FORGOTTEN DARTERS: Marshall James who reached the final at 1997 BDO World Championship on debut

In this column, we regularly reminisce about forgotten darters from the past. Today is the turn of the Welshman, Marshall James who reached the final of the BDO World Championship in 1997, but quickly disappeared from the picture.

James, who was born in Llanelli in Wales in 1970, made his first appearance at the 1997 BDO World Championship. As an unseeded player, he easily beat Englishman William Burksfield 3-1 in the first round.

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In the second round, 'Big MJ' caused a big shock by sending home Andy Fordham 3-2 after a real thriller. He then also defeated American Roger Carter and Englishman Steve Beaton by the smallest margin. The then 26-year-old World Championship debutant was suddenly in the final. That final was eventually lost 6-3 against the Scotsman Les Wallace.

Known for his slow playing style, James later that year won the only major individual title of his career on the BDO circuit at the Welsh Open. That same year he won the WDF World Cup with the Welsh team.

No follow up

In 1998 James went to the BDO World Championship with high expectations. However, he was not lucky with the draw and went down 3-1 immediately in the opening round against his compatriot Richie Burnett. Together with Martin Phillips, Sean Palfrey and Ritchie Davies, he won the WDF Europe Cup later that year.

As a finalist from two years earlier, James was automatically qualified for the 1999 BDO World Championship. It immediately became his last appearance at a World Championship. After winning 3-2 in the first round against Scotsman Peter Johnstone, he lost 3-1 to Australian Steve Duke a round later.

UK Open

James then disappeared from the scene until he qualified for the PDC UK Open in 2003. In the first round, however, it immediately went wrong against Mark Thomson. After that, we never saw the Welshman again at a major tournament.