I’LL WIN 5 WORLD TITLES BEFORE I QUIT
Scots star Snakebite confident he can add to his 2020 crown
PETER WRIGHT reckons he will win at least five world titles before he retires – and that he’ll still be rocking his Mohawk at 60.
And Snakebite has a message for the haters who don’t admire the artwork that goes into his colourful hair sculptures: “If you don’t like it, don’t watch.”
When Wright won the William Hill PDC World Championship in 2020, two months before his 50th birthday, it looked like the dawn of a golden age for his wife Jo’s crimpers and tongs.
But he crashed out against German giant Gabriel Clemens in the third round behind closed doors last year and can’t wait to get the party started at the fancydress convention tonight against English outsider Ryan Meikle.
Wright turns up to major tournaments with boxes of eggs from his chicken run at home in Suffolk as presents for his rivals.
And he hasn’t been putting all his eggs in one basket in 2021, winning the World Matchplay, the Players’ Championship finals and teaming up with John Henderson to win the World Cup of Darts for Scotland.
Wright said: “I think I can still be playing probably another nine years because there’s only
a handful of good players – really good players – out there who can stop me.
“There are lots of good players who can beat you on any day but not all the time.
“They will come, they will drop. I will see them come up and then I will see them disappear again.
“I will be around and I feel good to carry on. I am still young in terms of winning majors. I got to many finals and never knew
how to get over that line.
“I eventually did it and it became pretty easy for me.
“I reckon I will win the world title at least five times before I retire.
“Gezzy [Gerwyn Price] is going to go off, Jonny [Clayton] will go up and come back down, so it’s just going to be Michael van Gerwen in my way of picking up so many trophies.
“I know how to beat him. He’s becoming good again but it will inspire me to play better. I’m waiting for the world championship that’s worth £1million to the winner – then I’ll come out of retirement!”
Wright’s Mohawk and collection of 48 kaleidoscopic outfits make him the most recognisable player on the circuit, and the only surprise is they haven’t run out of war paint yet in Suffolk.
Each design takes two to three hours in the barber’s chair while his wife prepares more bespoke colours.
Wright added: “I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of it unless Jo wasn’t around. I wouldn’t have anyone else doing it.
“We’re married and we don’t need to talk. She just keeps telling me to stop moving my head. She also tells me about the next player who I’m facing, what happened when he last played, what he needs to improve on.”