"It's not the same fans that come and watch at Ally Pally" - Anxious Gerwyn Price almost withdrew from the World Darts Championship due to fear of abusive crowd

Gerwyn Price couldn't have wished for a better start to his 2024 PDC World Darts Championship campaign at the Ally Pally. Averaging northwards of 98 with five maximums, the former world champ was a comprehensive 3-0 winner over Connor Scutt.

"The crowd were brilliant. I was turning up to Ally Pally thinking of last year when they were on my back but they were brilliant," Price told Sky Sports in his post-match interview. The last time he was on the iconic stage of course, the Welshman was beaten by Gabriel Clemens with the boos from the crowd so bad he took the stage with ear defenders on.

Whilst his performance against Scutt showed no signs of scarring from the year before, Price admitted he very nearly dropped out of the competition. "I was apprehensive," he reveals. "I was still in the house yesterday at 6 o'clock and I probably wasn't going to play in the tournament. It's difficult to come here with the crowd really on your back. It is difficult. I'm glad the crowd were good to me today and if they carry on like this there's no reason why I can't win it."

In his post-match press conference, Price elaborated further on the struggles he's had with the crowd in recent years at the World Darts Championship. "The reception I've got over the years has not been great so I was a little bit anxious, a little bit nervous going on stage," he explains.

"All year they've been good to me but it's not the same crowd, it's not the same fans that come and watch at Ally Pally," Price concludes. "When it's a tight game it'll be different and I'll expect the crowd to get involved but hopefully not too much."