POWER & THE GLORY
I earned my trade winning pots and pans for mum
Now, having seen, won and done it all, The Power just wants to spend some time with his feet up in his own gaff.
At some point over the next three weeks at the William Hill World Championships in London, the most glittering and decorated career in sport will end when Taylor says goodbye to darts.
In the words of boxing hero Ricky Hatton, had he achieved all of his success in any other sport, the Stoke legend would be classed as the greatest sportsman alive.
Taylor smiles when he looks back on his success. But with 16 World titles in the bag it is time for the 57-year- old to call it quits.
Looking back on his humble beginnings, Taylor said: “My mother insisted you had to work for your board money.
“I left school aged 15 on a Friday and started work on Monday. As soon as I got my little brown wage
packet, I handed it over. I worked seven days a week with no chance of a day off.
“I bet every kid has done it but my mum would shout in the morning: ‘Get up!’
“I’d shout: ‘I’m up!’ but actually be hanging a foot out of the bed and banging it on the floor. “Next thing you know she’d be there with a bucket of water.
“I worked in a factory from 7am until 4pm then came home and welded cars up. Worked behind a bar Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. My wages were £22.
“My dad played darts for the Riley Arms. An old fella came to me when I was 10 and said I’d be the best player in the world. I thought: ‘ What’s he on about?’
“I went on holiday and there was an exhibition across the road. If you beat the pros, you got a bottle of wine. I kept winning and the rep sa id I couldn’t get any more because I’d won about 10 bottles.
“In those days everything was given to us by mum and dad. Blankets, pots and pans. Old settees.
“So I’d go through the whole house and set about buying stuff. I’d go to an event and say to mum, ‘ What do we need?’ She’d say: ‘Saucepans, Phil.’
“I’d think, ‘If I get to the quarterfinals, I can get those saucepans. Then if I get to the semis, I can buy towels.’ You always had something to play for.”
Taylor’s dedication saw him take a step
to the next level when king of the game Eric Bristow offered to make him the best by becoming his backer in the late 1980s.
The Power explained: “Eric took interest in me. When he’d come in the room, I was terrified of him.
“He offered me a sponsorship. It was lovely of him but he did it on the condition that I paid him back which was perfect. “Every time he saw me, he’d say: ‘ You owe me five grand.’ “If he came into the room and saw me sitting down he’d say: ‘ What you sitting down for? You better get on that practice board, you owe me five grand.’ “Soon as he walks in now, I start practising but he made me a winner.”
Bristow found out the hard way that his plan had worked.
In 1990, the pupil beat his master in the World Final. It was the f irst of 16. Now, 27 years on, Taylor is preparing for his last but there’s no regrets.
Speaking in an exclusive Sky Sports Darts documentary that will be screened on Thursday, he said: “When I won my first World Championship Michael van Gerwen was just five. “I’m not enjoying it anymore. It’s a lot of pressure on me and I’m old when many of the players are young. I haven’t a clue what they are talking about, twittering and whatever else. “A lot of sports people miss it when they retire because their careers are short. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. Hal f my l i fe. It’s my time.
“You need to be dedicated and I’m not prepared to do that anymore. “I want to see my grandkids, do stuff, go on holiday, go home. I just want to sit and watch telly. “People talk about Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Roger Federer and say he’s won this and that. I’ve won more than that lot put together and could times it by 10. “Will I miss it? Of course but I’m not thinking about it. I’ll go teary.” Watch the World Championship Darts live and exclusive on the Sky Sports Darts HD (Ch408).
It’s a lot of pressure on me and I’m old when the others are young. It’s changed