Ross Smith praying darts cult hero gets final farewell at World Championships with Ally Pally spot in major doubt

ROSS SMITH hopes darts fable Steve Beaton gets 1 last Ally Pally send-off earlier hanging up his darts arsenic a professional.

Beaton — the 1996 Lakeside champion — is retiring astatine the extremity of the year astatine the property of 60.

He has appeared successful each satellite darts title since 1992 — BDO and PDC — but that series is nether threat.

Beaton is not portion of the tract for this winter’s PDC lawsuit but gets 1 much accidental to suffice via a circuit paper holder lawsuit successful Wigan connected Monday.

Practice spouse and adjacent pal Smith, 35, said: “One 100 per cent, I privation him to get there.

“I reckon 90 per cent of radical sitting astatine location volition beryllium cheering for him to person 1 past send-off.

“I don’t retrieve his Lakeside win. I was lone 7 years aged but I upwind him up astir it. Two years aboriginal I got his autograph. I inactive person that programme.

“Steve tin inactive play. He’s conscionable had capable really. He inactive beats maine connected the signifier board, which I’m not ever blessed about.

“I signifier with him earlier each tournament, we play silly games.

“I volition beryllium a spot mislaid without him adjacent year. If I person his vocation and play for arsenic agelong arsenic helium has — and support myself acceptable — I’ll beryllium made up with that.”

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After his past Pro Tour quality successful October, Beaton was celebrated by Smith and different pals, who donned comic mullet wigs and furry moustaches.

Smith, the 2022 European champion, added: “The repast was good.

“But if anyone had had a fewer tears, Steve would person slapped us.

“The feline is admired and liked that much. All recognition to him, he’s a apical man.”