The 1996 championship had it's 3rd sponsor in 3 years when Vernons Pools supported the event.
The WDC was still in relative infancy and yet to usurp the prize money on offer at the Lakeside showing what a struggle it was in the early days. Still, with the backing of Sky tv the championship was on the road to becoming well established and so of course was Stoke's Phil Taylor who reversed his 1994 final defeat by claiming victory over Dennis Priestley by 6 sets to 4.
Results:
Group Stage
GROUP 1
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Jamie Harvey 6 4 2 4
2 Bob Anderson 5 4 1 2
3 Gerald Verrier 3 6 -3 0
Bob Anderson 3 V 1 Gerald Verrier
Jamie Harvey 3 V 2 Gerald Verrier
Jamie Harvey 3 V 2 Bob Anderson
GROUP 2
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Larry Butler 6 4 2 4
2 Rod Harrington 5 3 2 2
3 Nigel Justice 2 6 -4 0
Larry Butler 3 V 2 Nigel Justice
Rod Harrington 3 V 0 Nigel Justice
Larry Butler 3 V 2 Rod Harrington
GROUP 3
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Dennis Priestley 6 0 6 4
2 Eric Bristow 3 5 -2 2
3 Ritchie Gardner 2 6 -4 0
Dennis Priestley 3 V 0 Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow 3 V 2 Ritchie Gardner
Dennis Priestley 3 V 0 Ritchie Gardner
GROUP 4
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Alan Warriner-Little 6 2 4 4
2 Steve Brown (US) 3 5 -2 2
3 Graeme Stoddart 4 6 -2 0
Alan Warriner-Little 3 V 2 Graeme Stoddart
Steve Brown (US) 3 V 2 Graeme Stoddart
Alan Warriner-Little 3 V 0 Steve Brown (US)
GROUP 5
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Peter Evison 6 2 4 4
2 Steve Raw 5 3 2 2
3 Gary Mawson 0 6 -6 0
Peter Evison 3 V 0 Gary Mawson
Steve Raw 3 V 0 Gary Mawson
Peter Evison 3 V 2 Steve Raw
GROUP 6
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 John Lowe 6 2 4 4
2 Tom Kirby 5 4 1 2
3 Dennis Smith 1 6 -5 0
John Lowe 3 V 0 Dennis Smith
Tom Kirby 3 V 1 Dennis Smith
John Lowe 3 V 2 Tom Kirby
GROUP 7
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Keith Deller 6 3 3 4
2 Sean Downs 4 3 1 2
3 Kevin Spiolek 2 6 -4 0
Sean Downs 3 V 0 Kevin Spiolek
Keith Deller 3 V 2 Kevin Spiolek
Keith Deller 3 V 1 Sean Downs
GROUP 8
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Phil Taylor 6 0 6 4
2 Shayne Burgess 3 4 -1 2
3 Cliff Lazarenko 1 6 -5 0
Phil Taylor 3 V 0 Shayne Burgess
Shayne Burgess 3 V 1 Cliff Lazarenko
Phil Taylor 3 V 0 Cliff Lazarenko
Quarter Final
Jamie Harvey 4 V 0 Larry Butler
Dennis Priestley 4 V 1 Alan Warriner-Little
John Lowe 4 V 2 Peter Evison
Phil Taylor 4 V 0 Keith Deller
Semi Final
Dennis Priestley 5 V 1 Jamie Harvey
Phil Taylor 5 V 1 John Lowe
Final
Phil Taylor 6 V 4 Dennis Priestley
Prize fund £61,000
Winners share £14,000
