Q school. 2014.

[Dicie]

Day 1

Up early and started off the routine we had planned out, and went and woke spearing and tommy for 8 o clock, to head down for the breakfast.
Breakfast in the hotel (Mercure) isn't the best, infact, we found a little café near the train station and that was spot on, 4 full English and lashings of tea for £16, couldn't go wrong.

Anyway, the breakfast, yeah, wasn't great.

Taxi ordered for 9-10 and got to the venue and can of Guinness in hand for 9-25.

Loads more boards this year than the last time I was here.

32 in the main hall, and 8 out in the bar area. I made the bar area my base from 11-35 or so onwards each day, as it was max 2 to a board for most of the rest of the day.

Draw went up, and I drew Ben songhirst (Spelling isn't great)

First few legs where close on to being classed as pathetic, and found myself 2-0 down to an awful standard, and I could see Ben getting frustrated at himself, and I said if I just upped my own game a small bit I could take this one handy enough, from 2-0 down to 3-2 up and starting to find a bit of range on the board, only to miss 6 darts to go 4-2 up, and at 3-3 there was only one winner.

Lost 5-3 and myself and Ben had a little chat and in his own words he didn't play like he could. I think for a lot of people in the hall this was the case on day 1, apart from Kyle Anderson (Awesome) and Mr Gilding, who played class in the 2 games I seen.

Met a few faces, spud, grubby and a few lads that post across the forums. Enjoyed a natter with each of them.

On day 1 I marked one of the palfreymans and Joe Murnan. No leg over 17 darts, and it turned into a belter, with one or 2 missed doubles, but this was a proper standard of a game.
Joe won it (I think 5-4)

Glenn done best out of us, lost mark barilli (glenn was 4-1 up)

So we headed off after he marked to get some food. Wetherspoons was our next port of call and a few pints and a mixed grill, and backed a few horses for the evening. Back in the room for 6-30, hours sleep and back into Sams bar for a few drinks and a few frames of pool. Seems to be the hangout of choice for the pdc lads when off duty, watched the city game, great result, and headed back to the hotel for 10-30.


Day 2

Same routine as previous morning, alarm for 7-30, woke the other fekkers next door, and headed to mcdonalds for the breakfast. At the venue and first can in hand for 9-25

Read a smart comment or 2 on facebook about me playing over there, and as I said to the 4 or 5 Irish lads sitting together, I was gonna try today.

Draw went up, noticed I was playing Geoff heath (I knew the name for some reason, but wasn't sure why) so I headed into the bar area for 11-40 and had a half hour on a board with Max Hopp (Cracking player to watch in full flow in practice)

Went back into the main hall and seen I was next game on, also on the board was Steve douglas, who was playing as I walked in, and he is well able to throw.

Lost the bull (regular habit this) and Geoff started off pretty well, i took out 319 in 6 darts, (180/139) and Geoff was sat on (32 or 16) 2nd leg i started off well, and took the leg handy enough.

Eventually won 5-0, with Geoff kinda giving up at 4-0.

Next game i played stuart white, have to say i was impressed by his scoring, i think he beat me 5-2 or 5-3, but cant be sure on this one, i think i played ok in this game, no stray darts, and took my shots bar the 6th leg when i had a shot to go 3-3 and missed 3 darts at 36/18.

Stuart won, and have to say he seems like a nice lad, spoke with hi the next day and he told me he had a good run to the final. Iv no doubt he will take a few scalps on the our this year.

Glenn lost, so the 3 of us headed to town again for some food. (One thing i noticed, Taxis, and taxi drivers in wigan seem to not have the best business sense_ 600 plus people in the venue and a steady flow of folk looking for cabs from 1-30 onwards, yet everyone i seen had to wait for over an hour for a cab.

We made our way to the last orders in wigan, had a few pints then up to wetherspoons for some food. Back in the room for 6, hours sleep and over to Rileys for a few games of pool.

