“If I don’t get a nine-darter this round, then get it in the next one” - Andrew Gilding makes bold prediction

Andrew Gilding faced the media after his 3-1 win over Chris Dobey with a mix of surprise, satisfaction and trademark understatement. In the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship, the Englishman produced what may well have been his finest performance on the Alexandra Palace stage, against opposition of the very highest level.

“A little bit of surprise,” Gilding admitted afterwards. “I knew I had a tough game with Chris because he’s top eight in the world, so I’m more than happy with that.” The fact that the win also came with his highest ever World Championship average only added to the sense of achievement. “Yeah. Of course. Absolutely,” he said.

For years, the World Championship stage had not been a place where Gilding truly broke through. He had never gone beyond the last 32, but the form he is showing now allows for cautious optimism. “I am a little bit confident,” he said with a smile. “You never know what’s going to happen. There’s going to be a lot of turkey in my stomach after Christmas, so we’ll see what happens.”

In the next round, he will face either Luke Woodhouse or Max Hopp, and once again Gilding kept his feet firmly on the ground. “I can’t remember my recent record against those two. I think I’m ahead. We shall see,” he said. “Max is a talent and Luke is so steady. There isn’t much to say between them.”

Gilding also spoke openly about his pursuit of a nine-darter, something he makes no secret of. “Well, yeah. I’ve got a chance to do it in the next round now,” he said. “If I don’t get it in this round, then get it in the next one.” The prize money attached to a perfect leg certainly plays a part. “Part of it goes to the crowd, part of it goes to charity, and some of it goes to me, obviously,” he explained. “But if you go into the game with that in mind, you’re going to have to play well to get it.”

Christmas, at least, can be approached in a relaxed frame of mind. “It will be a happy Christmas,” Gilding said. “I’m going to eat as much as I can.” More importantly, he remains in the tournament — which inevitably raises the question of whether he can once again push towards the very top of the sport. “I never know with me,” he said honestly. “My form has gone up and down over the years. I’ll just try and find a better way of practising and pace myself.”

That pacing has become a key factor in his current form. Where Gilding previously trained for hours each day, he has consciously eased back over the past month. “Before, I was doing a couple of hours a day,” he explained. “Now it’s more like three quarters of an hour.” The decision was deliberate. “I played the vast majority of the European tournaments this year. It’s been a busy calendar and my arm has felt it.”

The realities of an ageing body have played their part as well. “I’ve been wearing an elbow support and rubbing on the ibuprofen gel,” Gilding said. “When you get a little bit older, you can’t do the seven or eight hours a day — I can’t anyway.” The change, however, appears to be working. “It seems to be paying off,” he concluded.

That Gilding’s biggest successes have come later in his career only adds to the uniqueness of his story. “I’m glad I’ve done it later in my career,” he said. “I think I’m still the oldest person to win their first major.” He referenced rare exceptions in darts such as Paul Lim and Phil Taylor, though he was quick to acknowledge Taylor as “a special person”.

Gilding believes his late breakthrough may even be an advantage. “I was a late starter, so I’ve still got the hunger,” he said. “If I’d started when I was 16 or 17, maybe by now I wouldn’t really care that much.”

After two outstanding performances, the question naturally arose as to whether he now feels he truly belongs on the World Championship stage. Gilding dismissed the idea outright. “No, I never think that,” he said. “I don’t think it’s good to go in there with too much hubris. I think you should go in there and be humble.”

For him, consistency remains the crucial factor — and one that has not always been his strength. “Consistency has been my downfall, in a way,” he admitted. “I had a great run maybe a decade ago when I got to a semi-final in the UK Open, and then dropped off. That was experience gained, and learning how to pace myself.”

Finally, Gilding was cast in an unexpected role: an inspiration for older players taking up darts later in life. More adults are starting the game with examples like his in mind, and his advice was simple. “It’s never too late,” he said. “It’s a cliche, but I am the living proof of that.”