New Maltby darts club hits the bullseye
A NEW darts club has launched at Maltby Academy with former world champion Dennis Priestley as guest of honour.
The project has been organised by Maltby Community Hub Community Interest Company and aims to create new opportunities for young people and grassroots players in the town through structured darts sessions and coaching.
Priestley’s appearance gives the launch a major boost. The former miner, nicknamed “The Menace”, is one of the biggest names produced by Yorkshire darts.
Born in Mexborough, he became one of the sport’s leading figures during the 1990s and remains one of only a handful of players to win world titles in both the BDO and PDC organisations.
He won the BDO World Championship in 1991, defeating Eric Bristow in the final, and claimed the PDC World Championship in 1994 after the split in the professional game.
Priestley was also runner-up in several major televised finals during an era dominated by Phil Taylor and helped establish the early success of the PDC circuit.
His South Yorkshire roots have always remained a major part of his appeal, making him a natural fit for a community-based project in Maltby and Rotherham.
The launch also reflects the continuing growth of darts at grassroots level following the sport’s recent popularity boom, driven by packed arenas, television audiences and the rise of younger players such as Luke Littler.