Eric was the world's top darts player from 1980 until 1987. He
helped bring the pastime out of smoky pubs and onto television. In the 1970's
darts wasn't in the media much but Eric's accuracy with a dart and his cocky
imposing approachable manner made it popular (the first world championship was in
1978.) People forgave his big-headedness when they witnessed his outstanding talent.
He had the common touch and didn't mind mixing with fans. He was so popular
that when the darting magic deserted him he made a handsome living by attending
venues. Here I am outside one of these venues where he collapsed and died.
This
calm accurate player notched up countless wins: Winmau
World Masters (5 times) World Cup Singles (4 times), Swedish Open (3 times),
North American Open (4 times), News of the World Darts Championship and the British
Open. The winning streak oddly deserted him in November 1986 when he started
suffering from “Dartitis” - a psychological condition
where you can’t let go of a dart properly. He was never the same player again. He
became a mentor having found a raw talent called Phil Taylor in the 1980s,
sponsoring him and helping him become the greatest darts player...ever.
Eric
worked as a TV pundit and spotter for Sky Sports, was awarded the MBE for his
services to sport in 1989 and appeared on ITV's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here in 2012. He was never bothered
about money though. His biggest payday came in 1989 when he won a final in
Japan an pocketed £42,000 but he often gambled £1000 on gambling machines.
While in Leek I found his detached house which he’d bought for £130,000 but it
was no sprawling mansion. Where did all the money go? I'm not sure - wasted on gambling
probably.
Regarding
family matters his partner for nine years was a former darts player called Maureen
Flowers. A couple of years after they split up in 1989 he married Jane and they
had a son and a daughter. After sixteen years of marriage they divorced and he
was with Rebecca Gadd - until the end.
Here
I am at the location where he died in at Albert Dock in Liverpool (afraid the
photos are rather dark.) On 5th April 2018 Eric had been a guest at a darts
event held at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. When it was over he was walking back
to his car which was parked at the nearby Pullman Hotel. He stopped to roll a
cigarette and was half way through when he collapsed. A taxi driver called
Ricky Nichol waiting for a fare outside the hotel saw the legend crumple and
fall. He was trained in First Aid and tried to help (along with an off-duty
nurse who happened to be passing.) He started pummelling Eric’s chest until the
ambulance came but he never regained consciousness. The ambulance arrived and
rushed Eric to hospital but he was dead before they got there. Later his
partner said of his cigarette, “It was half-rolled on the pavement next to him.
He probably got to heaven and thought, "I didn’t get to have my fag.”
It
was doubtful he'd get old. He was walking a mobile heart-attack-in-waiting
having drank ten to fifteens pints of Guinness on match days for many years. He
wasn’t an alcoholic and often stopped drinking for weeks when he wasn't
playing. His partner said alcohol didn’t affect him yet he “never played sober
in his life.” Later she revealed Eric was secretly worried about his health but
told nobody. He had chest pains hours before he collapsed writing in his diary:
“Thursday waiting for Joe to pick me up. Feel bad. Cold sweats. It feels like
my heart is going to explode. Don’t like it. Going to ECHO - the show must go
on.”
I
took the photos (and some footage) one Christmas as I was walking back to my
car parked near the cathedral. It was night and the pictures aren't brill. Being a geek I've also included some photos of the
crematorium where Eric was turned to ash. It's in Staffordshire which surprised
me. I always thought he lived in London but he’d moved up to Leek and made it
his home there. He'd moved there to help mentor Phil Taylor (he did a good job
- Phil won the World Champion 16 times.) I had a stroll around the crematorium
and looked at the chimney where some of the darts superstar was expelled.
Perhaps he liked cats as the family didn't want flowers but donations to Iris's
Cats in Need. I did a salute and left.
Stood outside the Pullman Hotel.
Eric died here somewhere...
Thought to be the last photograph
taken of Eric...
Eric died a few metres from this
spot...
Eric was cremated here...