Referees in darts: Paul Nicholson reflects on how their unique styles have evolved down the years and what their job entails

When you think about the great characters and trailblazers that have helped revolutionise darts into the force it is today, it’s the legendary players that first spring to mind.

Then we’ll often reflect and reminisce upon the many iconic voices of the commentary box who have brought the atmosphere, emotion and drama into your homes with their own unique styles throughout the decades.

Darts presenter Abigail Davies is joined by major winner, commentator and Sporting Life columnist Paul Nicholson as well as our very own resident darts expert Chris Hammer to guide you through each quarter the 96-player draw and, hopefully, predict the eventual champion.

Leading pundit and former major winner Paul Nicholson joins host Dom Newton and Sporting Life's darts expert Chris Hammer to discuss the 'darting pyramid', the importance of averages, how to crack Q School and other factors such as choosing sponsors, nicknames and walk-on music.

But what about the biggest and strongest personalities of them all, who have been standing right in the very heart of the action in front of our very eyes since the beginning?

Those who possess the voices that the players and fans inside the arenas hear louder than anyone else. That’s right, the referees.

Paul Nicholson insists it’s about time they get more praise for the jobs they do and that’s the focus of the Asset’s latest column.

Evolving sounds

When you look back at the late 1970s and early 1980s when the first World Championships were being staged, referees started becoming personalities like the players so where better to start than with Jack Price.

He was a quintessential BDO looking guy from Bristol with his shirt, tie and blazer as well as his sussinct refereeing style and he didn’t hang around with his words.

You sensed there was an opportunity for someone to make a name for themselves with their own individual personalities and that proved to be the case as darts got bigger and needed more referees to cover the televised matches.

Referees throughout the 1980s, including Price, Freddie Williams and Bruce Spendley started becoming stars in their own right and the way they injected enthusiasm on their "ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY" calls really set the tone for the future.

Bruce is particularly iconic for me and the first time I met him was at a competition run by World of Darts in Yorkshire, where he called the final I was in. I still remember being nervous because of his presence as he’d called world finals before and I was starstruck! This was the pedestal we were putting these guys on.

I think it was very important for the popularity and growth of darts to have referees with varied styles and voices - just like it was to have players who were able to stand out with their different throws and characteristics.

Those early guys would have inspired the likes of Russ Bray, who came into the game when Freddie and Bruce were still going and had the benefit of their experience and advice to call upon.

Iconic voices

My father used to mimic Freddie Williams and his somewhat base style voice with the smaller scores and it always made us laugh. Even to this day when my dad calls a 45 or a 60 and I’m with him, it still makes me think of Freddie, who is sadly no longer with us of course.

Not only did he call the high scores and the downtrodden ones so well, he also had a very different way of calling legs, games and sets. He used to say “yes, that’s game shot” and nobody else did that and that’s why he was my first superstar.

One of my other favourites was Steve Nicholas who called in the first live televised nine darter by Shaun Greatbatch at the 2002 Dutch Open.

He didn’t mimic Freddie but he would honour the way he called the end of a leg by using that “yes” moment.

Tony Green became a celebrity referee in his own right through Bullseye and his iconic voice also helped him become a beloved commentator…even if he didn’t do the level of research as many others!

Martin Fitzmaurice was the MC for a very long time at the Lakeside and before then was also a very good referee and called in Paul Lim’s nine-darter in 1990.

The BDO did initially struggle to get a strong marquee referee after the split but then a young man with an unwavering voice called George Noble comes in, gets the nickname ‘the Puppy’ and goes on to become one of the best referees of our time.

If it wasn’t for his willingness to referee in the 1990s, then I’m not sure we’d have the crop of refs that we do these days. He had the courage to do things his own way and that gives inspiration to others to follow suit.

Russ Bray obviously has one of the most iconic 180 calls and it is now folklore in sport, let alone darts – but they didn’t used to be as long as they are now. Perhaps in this era they have to be punchier and longer due to the size of the crowds!

Russ and George are the two godfathers of darts referees as far as those following in their footsteps are concerned such as Paul Hinks, Kirk Bevins and Huw Ware.

They have the pressure of living up to their standards – both in terms of not making mistakes and also possessing unique delivery – and I’m sure they’ll deliver in the same way Russ and George responded to the legacy of Bruce and Freddie.

More than just a voice

The primary job is of course to add up the score at varying speeds depending on which players are competing.

If it’s Justin Pipe against Andrew Gilding then they’re probably in for a relaxing day at the office but if it’s Ricky Evans playing Michael van Gerwen, they’ve got to deliver the scores correctly - with personality - at great speed! It’s difficult for them and they have to be so focused to avoid making mistakes.

In fast games between two quick players who don’t hang about, it’s particularly difficult to call a score and tell their opponent what they require without making them wait. There have been times where they’ll have to shout “One hundred and eighty, Michael you require 40, game shot and the second leg” without stopping for breath!

Referees have got to consider the players, the fans in the crowd and those watching at home when making their calls. The responsibilities on their shoulders in those moments are huge.

In addition to this, they’re managing the two chalkers, looking at hand-written charts with what scores are remaining and also making sure the players are adhering to all the rules and etiquette.

Vincent van der Voort’s underarm throw at the World Matchplay, which was brilliantly dealt with by Kirk Bevins, isn’t the only such incident. It happened in a match involving Alan Norris at the same event a few years ago when Russ Bray called it a foul as well.

For the referees to see that when they’re focused on the board means they need peripheral vision in their left eye to not just monitor rare occurrences of things like underarm throws but also if they have stepped over the oche line.

There is a second referee watching the match backstage with microphones, however, just in case incidents do get missed.

There are a multitude of random challenges for them to deal with such as when a player complains about a breeze on stage, when they want the dart board changed or if they have become upset about an incident during the match. They have the players welfare at heart and know how to calm them down backstage and at the intervals.

It’s a real art what they do and although they see themselves as sheriffs on stage, they also see themselves as councillors when required and they’re more than willing to listen.

I think this is just another wonderful example of this short distance we have between the player, referee and the fan compared with other sport. The players are all approachable despite their superstar status in the world of darts and the referees are the same. We all have a job to do but we’re all one big family – even if there are disagreements along the way!

Counting on the ref

I think a lot of players will agree with me when I say the referees can be a comfort blanket for us when it comes to scoring, especially when you have one of those nervy moments on stage when you’ve missed a big number and have a mental block on the arithmetic.

You will ask the referee what you’ve scored or what you have remaining. It’s a reassurance thing and they are always there to help – as long as it’s not telling you the best way to finish!

You can feel alone up on that stage with nobody to help, so thankfully the referee can provide that little bit of interaction when you need it.

Player-referee relationship

In my playing career I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Russ Bray and George Noble so whenever they refereed my games, I automatically felt comfortable.

Players and referees can be friends, but when we’re up on stage we all have a job to do and they have to make sure the line is towed.

Just go back to the 2010 UK Open when I was losing my temper with the crowd, Russ had the courage to hold me back and do his job as a referee. He put my hands on me because I was in a dangerous situation and I completely agree with what he did. He saved me at the time and that shows how much they care about the players and not just the rules.

You could assume referees are closer to some players than others but I have been reported to the DRA by friends – but that’s because it’s their job and I’ve never begrudged it. If George reports me then I’ll know it’s because it had to be done and it wouldn’t affect our friendship whatsoever.

Unconventional calls and VAR

I can’t write this article without mentioning the famous “one hundred and twenty seven and game” moment with Paul Hinks!

Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen were eventually laughing at the fact he decided to call the leg in a completely unusual manner, and that’s become his little hook now.

Most referees have experienced their own check moment – and there have been a couple of occasions where VAR would have helped.

There was a World Masters match in 2013 involving Ryan Searle, who missed double 10 for the match but the referee Nick Rolls called it in and what would have been very hard for him to swallow.

Searle’s eyesight is dreadful and relies on the referee calls more than most and that’s why he got the benefit of the doubt.

But the same perhaps can’t be said of the incident involving Phil Taylor in Gibraltar which caused so much controversy. The referee Russ Bray was criticised for the bad call but at the same time Phil was under the cosh from the press and social media.

We all make mistakes but I still think it’s the player’s responsibility to know when they’ve hit the double or not. If I miss a double and it’s called in, I’ll step back with my hands up and say it’s not in. The referee calls the score, but the player must have the integrity to say if it’s not in.

Loud but silent

I was always told that the best referees from a playing point of view are the ones you don’t know are there. The majority of the time I went through a match without knowing Russ was my referee despite his voice!

That said, as players we still get the thrill of hearing the iconic call of a 180 when up on stage in a big major, especially early in our careers.

I remember at my first World Championship I wanted to get my first 180 even more because Russ was the referee. As the years go by you obviously get more used to the iconic calls – including Antony Dundas’ 174s – but the thrill doesn’t get old.

If you don’t get a tingle in the back of your neck, you’ve probably outstayed your welcome!

Calling all women

Considering we’ve had women’s World Championships for many years, I’m flabbergasted why we haven’t had more female referees. Kerrie Crompton hasn’t been around for very long and she had to hold her hand up to do it on the big stage off the back of some experience in Yorkshire.

I have to give her a lot of props for having the courage to do that because nobody else has.

There’s nothing to say we can’t have an iconic female referee, especially in the current era where there’s a significant movement to get more women involved in sport.

I think there will be, but it does require them to put their hands up. A bit like how Laura Turner got herself in the commentary box at smaller BDO events when she was just starting out and has now worked her way up into Sky’s coverage for the PDC.

Saying females don’t have the voice to be a referee is as ridiculous as saying only men can sing! It’s about time we have a female breaks the glass ceiling as a big time darts referee in big time darts events.

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