Brilliant fans got me out of Barney Rubble
Raw emotion of playing in Glasgow for final time got to Dutch star before crowd helped him stage recovery
EMOTIONAL Raymond van Barneveld admits his Hydro heroics were driven by a fear of failing on his last visit to Glasgow.
The Dutchman produced a stunning fightback to grab a draw with Gerwyn Price in the Unibet Premier League on a night of huge significance.
Van Barneveld was roared on by his adopted 11,000 home crowd inside the Hydro.
And the five-times world champ confessed the recovery from 6-2 down to draw 6-6 with the Welshman was fuelled by knowing he’d never savour that backing again.
Barney, who retires at the end of this year, said: “The fans never let me down. They are like this every time I’m here.
“I was in the car on the way to the Hydro and I was thinking, ‘Hold on. Is this the last time I’m coming here?’
“That’s a really strange feeling because you never know. I give up at the end of the year and I didn’t really see this coming.
“The end is hard to feel. When you think of coming to Glasgow for the last time to play, it’s hard to accept.
“I can’t handle this any more, the defeats, the travelling. Every time you give your best then sometimes for what?
“But it’s great. You want to be on stage in Glasgow and you want to win for those fantastic fans and not let them down. I love Scotland.”
Barney admits the ability to succeed has dipped but wants to keep driving towards a fairytale finale.
He added: “You want to win and lift trophies. That’s what I do for a living and did for many years.
“If you don’t do that, apart from winning the World Cups with Michael van Gerwen, it gets into your system.
“You have to try to play your best games even if it’s your last year.
“Then four darts came out of the board and I’m thinking this never ever happens to me. So why is it happening on stage? It never happens in practice. One or two is okay but four?
“I actually looked upstairs and said, ‘Really?’ I’m really working hard, I’ve got motivation this year, I want to go back to my old form.
“Sometimes you are leading at 1-0 and then suddenly losing 6-2. I’m then thinking, ‘Wow, what just happened?’
“All credit to Gerwyn he probably should have won. The crowd undoubtedly helped me. I don’t know what it is to be booed by the crowd.
“I’m pretty sure Gerwyn got a hard time and he will suffer every single week. I feel sorry for him.
“He was amazing hitting two trebles every visit.
“But I was lucky, he missed at the end and let me in to get the draw.
“I tried to do my best but he was so sharp, he gave me one chance. I can only be happy.”
PDC new boy Glen Durrant confessed he also got a helping hand from the Hydro hordes. The Teessider took the place of injured home hero Gary Anderson for the Glasgow showpiece but got a little assistance from the Scot’s camp.
Durrant held an Anderson scarf aloft during his walk-on and said: “The idea was Rachel Ford’s, Gary’s partner.
“She messaged me on Facebook and said it might be a good thing.
“It was tongue in cheek and I took that on board. The crowd were just immense.
“As soon as I held the scarf in the air there were a lot of cheers. So I was like, ‘Thanks Rachel, that could be a good thing!
“That was an amazing stage. The Hydro was easily the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of.”
When you think of coming to Glasgow for the last time to play, it’s hard to accept
VAN BARNEVELD