The Red Lion pub in Wednesfield has been chosen as the venue for the final of a national darts competition this month, and will be joined by darts legend Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
The pub, on Amos Lane, will welcome Phil Taylor, arguably the greatest darts player of all time, and the top twenty pub players in the country for a thrilling day and evening of competitive darts this Sunday 8th December 2013.
The competition, organised by Protégé Events, aims to unearth the next world-class darts player from the huge wealth of talented players that compete in pubs up and down the country. Over the course of the last few months players have taken part in a ‘Phil Taylor Challenge’ in their local pubs resulting in four regional finals around the country. The national final, to be held this Sunday 8th December at the Red Lion will include the top four finalists from each regional event, all of whom have won the a place at darts qualifying school run by the Professional Darts Corporation. In addition to these sixteen players, a wild card entry place has been offered to one player and three up-and-coming young players, aged between 12 and 14, (the highest placed under-18s) will also take part.
The top two will then go head to head to compete to become Phil Taylor’s Darts Protégé on stage at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championships on Sunday 22nd December at the Alexandra Palace in London.
The final at the Red Lion is free for spectators to attend although tickets must be applied for at the pub in advance. The competition, which sees the final twenty whittled down to two, will take place from 1pm, concluding at approximately 6pm. Then, following a short break, ‘The Power’ will then be joined by fellow darts superstar Dean ‘Over the Top’ Winstanley from 7.30pm as they mentor the players and take part in exhibition games. During the evening WKD will be offering customers special samples to try.
Explaining his hopes for finding the next darts superstar in the competition Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor said, “Without a shadow of a doubt there is definitely going to be another Phil Taylor out there. I’ve looked at all the talent and what’s going on around me. There are fantastic players but I honestly believe you are going to get a player come through who hasn’t even played darts yet. I am going to put my money where my mouth is and pay for the sixteen to go to Qualifying School and I can guarantee it, one of those sixteen will make it!”
Chris Clegg from competition organisers, Protege Events commented, “As a sport, darts has its roots in the community pubs up and down the country where we know there is enormous hidden talent. This competition offers those who dream of turning their hobby into a career, the chance to make that reality. The Red Lion is the perfect setting for this final as it fits the bill as a local pub supporting local talent. By bringing the final to the Red Lion, darts fans can come along as spectators and watch matches between some of the best players in the world in a darts grassroots setting.”
General Manager of the Red Lion in Wednesfield, Nigel Moore said, “It’s an absolute honour to be chosen to host the final in our pub. To think that one or more of those competing here on 8th December could one day go on to be a world-class player like Phil, is thrilling.”