The King is back at the Palace. A phrase that might, at first glance, make you think
Charles III has returned from a royal getaway – perhaps a quick ski trip to the Alps. But
fear not, this isn’t Hello! Magazine. This is darts. And around here, “the King” means
royalty of a far more tungsten variety – Mervyn King.
Bow Down For The Merv:
Since 2008, the East Anglian arrow-smith has made the familiar December pilgrimage up
Muswell Hill to compete at the PDC World Championship. Don’t worry, he didn’t hike it, though we doubt there was a horse-drawn carriage involved either. Most likely, he
cadged a lift.
But then came Christmas 2023 – and no King. He hadn’t qualified. Nor did he make the
cut for the most recent edition, the 2025 World Championship – you know, the one won
by a kid roughly a third of Merv’s age. What was his name again?
Anyway, the darting purists can relax. Merv’s not swerving this one. The 59-year-old will
be back on the Ally Pally stage, crown polished and ready for a 17th appearance at the
sport’s grandest theatre.
After losing his Tour Card, King dropped to the Challenge Tour, where he’s been quietly
causing chaos among the hopefuls. He narrowly missed out on reclaiming a full PDC
ticket, but crucially – clung on to the final World Championship qualifying spot by the
width of a wire (by this, I mean £150 on the order of merit).
Heading into the final weekend, Merv occupied that last golden slot. With Michael
Unterbuchner breathing down his neck, the German’s shadow loomed large. But King,
ever the stubborn old monarch, held his ground and sealed his place in the royal
procession back to the Palace.
No offence to Unterbuchner – fine player, lovely chap – but this is the comeback darts
romantics were rooting for. The old guard still have a few arrows left in them yet.
So, the hero returns. The stage awaits. And who knows – maybe, just maybe, he’s still got
a little bit of that legendary magic left to sprinkle.
For King Merv, Ally Pally is his Camelot.
———ENDS——–
Image: World Senior Darts / Tip Top Pics
