JERRY SMITH – DAILY MIRROR JUNIOR DARTS CHAMPION 1978

Thinking of the impact that Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler had on darts at Christmas 2023 and every week thereafter, made me think about what opportunities were available to young people, particularly the boys, back in the day.  THEN, while I was wondering, Jeremy Smith wrote

‘Hi Patrick, after viewing the Jocky Wilson story on BBC4 [on 31^st March] where you were quoted, I was wondering if you had any history of my time rubbing shoulders with the Bristows, Lowes, Wilsons, etc. As a 17-year-old, I won the 1978 Daily Mirror British Junior Championship…I’ve trawled the internet for any such coverage to no avail. Could you supply me with any archive? Thanks.’

Having looked through my archive, I was able to provide Jeremy with as much information as I could, beginning with details culled from the programme of the 1978 Daily Mirror British Junior Darts Championship, held at the Michael Sobell Sports Centre, London N7 on 23^rd September that year.

(Final line-up, below, Jeremy fifth from right) (Image © DW/PC Archive)

Jeremy, aged 17, an apprentice fitter from Saltcoats, on the west coast of north Ayrshire, qualified for the finals when he became the champion of the Scotland West area. The brief biography in that programme stated

‘…5ft 11in…Came to these finals with an impressive record, playing for the Ayrshire ‘B’ side and helping his team to successes in the Ayrshire super league. Likes a range of sports, namely golf, football, and swimming. Hopes to play for Scotland one day.’

At 1.00 p.m. on the day, players began to toe the oche for the preliminary rounds ‘on boards One to Eight, sixty-one county champions playing down to the last eight.’ Jeremy was playing in Group Six. At 2 p.m. (approximately) Jeremy toed the oche against Michael White (Tyne & Wear) defeated him and then met the 1977 champion, James Holloway (Wales West), in the second round Jeremy winning 3-0.  and then moved into the Group 6 final where he met, and beat, Stephen Parsons (Surrey West).

Jeremy then moved into the Quarter-Finals (Group Winners) where he played Martin Nicholas (Oxfordshire). Up until that point, as Darts World reported

‘Jeremy played like a veteran, putting together 16, 17, and 18-dart games, and reached the quarter-finals stage without dropping a single leg in any of the five-leg games. At that stage he also had the two highest finishes of the day, going out on 100 and 105. He also recorded three 180s during the afternoon, one of which was on stage in the quarter-finals, in one of his 17-dart games.

But Martin Nicholas didn’t take it easy for Jeremy by taking a leg off of him but then Smith eased through 3-1. With the finishing post in sight Jeremy progressed into the semi-finals where Stephen Berry (Wales North) was waiting for him and where Jeremy had a little luck on his side. Stephen Berry missed several darts to reach the final, Jeremy being the first to eventually sink the winning double.

In the Final, Jeremy was back in his winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Hertfordshire’s Graham Wilkinson. For winning the title (it was his last chance as he would be eighteen on 1^st November 1978), Jeremy was awarded

‘…a handsome trophy, comprising a nine-inch dart given by Elkadart which is silver-plated and set in a transparent mould with a silver base. [See image above, left. © DW/PC Archive] He will also receive automatic entry into the World Masters, the most prestigious event in international darts, when he will be the guest of the Daily Mirror and the BDO. [British Darts Organisation]’

The 1978 WINMAU World Masters was held in London, at the Wembley Conference

Centre, Empire Way, Wembley, London, on the 1^st and 2^nd December. Jeremy was pictured in the programme amongst the Scottish qualifiers who included Jocky Wilson, Rab Smith and Eric Maclean. The short biography mentioned Jeremy’s winning the Daily Mirror Junior Championship and added that he

‘Practices two or three hours a night and plays in the Ardrossan and Stevenson League. This year’s Nicol’s White Horse and Lorimers Individual champion.’

Sadly, Jeremy did not make it to the stage finals.

In addition, Jeremy was also invited to compete at the British Open Championships the following January and to the Butlin’s Masters at Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham in December. Jeremy told me  

‘…all the top pros were there, Jocky sort of looked after me for that couple of days, I was introduced to Trevor Francis, who at the time was a Birmingham City player, and interviewed by Gary Newbon who immediately interviewed me after I was well beaten 4-0 by Bristow. After being beaten by Eric I didn’t really want to see coverage of the Butlins Masters on STV [Scottish Television]. Thankfully they didn’t show it.’

Back in 1978, the Junior programme biography stated that Jeremy wanted to play for Scotland so, in 2024, I asked him if he ever did. He told me:

‘I did and didn’t get to play for Scotland, I was selected at No 20 in the pool, after our 10-5 defeat v England, I hoped I might have got played v Wales (even more so as me and Bobby Semple got to the final of open pairs the day before) but, alas, that was the closest I got.’

Recently, Jeremy added an interesting footnote:

‘I had moved to Tenerife from 2007 to 2009, during which time John Lowe and Eric Bristow had an annual golf and darts charity day. I was still playing darts at that time, so who walked into our Sunday match but Mr Lowe.

Many people were excited to see and speak to him but, amazingly, he walked over and spoke to me like an old friend. I was surprised and chuffed that he remembered me. It really showed his professionalism.’

Such memories stay with you forever.

© 2024 Patrick Chaplin

Images ©, as credited.

[Note: This article was first published in Darts History #170, May 2024. To subscribe to Darts History (It’s free) contact me at drdarts161@patrickchaplin.com .]