The 2015 World Champion reveals he nearly called it a day after Q School disappointment.
Former BDO World Champion Scott Mitchell has said that he was considering retirement from Darts after failing to regain his Tour Card at Q School – but a phone call hours afterwards changed the outlook for Scotty Dog.
“I ended up playing players on three out of the four days who ended up gaining cards. It was frustrating as I wasn’t really outplayed in any of my matches. I missed the darts here and there to break in close matches, and with the quality of opponent they cleaned up more often than not.”
When I asked about the process leading to his participation in the World Seniors Darts Championship this month, he was honest about his feelings at the time:
“It was difficult. I had a few sulky hours, not happy with how things panned out, as I was reflecting on what could have gone slightly differently, as I felt I could have ended up with more points, as I didn’t exactly miss out by one. It reached a point where I was contemplating retirement, as I just felt like there was nowhere to go. You also wonder about sponsors, and whether they’ll still be behind you. That’s when you phone home and I phoned Sharon (his wife) who was trying to convince me that the year would be a good one. It was after a few hours that the head of the World Seniors Darts Tour called me up to invite me onto the Tour for the year, and I accepted.”
The World Seniors Darts Tour hosts numerous events over the course of the calendar year, featuring invited players such as the likes of Scott, 16x World Champion Phil Taylor, and last year’s Champion Robert Thornton, as well as a number of qualifiers. The Seniors Tour is open to all arrowsmiths over er the age of 50 and without a PDC Tour Card.
When asked if he could go all the way, Mitchell was optimistic about his chances:
“I see no reason why not. I’m more current than most of the players having only just come off the Tour. The standard will be higher this year without doubt, when you look at the current field and potential future players, like John Henderson, who turns 50 in a few months. I think you’re seeing the emergence of a number of players who were unlucky not to get a break on TV when they were on the Tour.”
Thanks again to Scott for giving up his time to talk to me. You can watch the World Seniors from Thursday, when Scott plays his opening match in the final game of the Evening Session against Peter Manley on BT Sport and the BBC Red Button and Online Platforms. in the UK.