Day 3

Same as previous 2 days, woke the lads, headed to the café, breakie and off to venue for 9-20. Can in hand, feeling a little better after a win the previous day. Plus played well in the game i lost.
Draw went up, so took myself off out to practice area and had a throw, and they felt ok.

Was playing a young man called J Priestly, the priestly name sends a shiver down my spine.

Nice young fella, but he didn't play like he can im sure of that.

I won this one 5-0 and didn't play great, but a win isa win.

Waited what seemed like ages for the next game. Played ok, think i lost5-2. Don't think i done a lot wrong, apart from losing of course.

We chose Friday as our night out and went on the lash around wigan. Nice few drinks and not in the room till gone 3 ish, so knew Saturday was a right off already.

Day 4

Same routine, woke the lads for 8, in the venue for 9-25.

Didn't practice as was feeling rough, until the draw went up.

Played John goldie. He played well, his last 3 legs 14/13/13 (Rout told me this) Thou i had 3 darts at 36 to win the 4th leg, also 2 at tops to win leg 2.
So may well have been different scoreline, but the right player won.

Few players that caught the eye.

Andy parsons
John goldie
Joe murnan
Kyle Anderson
Pecker woods
Stuart white
Brett claydon
Jason hogg **** (Hogg is a lad i think will make an impact)

A nice few days, and thou not great for spearing, it was an eye opener.

Onto sunday and i got signed in to watch the euro tour qualifiers.

Took a look round and you could see that these lads were 15-18 darters every leg with the odd sub 14 thrown in.

Watched Mr Pipe, ross smith, arron monk, all a class above what i had seen the previous 4 days (Bar for a few i mentioned earlier)

Big thanks to Graham from the pdc for helping me sort out the entries for the E|T for spearing.

Onward now to march 2nd and challenge tour.

PS, 1 big let down, was mister Kist, i somehow expected more from him than i seen him throw over the few days i watched him. . . Kyle Anderson murdered him in there game.

[Gringo]

Day 1

Up early and started off the routine we had planned out, and went and woke spearing and tommy for 8 o clock, to head down for the breakfast.
Breakfast in the hotel (Mercure) isn't the best, infact, we found a little café near the train station and that was spot on, 4 full English and lashings of tea for £16, couldn't go wrong.

Anyway, the breakfast, yeah, wasn't great.

Taxi ordered for 9-10 and got to the venue and can of Guinness in hand for 9-25.

Loads more boards this year than the last time I was here.

32 in the main hall, and 8 out in the bar area. I made the bar area my base from 11-35 or so onwards each day, as it was max 2 to a board for most of the rest of the day.

Draw went up, and I drew Ben songhirst (Spelling isn't great)

First few legs where close on to being classed as pathetic, and found myself 2-0 down to an awful standard, and I could see Ben getting frustrated at himself, and I said if I just upped my own game a small bit I could take this one handy enough, from 2-0 down to 3-2 up and starting to find a bit of range on the board, only to miss 6 darts to go 4-2 up, and at 3-3 there was only one winner.

Lost 5-3 and myself and Ben had a little chat and in his own words he didn't play like he could. I think for a lot of people in the hall this was the case on day 1, apart from Kyle Anderson (Awesome) and Mr Gilding, who played class in the 2 games I seen.

Met a few faces, spud, grubby and a few lads that post across the forums. Enjoyed a natter with each of them.

On day 1 I marked one of the palfreymans and Joe Murnan. No leg over 17 darts, and it turned into a belter, with one or 2 missed doubles, but this was a proper standard of a game.
Joe won it (I think 5-4)

Glenn done best out of us, lost mark barilli (glenn was 4-1 up)

So we headed off after he marked to get some food. Wetherspoons was our next port of call and a few pints and a mixed grill, and backed a few horses for the evening. Back in the room for 6-30, hours sleep and back into Sams bar for a few drinks and a few frames of pool. Seems to be the hangout of choice for the pdc lads when off duty, watched the city game, great result, and headed back to the hotel for 10-30.


