Interview with 2001 PDC Grand Prix Winner and former BDO and PDC World number 1: ' the Iceman' Alan Warriner-Little

Hi Guys

It is my pleasure to bring to you my interview with the former 2001 PDC Grand Prix Winner and former BDO and PDC World number 1, ' the Iceman' Alan Warriner-Little:

Q1:  A nice easy and obvious one but how did you get into playing darts and did you have any inspirations?

AWL: Started playing darts in a league when I was in a snooker, billiards and darts league team in Lancaster for my then snooker skills!! around 1983 (I did play at home but wasn’t in any darts teams at the time) They were short one week so put me in to play darts and I beat who was considered the best player in the league at the time, he wasn’t happy so challenged me to another game after the match for £5, which was a lot then, and beat him again. So then played Darts regularly and I won the singles the same year. My Dad who got me into this team was one of the top darts & billiards players in his time so got it from him.

Q2: You actually appeared on Bullseye as a contestant before becoming a professional player. Memories of that show?

AWL: Bullseye was brilliant, and still is, at the time it used to have an incredible following on Sundays going well into the millions, and was massive in the sense of promoting the game. I remember travelling down straight from a night shift at 7am as work wouldn't give me the night off so was pretty tired. Everyone at the show really made you welcome and having 3 shows a day you got to know a lot of other people there. We won the show, but didn’t gamble at the time as we had over £600 and most of the prizes and you gambled everything at that time. My wife now still has it on the SKY planner, with all the ones I did since when I did the bronze bully challenge ‘About 6’ she often puts them on when we have visitors, so I leg it upstairs…!!  

Q3: You made an impact virtually instantly, winning the British Pentathlon in 1988 (ending Lowe’s 6 year run beating him in the final) , winning the Belgium and Dutch Opens in 89 and going to a sudden death leg with Jocky in the second round  of your World Championship debut, having had 8 match darts to win.   You were only mid 20’s at the time, memories of that time (if you had won it could have changed the face and future of darts as Bristow may have gone on to win his 6th title or you could have done an 83 Deller).

AWL: Yes, got into the County team very quickly, and started playing in the opens etc Was selected for England within 1 year of playing County Darts and won the 2nd open event I played in ‘Isle of Man Open 1986’ I won £1,000 for that and was only on a small wage at the time. Into 88 & 89 got sponsored off Datadart * Managed by Tommy Cox so started travelling to the World Ranked Opens and had an immediate impact, and started qualifying for the TV events. Against Jocky Wilson, I remember I was 0-3 down in sets then woke up to get back to 3-3 and lead in final set, I left 46 after 9 darts but couldn’t hit the double to win it ‘8 Darts’ and eventually lost. Could have changed everything, but at the end of the day it didn’t happen.    

Q4: An obvious one but what were your first set of darts and what were your practice routines back then and as you developed.

AWL: First set of darts I got was for x-mas, were bristows darts and got a board so used to play a lot at home in my bedroom, my darts after that ‘From Datadart’ were very similar. Used to just play in a lot of leagues in the town, most nights basically and at home. As when you go out, your not just playing you play before and after.

Q5: You made the 1993 final against John Lowe, derailing Steve Beaton 5-2 in the semi-final when Beaton was running through everyone. What happened in the final with Lowe, you didn’t look like the same player, though interestingly despite the scoreline in the averages there was nothing in it.

AWL: Just didn’t happen, had loads of chances early on but made it too hard to get back.

Q6: You were Mr Consistency in the PDC for 15 years, consistently making late round in tournaments (7 quarter finals and 2 semi-finals in the world championship), were both the World number 1 in BDO and PDC and winning multiple events. What do you attribute your ability to stay at the top for so long to?

AWL: Desire to win, didn’t like losing so used to go into a game with the attitude ‘Your Not Beating Me’

Q7: The 2001 PDC Grand Prix was a Massive win for you, your first PDC major and hitting a 106.45 average on double start which stands to this day (2017). Memories of that event, you looked like you wouldn’t be denied!

AWL: Getting that first World win was ‘The Monkey off the back' scenario’s as had lost in so many semis and finals. I was so determined to win, I wasn’t going to let it go this time, my focus was incredible, I wasn’t to be denied. 

Q8: If you could name your one greatest match what would it be (televised or other) – heard you posted a 9 darter in the Irish Open in 2002 (back before it was common as it is now).

AWL: Probably the semi-final of the WMP v Baxter, who was one of the top boys at the time. I just hit everything, I remember Jeff Stelling saying to me after, I spoke to you during one of the breaks and you didn’t know I was there, you were so focused. The other was an invitation open in Surrey where I beat Phil Taylor in the Final, both of us averaged over 106 which was unheard of at the time.

Q9: You retired from the Professional circuit in 2010 (think Australian Open Players Championship that August) at the young age of 47/48. What prompted the move as there still a fair few over 50 competing now?

AWL: I actually retired in 2007, I only played in the Australian Open in 2010 as I was over there with 4 other players doing a week of exhibitions work. I stopped enjoying it, and didn’t want to practice, at the same time I started doing the PDPA work which I an still doing and was asked by ITV to do the first Grand Slam of Darts as a pundit/commentator, which I am still doing so it was an easy transition.

Q10:  What a typical day in the life of Mr Warriner-Little these days?

AWL: With the PDPA work I do now, it is pretty much 24/7 as during the week we have a PDPA office in Carlisle 10-4, I attend most PDC events ‘Pro-Tour, Challenge Tour, Development Tour, TV Events’ which take up most weekends, and work from home when not travelling, in the office or at events. We get a constant stream of calls, texts, emails and queries, comments and complaints from players and I also run the PDPA website by myself ‘www.pdpa.co.uk’ which has to have all the updated information on regarding rules, changes, deadlines, travel, hotels event info etc, etc on a daily basis, I am also in daily communication with the PDC & DRA on all issues so its pretty much now stop. And have a lot of PDPA Partners, I still do the odd exhibition when I can fit it in.

I just want to take the time to thank Mr Warriner-Little for taking the time to do this interview as it has been an honor and pleasure.

Luke