Angus teenager follows in footsteps of oche legends

DARTS: Forfar Academy pupil joins ‘The Power’ after signing deal with Target Darts

Young Angus darts protégé Nathan Girvan is following in the footsteps of some of the sports greatest-ever players.

The 15-year-old Craichie lad has signed a four-year deal with Target Darts who also have 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, 2018 winner Rob Cross and five-time champion Raymond van Barneveld in their ranks.

The sponsorship deal means that Forfar Academy pupil Nathan’s darts and equipment will now be supplied by the manufacturer ahead of his return to the famous Lakeside stage in January to contest a world final.

Nathan battled through tough competition at Bridlington Spa to book his place in the final of the BDO Lakeside World Youth Championships for the second time in three years.

He defeated England’s Connor Arberry 3-2 to set up a date with England’s Leighton Bennett which will take place in front of a worldwide TV audience of millions.

Nathan has been throwing darts for as long as he can remember but things started to get serious when he joined the Angus Darts Academy, which is based at the Café Project in Arbroath.

He was unbeatable from the time he started playing every week at the academy which is run by Arbroath and Scotland darts player Alan Soutar.

Soutar said: “This is a huge highlight and massively proud moment for Angus Darts Academy. Nathan is joining a darts company which can boast a few stars such as Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting.

“I would like to wish Nathan the very best of luck and I hope that he takes this opportunity with both hands. Darts can lift you to different places if you want it enough. Dedication is often rewarded.”

Nathan has a gruelling practice regime which he puts in place when he gets home from school each day.

He also studies some of the oche’s greatest players and will be given a tough test in January’s final by Bennett who stunned the darting world in August by winning his first senior event aged 12.

The Lakeside final in January will be shown live on Channel 4 in the UK and screened across Europe.

Nathan was defeated by Holland’s Justin Van Tergouw when he competed in the final in 2017.