Vincent van der Voort has lifted the lid on a bizarre post-match confrontation with the late Eric Bristow, revealing the five-time world champion insulted him after a 3-0 defeat. Speaking on the Dutch podcast Darts Draait Door, Van der Voort recalled the clash during the twilight of Bristow’s career, when the Englishman’s legendary sharp tongue was still very much in evidence.
“I won that match 3-0 and he was clearly not happy about it,” said Van der Voort. “He produced no level at all during the match. Afterwards he even started insulting me as well.” The Dutchman, known himself for speaking his mind, chose restraint on that occasion. “I didn’t respond,” he laughed. “But he still had that big mouth he always had.”
Van der Voort initially declined to reveal exactly what Bristow said, but when pressed by host Damian Vlottes, he offered a glimpse of his own retort. “I told him: it’s easy to become world champion if, in that era, you average 80. Although I should admit the trebles and doubles on the boards were much smaller back then.”
Years on, Van der Voort can see the funny side. “It was just a bit of alpha posturing, nothing more,” he said with a wink, adding that he was hardly the wisest sparring partner for Bristow, who relished confrontation. Bristow, a five-time BDO world champion, passed away in 2018 at the age of 60 from a heart attack.
