Wade’s the daddy

JAMES WADE dedicated the biggest payday of his darts career to his baby son after his dramatic European Championship triumph.

The ‘Machine’ bagged his first Major title for seven years, silencing 7,500 noisy fans in Dortmund by knocking out German hope Max Hopp in a sudden-death semi-final thriller.

And Wade’s 11-8 win in the final against Simon Whitlock capped a memorable month for the Aldershot left-hander, inset, who became a father three weeks ago when his wife Sammi gave birth to 7lb 15oz Arthur.

Wade, 35, won his last TV title at the 2014 Masters in Edinburgh, but his last major ranking event win

was the 2011 UK Open in Bolton. He has also had battles with bipolar illness and said: “I’ve gone through tough times, but that is for my son, Arthur.

“It’s an amazing feeling and I’m going to enjoy this. I went into every game here battling.”