Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Andy Fordham
Personal information
Nickname The Viking
Date of birth February 2, 1962 (1962-02-02) (age 46)
Place of birth London, England
Home town Dartford, England
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO 1995
Current World Ranking 167
BDO Grand Slam Events - Best Performances
World Ch'ship Winner 2004
World Masters Winner 1999
World Darts Trophy Semi Finalist 2002
Int. Darts League Semi Finalist 2003

Infobox last updated on: February 22, 2007. The majority of professional Darts players now have a Sobriquet or Nickname, a trend which seemingly began when Eric Bristow, the most successful player Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Split in darts refers to an acrimonious dispute between top professional Darts players and the game's governing body which began in 1992 and resulted in the formation of The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short is a Darts Organisation. Darts world rankings are a system which should determine a list of the best dart players in the world based on their performances in tournaments The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running professional darts tournaments which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship. The Bullit World Darts Trophy was a darts tournament held each September at De Vechtsebanen in Utrecht, Netherlands between 2002 and 2007 The Topic International Darts League was a Darts tournament held at the Triavium in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Andy Fordham (born February 2, 1962 in London) is an English darts player, also known by his nickname, The Viking. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Darts refers to a variety of related games in which darts are thrown at a circular target (dartboard hung on a wall He won the 2004 World Professional Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The World Professional Darts Championship is the most important tournament in the Darts calendar He is also a four-time semi-finalist at the Lakeside, and the 1999 Winmau World Masters champion. The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running professional darts tournaments which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship.

Contents

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. The Lakeside Leisure Complex is a hotel entertainment and leisure complex in Frimley Green near Camberley in Surrey. Richie Burnett (born February 7, 1967 in Cwmparc, Rhondda) is a former World Champion Welsh darts player. Another semi-final defeat followed in 1996, this time to Steve Beaton. Steve Beaton (born 5 April, 1964 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England) is a darts player for the Professional Darts 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. Raymond van Barneveld (born April 20 1967 in The Hague, Netherlands) nickname Barney and The Man, is a professional Ronnie Baxter (born May 2, 1961 in Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English darts player

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. Christopher John "Chris" Mason (born December 17, 1969 in Bristol, South West England) is an English darts player who Edward "Ted" Hankey (born 20 February, 1968 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) is an English Darts player 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. Darryl Fitton (born 5 May 1962 in Stockport, England is an English professional darts player currently playing for the BDO. Raymond van Barneveld (born April 20 1967 in The Hague, Netherlands) nickname Barney and The Man, is a professional

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

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. Richie Burnett (born February 7, 1967 in Cwmparc, Rhondda) is a former World Champion Welsh darts player. Steve Beaton (born 5 April, 1964 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England) is a darts player for the Professional Darts Marshall James is a professional Darts player from Wales whose only high-profile success in the game so far was being runner-up in the 1997 BDO World Championship Raymond van Barneveld (born April 20 1967 in The Hague, Netherlands) nickname Barney and The Man, is a professional Ronnie Baxter (born May 2, 1961 in Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English darts player Christopher John "Chris" Mason (born December 17, 1969 in Bristol, South West England) is an English darts player who Edward "Ted" Hankey (born 20 February, 1968 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) is an English Darts player John Walton (born November 10, 1961 in Bradford, Yorkshire) is an English Darts player who is a former World Champion Gary Anderson (born December 22, 1970) is a Scottish darts player. Vincent van der Voort (born December 18, 1975 in Purmerend) is a Darts player from The Netherlands. Simon Whitlock (born March 3, 1969 in Brisbane, Australia) is an Australian darts player who plays in British Darts Organisation tournaments "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Philip Douglas Taylor (born August 13 1960 is a 13 time world champion English darts player whose nickname is The Power. England's Phil Taylor was subsequently declared the victor having been leading the contest by 5 sets to 2. Philip Douglas Taylor (born August 13 1960 is a 13 time world champion English darts player whose nickname is The Power.

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 stone is a unit of Weight. It is part of the Imperial system of weights and measures used in the British Isles, and formerly used in most Lager (storage camp bearing etc is the more popular of two main types of Beer; the other being Ale. 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. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Celebrity Fit Club is a Reality television series which followed eight overweight celebrities as they try to lose weight for charity Paul Simon Ross (born April, 1956) is an English Journalist, television editor and media personality 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. Vincent van der Voort (born December 18, 1975 in Purmerend) is a Darts player from The Netherlands. Fordham made another Lakeside appearance in 2006 but again suffered a first round exit, this time losing to Australia's Simon Whitlock. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

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. The 2007 Lakeside World Darts Championship was the 30th Championship and was held between January 6, 2007 and January 14, 2007 at the 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. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain The incident was described as "minor" by his agent, and he is expected to make a full recovery. [1]

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. [2]

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. The 2008 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship was the 31st World Championship staged by the British Darts Organisation and was held between January 5, The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running professional darts tournaments which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship. 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. The Zuiderduin Dutch Grand Masters is a darts tournament held in The Netherlands until 2005 43) and to Co Stompe (averaging 76. Jacobus `Co` Stompé (born 10 September, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch professional Darts player 20). [3]

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. Charlton is an area and an electoral ward south-east London, in the London Borough of Greenwich, located between Greenwich and Woolwich 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. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Rangers Football Club are an Association football team based in Glasgow Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Premier League. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F 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. John Julius Angerstein (1735- January 1823 London merchant Lloyd's under-writer and patron of the fine arts was born in St Petersburg Greenwich ( ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ GREN-itch /ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ/ GREN-idge or /ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ/ GRIN-idge is a district in south-east London, 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. Woolwich (ˈwʊlɪtʃ or /ˈwʊlɪdʒ/ is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east

References

  1. ^ VIKING STROKE - The Daily Record
  2. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/darts/7096290.stm Slimmer Fordham's darts return
  3. ^ http://www.teessidesoftware.no-ip.com/DartsDatabase/PlayerDetails.aspx?PlayerKey=183&organPd=All&tourns=All&plStat=2#PlayerResults Fordham's darts database results]

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic