Andy Fordham

Darts player infobox
playername = Andy Fordham


fullname =
nicknames = The Viking or Frist(fat wrist)
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1962|2|2|mf=y
cityofbirth = London
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
hometown = Dartford, Kent
homecountry = England
since =
darts =
BDO = 1995
PDC =
currentrank = N/A
BDO World = Winner 2004
World Masters = Winner 1999
World Darts Trophy = Semi Finalist 2002
Int. Darts League = Semi Finalist 2003
PDC World =
Matchplay =
Grand Prix =
UK Open =
Vegas =
Premier League =
tournament =
resultyears =
achievement =
updated = February 22, 2007

Andy Fordham (born February 2, 1962 in London) is an English darts player, also known by his nicknames, The Viking or Frist. He won the 2004 World Professional Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final. He is also a four-time semi-finalist at the Lakeside, and the 1999 Winmau World Masters champion.

Darts career

Fordham made his first appearance on the stage at Lakeside in 1995 and made it to the semi-finals before losing to Richie Burnett. Another semi-final defeat followed in 1996, this time to Steve Beaton. On both occasions, his victor went on to claim the title.

Second round defeats followed in 1997 (to Marshall James) and 1998 (to Raymond van Barneveld) before he made it a hat-trick of semi-final defeats in 1999, this time to Ronnie Baxter.

His 2000 campaign ended in the quarter-finals at the hands of Chris Mason and his fourth semi-final loss in 2001 was to Ted Hankey. In 2002 and 2003 he went out in the first and second rounds respectively, before he finally managed to end his jinx in the 2004 World Championship.

His run in the 2004 World Championship saw him win his first match 3-1 against unknown Brian Derbyshire. He then beat former Masters champion Tony West 3-0, and teased a 9-dart leg in the third set. He defeated Darryl Fitton in the quarter-finals 5-4, and then stunned Raymond van Barneveld, the defending champion, by recovering from 3-0 and 4-2 down to win 5-4 in what is considered one of the most dramatic matches in BDO history.

Fordham defeated Mervyn King in the final, hitting a 139 checkout to take the eighth set 3-2 when Mervyn had reached a double-18, and then recovering from 2-0 down in the next set to take it 3-2 with double-8, and win the match by 6 sets to 3.

He has failed to win a single match at Lakeside in the three years since his title victory. The BDO World Champion receives an exemption from qualifying for a three-year period but that has now expired. His world ranking has slipped dramatically and major concerns about his health have meant that the chance of him returning to the heights of that 2004 success have receded.

BDO World Championship Results

* 1995: Semi-Finals (lost to Richie Burnett 2-5)
* 1996: Semi-Finals (lost to Steve Beaton 3-5)
* 1997: Second Round (lost to Marshall James 2-3)
* 1998: Second Round (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 2-3)
* 1999: Semi-Finals (lost to Ronnie Baxter 1-5)
* 2000: Quarter-Finals (lost to Chris Mason 3-5)
* 2001: Semi-Finals (lost to Ted Hankey 2-5)
* 2002: First Round (lost to John Walton 0-3)
* 2003: Second Round (lost to Gary Anderson 1-3)
* 2004: Won (beat Mervyn King 6-3)
* 2005: 1st round (lost to Vincent van der Voort 2-3)
* 2006: 1st round (lost to Simon Whitlock 0-3)
* 2007: "Withdrew from competition due to ill health"

Health concerns

In 2004, he was forced to withdraw from a best-of-13-sets match at Purfleet's Circus Tavern which pitted the two world darts champions of that time (Fordham representing the BDO and Phil Taylor representing the PDC) due to heat intensity. England's Phil Taylor was subsequently declared the victor having been leading the contest by 5 sets to 2.

Fordham's health has long been a concern. At one point he weighed 31 stone (197 kilograms) and was in the habit of consuming 25 bottles of lager before going on stage to play. The scare during the head-to-head game led Fordham to seek help via the television programme "Celebrity Fit Club", where he became friends with the journalist and TV presenter Paul Ross. While getting a regime underway to try to lose some weight, he was defeated in the first round of the 2005 Lakeside World championship by Dutchman Vincent van der Voort. Fordham made another Lakeside appearance in 2006 but again suffered a first round exit, this time losing to Australia's Simon Whitlock.

Fordham was due to face Whitlock again in the first round of the 2007 BDO World Darts Championship, but was once again hospitalised after complaining of chest pains and breathing difficulties. He was forced to pull out of the tournament as a result and Whitlock received a walkover and went through to the second round without throwing a single dart.

Weeks after pulling out of the BDO World Championship, Fordham suffered what was initially thought to be a stroke, which turned out to be severe breathing difficulties caused by massive fluid build-up in his lungs. The incident was described as "minor" by his agent, and he is expected to make a full recovery. [ [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=viking-stroke-&method=full&objectid=18613950&siteid=66633-name_page.html VIKING STROKE - The Daily Record ] ] In 2008, Fordham applied for a liver transplant. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7498726.stm BBC: Darts player needs transplant] ]

Return to darts

In September 2007, after a nine month layoff due to serious health problems, Fordham made an unobtrusive return to the oche at the Turunc Open in Turkey. Fordham reached the semi-final of the singles event, losing to the eventual winner Martin Phillips from Wales. During the lay-off Fordham lost 10 stone (63,5 kg). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/darts/7096290.stm Slimmer Fordham's darts return]

He won one match in an attempt to qualify for the 2008 Lakeside World Championship, but went out in the last 128 and also lost in his opening match at the last 136 stage of the Winmau World Masters. He then received an invitation to play at the Zuiderduin Masters in December 2007 - but lost both matches 0-5, to Mark Barilli (averaging 53.43) and to Co Stompe (averaging 76.20). [http://www.teessidesoftware.no-ip.com/DartsDatabase/PlayerDetails.aspx?PlayerKey=183&organPd=All&tourns=All&plStat=2#PlayerResults Fordham's darts database results] ]

Outside darts

Fordham is the eldest of four children and has a brother and two sisters. He grew up in Charlton, south-east London and attended Charlton Manor Primary School and Eaglesfield Secondary School. He was a keen track-and-field athlete in his younger days and was nicknamed 'The Whippet' at school.

Fordham is a huge fan of Scottish football club Rangers, and even paraded his World Darts trophy before a game at Ibrox Stadium in 2004. A keen footballer himself, Fordham played for the Angerstein Hotel in east Greenwich after leaving school and this was where his love of darts was sparked. The Angerstein Hotel football team made up most of the resident darts team and after a training night the lads were a man short and asked 'The Whippet' to join them.

Fordham is married to long-term partner Jenny and they have two children, Raymond and Emily. Fordham and Jenny run the "The Cutty Sark" in Thamesmead having previously run "The Queen's Arms" in Woolwich and "The Rose" public house in Dartford Kent.

References

External links

* [http://www.talent.uk.com/fordham/index.htm Andy Fordham's web site]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_6550000/newsid_6557300/6557339.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm Fordham's first radio interview since falling ill] "BBC Sportsweek" with Garry Richardson