"Was either quit or be sacked": Cameron Menzies giving full-time darting dream two years after quitting plumbing job

Cameron Menzies excelled again as he took down Dave Chisnall in another comeback win at the European Darts Open in Leverkusen. It was kind of the start for the Scot of a big seed cull in the session.

The defending champion is now out and Menzies now has a big chance but he said it was all about having that mentality that he was down and out and likely going home which helped and didn't hinder.

He spoke to DartsNews after sealing the win and discussed his mindset, Dave Chisnall and also quitting his job.

"I'm making darts quite hard, as soon as I go like 4-1 down or 4-2 down or whatever it is, you kind of just go bugger it and then you start flowing because I'm quite a fast player so you start getting the rhythm because you think you're going to lose sometimes," said Menzies to DartsNews.com.

"Next thing the 140's and 180's start coming in so at the start of the game I was trying too hard. I was dropping too short a lot. I done it later on as well but I kind of thought 4-1 down I'm going out."

"That's darts for you though. I'm my own worst enemy, I get caught up in my head a lot. That one I wouldn't say it was fighting spirit I'd say there I just thought I was getting beat."

"I know me personally and I'm sure a lot of players are the same, you can rattle off three or four legs playing awesome. You've seen it on stage with the best players in the world, they do it more common than me that's why they're there. They can rattle off three or four legs with no reply. You can't compete with that.

"I know sometimes I can do that. I kind of felt I did what I had to do yesterday to get to the Saturday. So this is a bonus."

He remarked that he loves Chisnall as a person but that his snatch in his throw sometimes means he is hit or miss comparing him to Jocky Wilson.

"I've known Dave even before I was a PDC player. So I've known Dave for donkeys (years). Dave done a thing in my village, the only exhibition we've ever done was Dave and he was great so I respect Dave. He's a big scorer. He can score with the best of them if not better."

"Maybe not the best of throws with his snatch. But eh Jocky Wilson was exactly the same. Chizzy is Chizzy, he's a great player and a great person. I'm buzzing to beat him. I want to make the European finals as I've never done it."

Next up is Ritchie Edhouse who Menzies was unaware that he played. The Scot said that anyone can play near enough in the top 100 so he can't guard for complacency even if Edhouse hasn't fully kicked on since becoming European champion.

"Ritchie's maybe not been as good as he was last year. He had a cracking game there. He won the European finals last year, he can play. If you 90 in the rankings and down they all can play. We all can beat each other. The best players in the world can just do it more frequently."

"If I don't step up, I'll be out. I need to play well to win that game."

On quitting his job, he said it was either he walked or he would be pushed but given he was employed in a trade being plumbing, he gives it two years before he returns to it.

"My most important aim is keeping my Tour Card. But the way it's worked out for me is I've done better than I thought than I would. I only quit my job as I got to the point it was either quit or sacked as I was never there. They gave me a choice.

"I was letting them down as I was travelling mental. I'm never home and I don't know how the Premier League players do it. It gives me more time to practice. Now I've got time it's good. Now there's no excuses. Now it's up to me."

"I'll give it two years, if it fails me I can go back. I'm quite lucky as I can get a job because of my trade. But it's working well."