Phil "Sports Personality of the Year" Taylor

I love how the internet allows me a platform to have a bit of a rant about something. So, here it goes!

I’m not a massive follower of the darts world, but I do feel that something needs to be said about Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor’s phenomenal display of accuracy and dominance last night at Wembley Arena.

The greatest player to ever play the sport took centre stage last night as he claimed his fifth Premier League darts title with a compelling 10-8 victory over James Wade.

What made the match even more special was the Sir Phil (only a matter of time surely) became the first player in the history of the sport to score TWO nine-darters in one match. Unbelievable Geoff.


The remarkable thing about it all is that the match was supposed to be played on Sunday night but due to a power cut at Wembley Arena, the semis and the final were moved to Monday. Had this not happened, we may never have had a chance to witness this historic moment.

Phil Taylor had won the first four Premier League titles, but his dominance of the event ended last year, when Mervyn King stopped Taylor in the semi-finals. The two met again in this year’s semi, with Taylor gaining a measure of revenge as he dispatched King and gave himself the chance to regain his title, his fifth in six years. What a fantastic achievement by a man often underrated by Britain’s sporting enthusiasts.

The thing that bugs me about the Phil Taylor situation is that he is quite clearly one of the most successful British sportsmen ever. In a 22 year career, Taylor has won 15 World Championships including 8 in a row between 1995 and 2002. He has won 10 World Matchplay Championships, 9 World Grand Prix Titles, the list goes on! On top of this he has won over 150 other tournaments, more than double anyone else EVER. He has spent a total of 56 months as World Number 1 during his career, a position which he currently holds and has done since June 2008.

Last year, he achieved a match record of 192–4–11 whilst amassing £769,725 in prize money. This total smashed the record prize money gained in a season by over £200,000. Incidentally, that was Taylor’s record as well. At the end of last year he had won 47 of his last 60 tournaments.

Then at the start of this year, on winning his 15th World Championship, he took his Order of Merit prize money over £1 million, the first player ever to do so.

Here’s a stat that I was impressed with: In 2006, Taylor went two major tournaments without winning one. That was the first time that had happened to him in THIRTEEN years. That’s simply incredible.


The legendary Taylor will turn 50 this year, and yet he continues to dominate the sport, with no signs of letting up any time soon. He is the classic example of the everyman professional. He gives you that belief that anyone can become a sporting icon. You don’t have to be some lean and athletic wannabe model to make a lot of money and break a lot of records. He gives hope to those who don’t think they can cope with the rigorous demands of fitness and healthy eating required by football, rugby etc.

Not taking anything away from the man, obviously he has worked hard and practiced for an excruciating number of hours to get to the level he is. But it just gives you that hope.

It is reasons like this that make it difficult for me to understand why he has never been named Sports Personality of the Year. When you look at the past winners, they all have staked a decent claim. Ryan Giggs has played at the top level since he was 17 and continues to win trophies with Manchester United. Chris Hoy won three gold medals at the Olympics. Joe Calzaghe is possibly the greatest British boxer ever.
Then you get people like Zara Phillips. This is the one that annoys me the most. Not because she was undeserving, but how can she get awarded for excellence in “eventing” and yet a darts player who has broken every record, won everything there is to win, more than once, not even get a nomination? It’s disgraceful.

In a week where our footballers have perennially underachieved, it is good to see Phil Taylor joining our heroic cricketers in putting England at the top of their respective sports.

Bookies currently have Phil Taylor at 40/1 outsider for the BBC award. An obscene price when you consider his credentials, but I get the feeling the bookies will feel safe with any money that punters put on the big man’s shoulders.

I think I might start a Facebook petition…

Can we win it!? - Probably not, but believe!!

I need to start this entry with an apology! Not sure how many of you have noticed (I like to think loads of you) but I haven't submitted a blog in over a month.

This is partly due to laziness, but also down to the fact that I was gearing myself up to leave my beloved Bournemouth and return to my homeland of Jersey. I have landed myself a job writing real news stories would you believe! Not quite as much freedom as I have here but its work!

Anyway, now that I’m settled, I’m back to writing my blog and hopefully in it for the long haul.

Where better to start than the trials and tribulations of the World Cup build up? It’s that time again when everyone in England goes doolally (sic??) about our country’s chances of lifting the famous trophy. I must admit I’m guilty of over-patriotism every time we enter a major tournament. It gets to the point where you just can’t see anyway England can lose. A bit like the feeling you get looking at your Saturday afternoon bet slip, where your ten game accumulator can pocket you £15,000 off of the single nugget you handed over the counter ‘it can’t lose’. With those bets there is always an anomaly and in terms of the World Cup, that’s us.


I remember once putting one of these mammoth accumulators on during the qualification process for Euro 2008. I attempted to predict the outcome of eight international games for a return of about £2,000. Much to my delight the first seven games came in without a blemish, it came down to the last game, a late afternoon kick-off between England and the almighty Israelis. Money in the bank I thought. Au contraire, this is England, and lo and behold, 90 minutes and no goals later I was left crying into my Strongbow as my beloved lions had let me down. (I’ll probably still stick a tenner on an England victory this year though…or should I say I’ll probably still give Mr Ladbroke a tenner and tell him to spend it wiser than I did.)

Anyway, the build up this year has been tumultuous. We’ve had the John Terry scandal and his subsequent loss of captaincy, which has raised question marks about the effect it will have on team spirit, we’ve had our Wayne Rooney, our only hope of glory, wounded in recent weeks and looking a shadow of what he was from August till April, there’s niggling injuries to key players like Rio Ferdinand, and the inclusion of Gareth Barry in the preliminary squad despite looking like he’ll never be fit in time. We even had Signor Capello prising the ageing Jamie Carragher out of retirement, stories of his failed attempts to lure back Paul Scholes – who hasn’t pulled on the national shirt for 6 years – and the near inclusion of Owen Hargreaves who had played one minute of football in 18 months. For a man we have given so much credit to in the last two years, these desperate stories hardly tell us he has confidence in every member of his 30 man squad. One shining light in the selection however was Adam Johnson, a revelation since joining Manchester City in January, the boy has gone from Championship to England squad in 5 months, and he certainly deserves it.


Training camp began this week with the squad taking to the Austrian Alps for a spot of high altitude training, before Capello narrows his 30 man. I think it’s pretty safe to assume who won’t be flying to South Africa. My thoughts are that Baines, Warnock, Parker, Huddlestone and Bent will be left out. As much as I feel both those central midfielders deserve to go over Carrick and Barry, Capello does have his favourites, even if he suggests otherwise. Then I think the other two removals could be a bit more tricky. If I was pushed I’d say no Gareth Barry due to his injury issue and if I had my way then Theo Walcott would stay at home, but his ability to play up front if needed might see him considered useful.

So we’re on the home straight now, two friendlies left and then its business time. Let’s forget all the crap that the FA has subjected us to this week with the whole Lord Triesman debacle, that saga will continue for a while yet, we can pick it up in August. Let’s forget the past 44 years of heartache that the national team have subjected us to. Let’s forget the fact that John Terry would probably bag your missus without a second thought. Let's also forget that Wayne Rooney - the great english hope - hasn't scored a goal since March 21st (yep, it's been that long). But most importantly, let’s f!@*ing pray.

And as the only World Cup themed advert I have so far enjoyed says ‘It’s time to join the immortals.’