A double delight from darts night
IT’S the unlikeliest of sporting arenas.
Found just off a busy crossroads in a bustling Cardiff suburb, the Grange is an archetypal community pub offering a cosy decor, friendly bar staff and a wide range of guest ales – but, at first glance, it doesn’t appear to be anything more than that.
It is only when your eye is drawn from the dried hops decorating the bar to the large illuminated dartboard on the western wall that you get an inkling that this place is far more than just the local boozer.
It’s Monday night, darts night, and the Grange team – or “The Underdogs”– are preparing for the seventh game of their league campaign.
I first met them in February 2020 while working in Grangetown and was taken aback both by their team spirit and their openness in talking about how the sport had aided their mental health.
Since then, of course, the world has been turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic with forced isolation and anxiety about the spread of virus causing many people’s mental health to plummet. So what’s it like to finally be back? “It’s amazing,” smiled Mike Houghton, one of the founding members of the team, which was set up in 2017, as he took a sip of his pint and watched his five teammates test their aim on the board in front of us.
“There’s something so familiar and comforting about it. Some things have changed of course – a few of the lads have had to leave as they’ve moved away but I think we’ve realised what we were missing since we’ve got back to playing again and our team spirit has definitely strengthened.”
He paused to watch two arrows destined for the triple 20 creep inside the threshold of the one and five, with a third falling outside of the board altogether.
“Our darts still aren’t great though,” he laughed. “That’s one thing that hasn’t changed.”
Mike is not the only one grinning. The whole team – led ably by pub landlord Dai Dearden – are in high spirits as they step up to the oche, able to see the funny side of their occasionally wayward darts and clearly delighted to have each other’s company again after a tumultuous 18 months.
There’s a real mix of characters, all united by a navy blue polo shirt with a hastily-chosen nickname emblazoned across the back.
As well as Mike and Dai there’s theatre worker Andrew Lovell, BBC sound man Andy Heard, the “Grampy” of the group Martin Grist, and his son Scott.
While they live very different lives for six days a week, Monday night has become the most important night of the week for all of them, offering a brief escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life.
“Throughout lockdown it was one of the big misses in our lives,” Andrew admitted. “A lot of us have dartboards in our house so we could still play darts – but it’s not the same.
“We were counting down the days for the pubs to re-open and the fixtures to come through from the league just so we’d know when we could all see each other again.”
Having played their last game the night before pubs were ordered to shut in March 2020, the Underdogs returned to action in October. This season sees them play in the Premier Division of the Cardiff & Whitchurch District Darts League for the first time ever after the leagues were reshuffled following the pandemic.
“Yeah, it’s tough,” Mike laughed. “We’ve lost six on the bounce now and we’re second from bottom in the table – there are some really good teams in this league.”
“It’s not about that this year though,” added Martin. “I don’t think many teams will care as much about winning the league this year as they would have done before Covid.
“This year is about being back playing darts with your mates and getting that sense of normality back.”
Tonight’s opponents, the Cross Keys “Predators” from Dinas Powys, have arrived in Penarth Road and more noise and laughter fills the room.
Before the big game begins, how- ever, there’s time for the team to reflect on the past 18 months or so.
“A lot of the boys found lockdown a lot harder than they thought they would, myself included,” said Andy. “I do struggle with anxiety and I found that got worse being in isolation to the point where I did consider not coming back to play darts. Being in a room with lots of people was terrifying for me but I’m glad I decided to get back into it.
“Everyone’s bucket was full for different reasons,” added Mike. “We weren’t in contact as much as we were before it all happened but we would still message each other on the WhatsApp chat from time to time and made sure we all knew we were there for each other.”
With the pubs shut for the foreseeable future, Martin, recognising how important regular games were for some members of the league, helped to set up a weekly virtual darts competition via Zoom to provide a valuable distraction and opportunity to socialise with fellow players.
“The online league became so important. In fact when we’d say we were thinking of stopping it after a few weeks people were begging us to keep it going as it was their only form of release.”
Dai is up first as the opening game gets under way and it’s a frustrating start as he comes millimetres from victory.
He shakes his head with disappointment and takes a surly swig of his pint but any groans are drowned out by the shouts of encouragement from his team. The positivity in the room is incredible and you can feel any tension that was initially brought into it slowly ebb away.
“Darts has helped me a lot,” said Mike, as Scott steps up to the oche for the second game. “And I think that’s because the setting is very casual and laid-back.
“When I walked in earlier one of the guys asked me how my day was and I instinctively did the old: ‘Oh, it was fine’ thing – but I’m so comfortable with these guys that I then said: ‘Actually it was a bit rubbish’ and explained what had happened.
“I’ll be honest, I probably won’t remember a few of the minor gripes the lads have talked about after tonight but it’s just about letting everyone
have their space to offload and just relax and enjoy themselves.”
Mike is interrupted by a huge congratulatory roar as young Scott takes the second game. With a huge grin on his face he’s wrapped up in a hug by Dai and his dad while fist bumps from the rest of the team are forthcoming. Everyone is delighted for him.
“That, right there, is the feelgood factor of darts,” said Martin as he returned to his seat. “Confidence is something that Scott struggles with sometimes but it will be sky-high now just from winning that game.”
Dai joins us at the table: “It’s all about having fun and encouraging each other,” he said. “Everyone wants everyone to do well and enjoy themselves.”
The Underdogs go 3-1 down but the discussion continues on just why this style of darts is such a tonic for the blues.
“It’s a great kickstart to the week,” said Andrew. “Whether it’s jobs or family life, everyone’s got different stresses and strains and having that outlet for a rant and a moan is so valuable.
“Anyone can play it too, it’s a very accessible game. You can play it standing around in a pub having a drink like we do – all you need are your darts.”
Unfortunately the Underdogs will have to keep looking for their first win as they fell to a 6-3 loss. But the result is not the most important thing.
As the final hip-hip-hoorays are exchanged it’s hard not to feel uplifted by the positivity that has flooded the room during the last three hours.
“It doesn’t matter that we didn’t win,” stresses Martin as the team packs up. “We’ll get there eventually – we know we will. The important thing to remember, though, is every game, every night – darts is the winner.”
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A lot of the boys found lockdown a lot harder than they thought they would, myself included
Andy Heard