[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]




When people argue over whether darts can be classified as an actual sport or merely pub entertainment, they often comment on the non-athletic stature of the players themselves. For those who suggest the game is only suitable for the lager-swilling chain smokers of Britain’s public houses, one name always supports their argument: Andy Fordham. A man known more for his weight than his ability with the darts, the man nicknamed ‘The Viking’ for his 6ft frame and hefty beard became one of the more recognisable faces alongside Phil Taylor in the darts world.

He burst onto the scene in 1995, featuring regularly in the BDO World Darts Championship, and reaching the semi-finals three times in five years. A couple of poor campaigns followed, before he finally achieved his ultimate goal, attaining the World Title in 2004, beating strong favourite Raymond Van Barneveld in the Semi Final, before seeing off Mervyn King in the final. Then it all went wrong. His world ranking fell faster than his weight climbed, and he has since failed to win a World Championship match. Unfortunately, health problems have seriously marred his progress in the game. Indeed, after withdrawing from a match with Phil Taylor in 2004, a visit to the doctors’ informed him that 75% of his liver was dead and he was urged to stop drinking immediately. Sound advice given that his regular pre-match tipple consisted not of Powerade, but 25 bottles of lager. Fordham himself claims not to remember the final of his 2004 title win, and Phil Taylor commented on his profound drinking ability, stating ‘I’ve seen some big drinkers in my time but never anyone like Andy Fordham, never.’ Whilst his darts career stagnated, he disappeared off the map after a 9 month lay off following a serious health scare and cirrhosis of the liver.

Fordham burst back onto the public platform once more in 2005- just not the one facing a darts board. An appearance on Celebrity Fit Club set the ball rolling for a weight loss regime that saw him fall from an astonishing 31 stone to a more manageable 16, making him literally half the man he used to be. Gone was the ice cream, the takeaways and chocolate biscuits, but also gone was the successful darts career he once enjoyed. Phil Taylor questioned the desire of his former competitor back in 2008. ‘Will he be at the top again? I don’t think so, I’m not sure he’s got the ambition to be at the top level again.’ His words were to be proved right, as Andy now barely features in any darts tournaments, never mind the major ones. His world ranking has now slipped to 303, having not won any prize money since 2009, but he still vehemently defends darts as a sport, outlining his opinion in an interview last year: ‘I’m not having a go at any other sport, but shooting’s in the Olympics and they lie on the floor. It’s not a fitness thing, darts. But mentally and physically a long game can be exhausting. For me there’s no doubt, darts is a sport. If we keep battling it’ll get recognised in the end.’

Although his career may have fallen by the wayside, Fordham has finally hit the bull’s-eye with his life objectives; not a drop of alcohol has been touched since 2007, whilst his weight remains at a stable level. His career is ending where it all started, down the pub, albeit behind the bar pulling the pints. We may no longer hear the cries of ‘180’ where Andy Fordham is concerned, but the Viking still remains a cult hero in the game.
Comments: I wish Andy all the best in the future, is back drinking? I personally don't know!

No andy fans ?

I'm new to the game but I love Andy.

For me he just proves that a sport isn't necessarily about physically beating an opponent through strength. A sport is anything that requires a physical action and pure concentration, and to be in the shape he was and compete at the world level... well arguing against him is like saying Sumo isn't a sport.

Ok, sure. They're really, really fat guys.

But they can draw their testicles up inside their bodies at will. It's mind over matter that makes Sumo, darts, archery, shooting, shotput, javelin and probably a dozen other sport into actual sports. Not physical strength or endurance.

So does a sport require physical ability alone? Lance Armstrong can't draw his testicles up at will, can he?

Too soon?



Love you Andy. Hope to see you raiding the stage again mate.

Cheers!

Mike

I'm a fan of the Viking, and as you know I met him a couple of weeks ago at a competition. If he can get himself back to how he was after celebrity fit club then his back problems would not go away completely but would definitely be far less painful, and I think he could get back up on the big stage.

I think the desire is there as he put his name down for Q School this year - if he didn't think he could do it, or more importnantly didn't want to do it, then why put your name down.

Personally I really hope he can get a bit of his fitness back and bounce back - but unfortunately I don't think he will

Well the pics of him when he was younger show that he was a fit slim guy. I guess its only his heavy drinking that got him so overweight, which is a shame.