Day 2

Same routine as previous morning, alarm for 7-30, woke the other fekkers next door, and headed to mcdonalds for the breakfast. At the venue and first can in hand for 9-25

Read a smart comment or 2 on facebook about me playing over there, and as I said to the 4 or 5 Irish lads sitting together, I was gonna try today.

Draw went up, noticed I was playing Geoff heath (I knew the name for some reason, but wasn't sure why) so I headed into the bar area for 11-40 and had a half hour on a board with Max Hopp (Cracking player to watch in full flow in practice)

Went back into the main hall and seen I was next game on, also on the board was Steve douglas, who was playing as I walked in, and he is well able to throw.

Lost the bull (regular habit this) and Geoff started off pretty well, i took out 319 in 6 darts, (180/139) and Geoff was sat on (32 or 16) 2nd leg i started off well, and took the leg handy enough.

Eventually won 5-0, with Geoff kinda giving up at 4-0.

Next game i played stuart white, have to say i was impressed by his scoring, i think he beat me 5-2 or 5-3, but cant be sure on this one, i think i played ok in this game, no stray darts, and took my shots bar the 6th leg when i had a shot to go 3-3 and missed 3 darts at 36/18.

Stuart won, and have to say he seems like a nice lad, spoke with hi the next day and he told me he had a good run to the final. Iv no doubt he will take a few scalps on the our this year.

Glenn lost, so the 3 of us headed to town again for some food. (One thing i noticed, Taxis, and taxi drivers in wigan seem to not have the best business sense_ 600 plus people in the venue and a steady flow of folk looking for cabs from 1-30 onwards, yet everyone i seen had to wait for over an hour for a cab.

We made our way to the last orders in wigan, had a few pints then up to wetherspoons for some food. Back in the room for 6, hours sleep and over to Rileys for a few games of pool.

Day 3

Same as previous 2 days, woke the lads, headed to the café, breakie and off to venue for 9-20. Can in hand, feeling a little better after a win the previous day. Plus played well in the game i lost.
Draw went up, so took myself off out to practice area and had a throw, and they felt ok.

Was playing a young man called J Priestly, the priestly name sends a shiver down my spine.

Nice young fella, but he didn't play like he can im sure of that.

I won this one 5-0 and didn't play great, but a win isa win.

Waited what seemed like ages for the next game. Played ok, think i lost5-2. Don't think i done a lot wrong, apart from losing of course.

We chose Friday as our night out and went on the lash around wigan. Nice few drinks and not in the room till gone 3 ish, so knew Saturday was a right off already.

Day 4

Same routine, woke the lads for 8, in the venue for 9-25.

Didn't practice as was feeling rough, until the draw went up.

Played John goldie. He played well, his last 3 legs 14/13/13 (Rout told me this) Thou i had 3 darts at 36 to win the 4th leg, also 2 at tops to win leg 2.
So may well have been different scoreline, but the right player won.

Few players that caught the eye.

Andy parsons
John goldie
Joe murnan
Kyle Anderson
Pecker woods
Stuart white
Brett claydon
Jason hogg **** (Hogg is a lad i think will make an impact)

A nice few days, and thou not great for spearing, it was an eye opener.

Onto sunday and i got signed in to watch the euro tour qualifiers.

Took a look round and you could see that these lads were 15-18 darters every leg with the odd sub 14 thrown in.

Watched Mr Pipe, ross smith, arron monk, all a class above what i had seen the previous 4 days (Bar for a few i mentioned earlier)

Big thanks to Graham from the pdc for helping me sort out the entries for the E|T for spearing.

Onward now to march 2nd and challenge tour.

PS, 1 big let down, was mister Kist, i somehow expected more from him than i seen him throw over the few days i watched him. . . Kyle Anderson murdered him in there game.

Superb write up Sir Love reading these write ups.

Who's the clown writing the smart comments may I ask

[TheFlash]

Thanks for sharing, good little read