Paul to put Gaz lights out

PAUL NICHOLSON is set to slam on the shades and plunge Gary Anderson into World Championship darkness. The 39-year-old is back on the big stage after a three-year exile and is ready to dig out the bad-boy routine as he looks to produce an Ally Pally stunner against the Scot. Nicholson was once darts’ pantomime villain and faced the wrath of Phil Taylor as his trash talk upset The Power. The Geordie has mellowed during a slump in form that has seen him miss the Worlds for the past three years and spend his time in the commentary box. But having regained his place at the greatest show in the game Nicholson is ready to become The Asset again as he bids to dump Anderson. And the English-Aussie international has vowed to beat Kevin Burness today to set up a second-round tie against one of the favourites. Nicholson said: “The gloves are off and the shades back on. “At the start of my career I wanted to bring in this separation between Paul Nicholson the person and the actor as a BY CRAIG SWAN player. A bit like what Peter Wright does with Snakebite.

“It’s never been more applicable than now. I work as a pundit where I’m respectful and professional for networks and production companies but when I go up on stage, that all goes out of the window All The Asset wants to do is win and win in entertaining style.

“I don’t want to do this game boring. I’ve never been that kind of player to go up there like a machine, shake the player’s hand and wave to the crowd. I go up there to have fun, entertain and make a difference.

“The last thing we need to sell this sport to over 100 countries are a lot of players who do the same thing.

“There’s no such thing as bad publicity, I’m just a fan of players being different on stage as long as it’s within the rules. I’ve always been an adrenalin player and when it does dip I’ve got to find a way to bring it up.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge because I do deserve it. I can’t wait to get the shades back on.

“The first time I missed the World Championship three years ago I competed in the last-chance play-off in Coventry and didn’t get through. I felt very sorry for myself.

“I’ve been pretty low the last few years but doing all this pundit stuff has built my confidence as a person again and that’s fed into my darts.

“There’s so much more I want to do. When I get on stage it will all come flooding back.”