He was the defending champion, and I came back from 3-1 down and won it four sets to three. As soon as I made the breakthrough, everything seemed easier. In the final I beat Eric Bristow 6-0.”Within a few months, however, it was clear that professional darts was in serious trouble “In some ways I blame the top names at the time They should have done more in the late Eighties. Someone took snooker by the scruff of the neck and made it what it is, but we didn’t do the same, even though darts has a lot of advantages.

We’re done and dusted in a couple of hours, you’ve got high scoring and then the tension of the finish, all that ebb and flow. And you can’t play safe at darts.”For all the frustration, though, it is doubtful whether even millionaire status would make much difference to Priestley. He lives opposite the house in which he was born, and sees the devoted band of family and friends – the Mexborough Mafia – which follows him around the country as a indication that success has not left its mark. “It can go to some people’s heads,” Priestley says, “and it might have gone to mine if it had happened a lot younger, but they’re all friends I’ve had a long time and I don’t think I’ve changed I’m very lucky to have them to support me John Lowe might turn up with a driver and that’s it. Obviously he’s got his supporters but they’re not really close people.”Priestley’s success has been a precious source of pride for Mexborough, which has changed immeasurably since his father worked down the pit by night and built up a business during the day, “to set his kids up with a better chance”. As a result, Priestley has never been down a mine, though as a former coal merchant, “I’ve seen plenty of it, but I relied on other people to get it up”. He has also seen Mexborough’s working pits dwindle into extinction, and much of the local economy with them “It’s a nice town with history, but it’s really suffering.

We used to have a thriving main street and now it’s a ghost town. Unemployment is 25 per cent.”That he could easily be another statistic is not lost on Priestley. “I’ve been very fortunate, things have dropped into place very nicely throughout my life. I sold the business in 1980 and started doing contract work, which gave me more time to practise my darts. If I’d stayed in the coal game there wouldn’t be much of a living now, and I would not want to be throwing bags of it around in my forties.” Indeed, there can be few sportsmen who are so firmly attached to their roots, and even if he has never been underground, there is much of the miner’s character in Priestley.There is the appetite for hard work. “When things aren’t right, you’ve got to practise more, there’s no other way back. I don’t think Eric’s ever been able to accept that.” And there is the strength of character which keeps his throwing hand steady at the most stressful of times “What it comes down to at the end of the day is bottle.

Whether that’s something you can work on or something that’s just in you, I don’t know. I’ve had stacks of nervy moments with doubles, and some of them I’ve missed. But I’ve hit more.”From The Cowboy to Bravedart: A lexicon of nicknamesBob Anderson From Swindon World ranking: 5. Known as “The Limestone Cowboy” – keen country music fan.Eric Bristow Leek, Staffs Ranking: 14. “The Crafty Cockney” because he is a crafty Cockney.Keith Deller Ipswich Aged 36 Ranking: 9. “Suffolk Punch” because of his roots and his knockout style.Peter Evison Ranking: 6.

“The Fen Tiger” – he is from the Fens and has a tigerish temperament.Rod Harrington Chelmsford Ranking: 7. “The Prince of Style” because he wears a tie and drinks mineral water.Jamie Harvey Barrhead, Renfrewshire Ranking: 5. “Bravedart” after the Scottish legend Braveheart.Cliff Lazarenko Wellingborough Ranking: 10 “Big” because he is.John Lowe Chesterfield Ranking: 8 “The Elder Statesman” out of respect.Chris Mason Bristol Ranking: 19 “Mace the Ace” Mason abbreviation.Steve Raw Bishop Auckland Ranking: 13. “The Lion” because when he plays he “raws” like one.Kevin Spiolek Cambridge Ranking: 11 “The Pope” – he sounds Polish?Graeme Stoddart Newcastle Ranking: 16 “Shark” – he preys on rivals.Phil Taylor May Bank, Staffs Ranking: 2. “The Power” because he is regarded as the finest player ever.Alan Warriner Lancaster Ranking: 3 “The Ice Man” – the coolest of players.. I would be the first to admit that getting paid to watch sport on television is a pretty cushy number, on a par with quality control work at Maison Krug or a post in the road- testing department at Mates.