Adrian Lewis stormed off World Darts Championship stage over Peter Manley antics
Tensions can run excessive on the oche. Never extra so than when within the stress cooker of the World Championships – one thing Adrian Lewis is aware of all too effectively.
The pinnacle darts competitors returned to our screens final week for this 12 months’s championships, full with the wild, jubilant and typically hostile scenes at Alexandra Palace. But whereas the group at Ally Pally can increase the temperature for these concerned, it is nothing in comparison with the cosy environment of its former venue, the Circus Tavern in Essex, the place the quarter-final match between Lewis and rival Peter Manley in 2006 reached boiling level.
Manley – fifth seed for the event – was forward 3-1 on units and was tied at a leg apiece with twentieth seed Lewis within the fifth set. Manley then missed three probabilities to take a look at, permitting his opponent the prospect to edge forward within the set, earlier than Lewis stormed off stage.
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In footage of the match, it was apparent Manley muttered one thing to Lewis simply earlier than he was about to take his shot and get the subsequent leg beneath approach. Clearly incensed by his opponent’s feedback, a livid Lewis walked straight off stage and into the backstage space to regain his composure, leaving a shocked Manley to throw some follow photographs on his personal as the group launched right into a loud refrain of boos.
But what was their flashpoint all about?
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“Everyone needs to know what I mentioned behind Adrian’s again, that’s one of the crucial requested questions,” Manley told Daily Star Sportlast year. “It was like ‘you’re having a laugh’ and in my mind I’m thinking ‘just get on with it’. He was messing about, going on longer about it than it was actually worth.”
(Image: livedarts/Twitter)
Lewis would return round a minute or so later to renew the match – one he would finally lose 5-3 as he crashed out of the event. “That was the year Sky and everyone had built him up for a [Phil] Taylor-Lewis final, and he didn’t get there did he,” added Manley.
Indeed it was Manley who would go all the way in which to the ultimate, solely to be thrashed by Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor 7-0 in a one-sided contest. But what about his relationship with Lewis?
(Image: livedarts/Twitter)
Well, moderately than or not it’s the beginning of a long-running feud, Manley made the primary transfer to appease the state of affairs and claims he and Lewis truly grew to become actually good buddies.
“We went to a tournament soon after and he walked past me. I’m not one to fester on things. At the end of the day, we were going to be seeing each other,” Manley explained.
“Adrian has become a good friend, he’s my wife’s favourite. There’s no anonymity there now, it’s great. He went on to win two world titles. It was never in doubt that he was going to do that.”
(Image: PA)
While Lewis bagged two world titles, Manley’s 2006 effort was the third and final time he’d attain the ultimate, having additionally misplaced to Taylor in 1999 and 2002. He did win one main title, nevertheless, beating John Part within the remaining of the Vegas Desert Classic in 2003 and was even ranked as world No.1 on two events.
“They [the fans] remember me for Vegas and obviously for the character, because I didn’t really hold back,” Manley added. “I just said what I felt.”