Maybe he was a player who needed a drink to help settle him down, then it just became a bad habit which almost killed him.

Would love to see the guy playing at the top again though.

MC 1958 was Andy drinking when you saw him?

Don't know how much he drank that night, but he did drink about a half pint during the game I watched

He is still probably my all-time favourite player along with Jocky Wilson.



'Fordham himself claims not to remember the final of his 2004 title win'

If that quote is genuine that is really scary. Does he mean his long-term memory has diminished or would he have forgotten shortly afterwards?

I suppose it's the same as someone walking home drunk and next day they can't remember getting home.

mc1958 wrote:

Don't know how much he drank that night, but he did drink about a half pint during the game I watched

Thats a shame cuz 1/2 pint is a lot for such a short period of time. I wish Andy all the best.

It's a shame if he has gone back to drinking! When I last spoke with Tony O'Shea I asked him if Andy Fordham was still drinking and he told me that he doesn't touch a drop anymore but drinks the non alcoholic equivalents instead.

He did tell me though that a group of them were staying in a hotel (abroad somewhere) and Andy asked the bartender for a non-alcoholic lager. He was given his drink, started drinking it and then commented to another bar person on how nice it was and tasted better than any other non-alcoholic beer that he had tasted before, to which the bartender said, we don't sell any non-alcoholic beers. Oops!!

It may have been non-alcoholic beer I saw him with - I don't know as I didn't ask him.

Also, he may not be drinking like he used to. When I said he drank half a pint, I meant that was what was left in his glass during the game I watched. How long he had had the drink for I don't know - that may even have been the only one he had in the couple of hours he was there. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

What (originally) happened to Andy Fordham .
Should "I believe" be the pertinent question.
It needs no explanation, as it was as clear as the nose on our faces.
A stroke needs a catalyst: In this case, no matter what size a person is or how much alcohol is being consumed. there inevitably still has to be cause or a activation to precipitate the outcome!

Just watched the program Braniac science abuse where they test and experiment with stuff (usually blowing things up!).

Andy was on as they wanted to test how much better a professional is compared to the average person.

They played a normal game whcih Andy won easily then they made Andy play on a half size board which he was still a comfortable winner on. Next they let the average player use a double size board which was supposed to equate to a fourfold advantage.

Once again Andy won making him at least 4 times better. The next board was twice as big again and it was still not enough so Andy was now 8 times better.

Finally they let the average player stand halfway to the board and he finished with a 20 and double 10

So this very scientific study proved the top players are 8 times better than the average player but not 16 times better

Thats Crazy!

Will have to see if I can get that episode on download somewhere, sounds fun.

It's on Pick TV at 4am tomorrow if you can stay up

Ahh man, that sounds awesome Dalman. I gotta see that!

Dalman wrote:

It's on Pick TV at 4am tomorrow if you can stay up

is that on freeview, gunna have to re-tune if it is?

In case you guys are interested here is a pic of the Viking with Barney taken a couple of days ago - Barney posted it on his twitter account

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I met him at The Untouchables exhibition back in April. He was supposed to be playing in the event but had pulled out and Les Wallace took his place. He was drinking non-alcoholic beer during the evening.

I was having a good chat with him and asked him how his darts were going but he didn't answer me and walked off which was a bit odd. I think he's probably fed up of people asking him!

Quite possibly so Steve, but still a little rude nonetheless, but for what his been through I would forgive him that. That pic with Barney though, he looks like he has put weight back on so not good maybe?

Ya looks like most of the weight is back on no?

Id say most if not all of its back on, shame really, he did really well to lose it all, but then saying that the drastic loss in such a short time cant have been healthy

To me he actually looks a bit better in spite of the extra weight, so may be he is just losing it at a more gradual pace. When he had lost so much in a short time he looked very gaunt and ill looking. Either way I wish him well.

getagrip wrote:

Quite possibly so Steve, but still a little rude nonetheless, but for what his been through I would forgive him that. That pic with Barney though, he looks like he has put weight back on so not good maybe?

Yeah, it was a bit rude but I'll let him off.

The impression I got from the evening was that he wasn't that comfortable being there. He was sitting on a seperate table to the other players and keeping himself to himself. He must have been frustrated not being able to play for whatever reason.

This is all personal opinion as I've never met him before but if anyone does meet him, just don't ask how his darts are going!!

Hes frustrated he is. I wish Andy all the best.