.

But the Canadian says none of that will prepare for him what lies in store tonight !

“You’ve got eight world-class players,” he said, “and the atmosphere will be electric with the crowd close to the stage, so who knows what will happen ?

“Any one of us could win it.

“I’m sure there will be some great darts thrown and the winner will be the player who deals with the occasion the best.

“I’ve played in Matt Ward’s events before and he always seems to sell plenty of tickets.”

Many in the crowd tonight will be cheering Part.

He said: “I’m probably better known in Britain than I am back home in Canada. I get stopped in the street more often when I’m over here.

“People like to talk about darts and ask me how do you beat Phil Taylor ?

“I’ve done it a few times, but he has beaten me a lot more times. I played him in the Premier League twice last year, averaged more than 103 and still didn’t win many legs !

“You have to take every chance you get and hope he misses a few. But sometimes you feel as though it doesn’t matter what you do, he will still beat you.”

Part looks set for a busy few months with the Blue Square UK Open and Stan James World Matchplay coming up.

“I need a good year,” he said. “I’m playing well and I’m looking forward to all the tournaments.”

'ONE DART' INTERVIEW!!

Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley has spelled out his determination to win ‘Masters of Darts’ at the Hermitage Leisure Centre. Manley knows he will have to reproduce the form that has taken him to three world championship finals.

"There’s no doubt it’s a first-class line up," he said.

"Every singleplayer taking part is a quality player who has proved their ability in major tournaments and this is a big tournament for us. I don’t want to lose to anyone and they don’t want to lose to me. I want to show everyone that I’m the best player here tonight and so does everyone else."

"I’m sure there’s going to be a great atmosphere as well. I’ve played in Matt Ward’s events before and he always gets a full house and I’m sure it will be no different tonight."

Manley is sure to receive a warm reception with his ‘Is This The Way to Amarillo’ walk on and believes tonight’s crowd will see him back to his best.

By his own admission, Manley had a wretched 2008 and tumbled down the rankings and said:

“I think I’m the hardest-working player on the circuit and tired myself out."

“I do a lot of exhibition and promotional work for Betfred so last year I did a lot of traveling and didn’t have much time to recharge my batteries.”

Manley says missing out on the Whyte & Mackay Premier League that started last month might prove to be a blessing as it will mean less traveling and he can spend more time sharpening his skills on the practice board.

He admitted the game is tougher now than it has ever been.

Manley said: “The standard has raised so much. Phil Taylor has taken the game to new heights with averages that nobody would have thought possible and we’ve all got to work hard to stay with him.

“I remember when the bookies had a nine darter as 50-1 and before the world championship final between Phil and Ray van Barneveld it was only 5-1,so that shows you how much the game has improved.”

INTERVIEW - PAUL BOOTH MC (Setanta Sports)

PAUL BOOTH MC - THOUGHTS ON DARTS OF 2009

Tonight’s Master of Ceremonies reckons we could see darts perfection at Hermitage Leisure Centre.

Paul Booth is a popular figure on the darts circuit.

Previously a radio DJ, he has worked with all of the sport’s biggest names and was MC at last year’s League of Legends on Setanta Sports that brought together the heroes of yesteryear and was won by Bob Anderson.

Booth does around “30-40” exhibitions every year and says the star-studded line up put together by organiser Matt Word for the ‘Masters of Darts’ makes this tournament likely to be one of his highlights of 2009.

“There could definitely be a nine darter tonight,” said Booth. “Every player taking part is capable of doing it and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it happened.

“There is money and pride at stake tonight, so we’re going to see some of the best players in the world giving their all.

“I do a lot of exhibitions where the emphasis is on fun, but this is deadly serious. I won’t be cracking any jokes tonight and I’ve got a feeling I might get to call my first nine darter.”

Booth has been a darts MC for the last three years and his love affair with the sport goes back two decades to the pomp of five times world champion Eric Bristow.

“I grew up watching people like Eric, John Lowe and Jocky Wilson,” said Booth. “They were all legends of the game and I’m lucky enough to have worked with a lot of my darts heroes.

“I consider a lot of the players to be my friends, so I couldn’t really choose a favourite player.”

Booth is certain of one thing – that he you won’t see him playing his heroes !

“I love darts,” he said, “but I can’t play it. I just play strip darts with my girlfriend – and I always lose !”

Watch this space for new exclusive interviews with all the players

don't forget to check out the website, www.themastersofdarts.co.uk for information, tickets, news and interviews, plus much more in the near future check back for updates to the website

The Masters of Darts is coming to town!!!!

EXCLUSIVE BOB ANDERSON INTERVIEW

The Limestone Cowboy is gunning for more glory at the Masters of Darts.

1988 BDO world champion Bob Anderson comes to Whitwick having won the inaugural League of Legends last year that brought together legends of the oche including Eric Bristow, John Lowe and Bobby George.

Anderson bowed out of the PDC circuit last April after three decades at the top of the sport, but his victory at the League of League is proof his competitive fires are still ablaze.

“I haven’t stopped practising just because I retired from the circuit,” said the three-times World Masters champion. “I’m coming to Whitwick to win.

“I didn’t want to lose any matches in the League of Legends and neither did anyone else. In the last few weeks, you could tell that the players at the bottom really didn’t want to be there and were desperate to climb the table.

“There were some interesting comments being made in the players’ room before the games, but not many of them are printable I’m afraid !

“I was hearing the same wind ups I used to hear 25 years ago with Eric Bristow, Bobby George and John Lowe there.

“I suspect they didn’t do that well in the League of Legends because they didn’t practise that much. I bet they practise a lot harder next year !”

Anderson is one of darts’ greats. He was a founder member of the PDC and has been a major part of its growth into the multi-million pound sport it is today.

Bob admits he misses being involved with the PDC.

He said: “I was watching the draw being made for the world championships last December and I was waiting for my name to be drawn out !

“I had been in the last 25 world championships and it felt a bit strange not being in the draw.

“But I knew the time was right to bow out. I had been on the circuit for 30 years and couldn’t commit to it 52 weeks of the year any more. That’s what you have to do if you want to succeed in the PDC.”