DARTS: GARY ANDERSON INTERVIEW

Gary, what has brought about your move to the PDC at this stage in your

career?

GA: I need a fresh challenge in my career at the moment and it^s

something I had to do.

In our huge survey of fans, players and anyone interested in darts

shortly before Christmas, you were voted by hundreds as the second most

popular player in the sport, only just behind Phil Taylor. There has

been a growing groundswell of support behind you over the past few years

and presumably it will only get bigger now your profile is raised in the

PDC. What are your thoughts on having this level of popularity and how

you will cope with it over the coming year or so?

GA : I would like to thank all the fans who voted for me and I will be

trying my very best in the coming months. I am definitely a player who

likes being out in the crowd rather than stuck in VIP rooms.

However perhaps now fans will be able to focus on your darts rather then

when you are going to move to the PDC. It must be a relief to finally be

able to put all the will he/ won^t he speculation behind you?

GA : I am there now, so hopefully I can kick on, but it may take a few

months to settle in.

Going on the pro tour and playing top level double headers most weekends

is a massive commitment for you. How will you have to adapt to this new

lifestyle and what are your thoughts about taking on the likes of

Taylor, Barneveld and Wade week in, week out?

GA : I am looking forward to playing two events in the one weekend with

my first one being Irvine in Scotland. The exhibition circiut is very

busy at the moment with the MIB team and its something I enjoy very much

as it lets you get out there and meet the fans so I will still be doing

just as many.

I can^t wait to take on Phil , Raymond & James. However there are a lot

of other good players in the PDC, not just these three!

How is the feeling now that you have left the BDO, do you wish the

animosity between the PDC and BDO was less? For example your photo was

removed from the BDO website a couple of weeks beforeyour move was even

announced. Have you been wished well by organisers and officials or were

you put under pressure at Lakeside?

GA : There has been no bad feelings in my move to the PDC from anyone at

the BDO. It^s like a family there. People like Martin Fitzmaurice,

Robert Holmes, Rab Butler and many more are and always will be friends

and I would like to thank them and the BDO for all there help over the

last 10 years. I will also be still working with my MIB darts partners

Gary Robson & Darryl Fitton along with Davie Hanson.

Will you always look back with disappointment that you were never able

to reach either the World Masters or Lakeside final?

GA : Not really. I am very pleased with all the events I have won

already, and I am going to hopefully add to them in the future

What are your immediate ambitions in the PDC and on the tour. What would

you be satisfied with in a year^s time?

GA : My main thing must be to try and qualify for the major events and

hopefully play well.

Finally, I guess there will be a bit of a battle between you and Robert

Thornton to establish who is the PDC Scottish number one player. Will

you have half an eye on that, I am sure the fans will?!

GA : Scotland^s number one or World^s number one, it does not really

bother me. I just want to try and play to my best darts and see where

that takes me...

*****

WILL THEY, WON^T THEY

So Mark Webster and Gary Anderson have now been confirmed as PDC

players. Are any of the other remaining BDO World Championship

participants likely to follow? The below is my personal opinion only!

Scott Waites - He has been given a Grand Slam of Darts place in lieu of

Martin Adams third (and final) refusal but the current word is he may

stay with the BDO, however the feedback seems to change almost daily!

Simon Whitlock - Yes. Probably around September. Simon has posted on his

website that he will move to the UK later in the year and his wife has

confirmed on Superstars of Darts that they will probably move to the UK

in September and that Simon recognises that future earnings are with the

PDC.

Tony O^Shea and Darryl Fitton - I don^t know! Whereas the indicators

were looking positive a few months ago, those close to the players seem

to say nothing will happen now. Both players aren^t getting any younger

(no offence, chaps) so if they don^t decide to move to the PDC soon,

that respective boat may pass them by. I don^t get the feeling anything

is on the cards for the immediate future, but who knows what is around

the corner.

As to anyone else - your guess is as good as mine!

*****

NEWS BITS AND GOSSIP

As stated by Barry Hearn in recent Superstars of Darts interviews, 2009

is a consolidation year for the PDC, given the current global financial

climate. However there are tentative whispers of a new Pro Tour event

being considered in the Meditteranean for the second half of the year.

It is still looking unlikely that there will be any TV coverage for the

US Open this year. The event should still go ahead, probably in Atlanta.

However, rumours also abound that the European Championship could also

be moved to this timeslot (May). It^s all down to TV coverage and

sponsorship.

As for the North American Darts Championships, again this should still

go ahead in Boston, but entry will be restricted to Americans and

Canadians only.

Qualification for this year^s Zuiderduin Masters (one of the biggest

events on the BDO/WDF calendar) is being revised and it will level out

the playing field as far as qualification from European and UK based

tournaments is concerned. So whereas last year^s tournament had a line

up very similar to Lakeside, expect some new names in the mix from

Belgium, Holland and possibly Germany for this year^s tournament

The German Open this year will be the first to control alcohol use and

abuse by the juniors. As the rules for drinking vary from country to

country the German organisation are having a zero tolerance approach for

under 18s. A good move perhaps as it can lead to less players being so

reliable on drinking alcohol in order to perfom to their best and it can

only be good for the image of the sport.

And as a final teaser, the BBC have been talking to the PDC about their

future output in Darts....

*****

Finally, if you haven^t already seen them - don^t forget to check out

our exclusive interview with Mark Webster conducted immediately after

his move to the PDC and our brand new forum member^s interview with PDC

Chairman, Barry Hearn.

Both are in the "Articles & Interviews" section of the forum.

http://www.starsofdarts.com/forums