03 January 2024 , 09:46
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Referee Russ Bray, the rasping voice of darts who makes Sean Dyche sound like a choirboy, is about to call his last Ally Pally final and admits: "I just wanted to be different."
Bray, 66, can't walk down the street without someone mimicking his signature call of "180" or "game on" - and he loves it. But after his 28th World Championship final, Bray will head into semi-retirement and take up an ambassadorial role with the PDC.
Bray said: "It is a lovely feeling that people put a tag on you like the 'voice of darts'. I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different so it makes it obvious. People walk down the street and shout 'game on' or '180' and it's lovely.
"For someone to do that means they are recognising what you do, and I take it as a compliment. Every referee says 'game on' and every referee says 180'. It's just that mine has been recognised by everyone. You try to make a game as exciting as you can. My calls are all natural - nobody told me to do it like that, I just wanted to be different."
Bray rates Raymond van Barneveld's sudden-death final triumph against Phil Taylor at the Circus Tavern 17 years ago as his personal highlight. But Luke Littler's astonishing run this year has ushered darts to the gates of global phenomenon from a pub game.
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He added: "I am going to finish at the very top, there is nothing bigger than calling the final of the World Championship on the Ally Pally stage, to finish there will be pretty nice."
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Wednesday night's clash promises to be a thriller. Luke Littler, the 16-year-old sensation, will take on new World No.1 Luke Humphries at the Alexandra Palace. Littler is enjoying a remarkable run at the Ally Pally, having knocked out some of the sport's biggest names.
The teenager has already got the better of UK Open champion Andrew Gilding, five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld and experienced head Brendan Dolan. His latest triumph, a 6-2 win against 2018 winner Rob Cross, was just as emphatic.
Littler said after beating Cross: "It is crazy to even think I am in the final on my debut... I was happy to win one game and now I can go all the way. It's not easy. You are playing Rob, he is a world champion who won on debut. I've got no words."
Yet beating Humphries, the pre-tournament favourite, is a tall order. 'Cool Hand Luke' has dominated darts in recent months as the reigning World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and Players Championship champion. He's won a staggering 18 matches on the bounce.