11 men have ruled the PDC World Darts Championship in three decades but a million memories have been made at Ally Pally

HAPPY 30th birthday to the PDC World Darts Championship.

It was Boxing Day 1993 when the first darts at the world level were thrown at the Circus Tavern nightclub in Essex.

That was the day a great institution officially began after an acrimonious split from the now-defunct BDO.

Operating under the World Darts Council banner for the first four years, the event is now a highlight of the calendar — as millions of fancy-dressed fans would agree.

Michael Smith is defending the crown at Ally Pally in North London this year as 16 days of tungsten tossing begin today, with 96 players from 27 countries.

Only 11 different men have ruled the world oche in three decades. Will a 12th join that roll-call come January 3?

Before the action gets underway, we asked the talkSPORT commentary team to tell us their favourite memory from the last three decades of thrilling action at the Circus Tavern and, more recently, Alexandra Palace.

PAUL NICHOLSON (Commentator and analyst)

Watching the entirety of Michael van Gerwen vs Rob Cross semi-final in 2018 was a joy to behold. It had absolutely everything.

From big finishes and stacks of maximums, to nail-bitingly close sets and action which went on late into the night.

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And poor old Van Gerwen missed match darts to land a place in the final against Phil Taylor, too. It’s simply the best game Ally Pally has ever seen.

CHRIS MASON (Commentator and analyst)

I want to take you back to 1997 and the cauldron-like atmosphere of the Circus Tavern for the semi-final between Eric Bristow and Phil Taylor.

Taylor was a huge favourite to beat Bristow and lift the title in what could have been the greatest rivalry in our sport, had the two stars peaked at the same time.

Taylor was leading two legs to one in set eight, on the verge of victory, before Sid Waddell in his inimitable style called the most incredible 141 checkout from Bristow to save the set.

Phil of course went on to dominate the sport, lifting an incredible 16 world titles, cementing his position as the Greatest Of All Time, but Eric showed us that night a glimmer of what could have been.

IAN DANTER (Host and commentator)

There’s one clear stand-out moment for me, the greatest-ever leg of darts between Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith last year.

I was there at Ally Pally to watch Bully Boy throw that unforgettable nine-darter, he was under massive pressure, but was the calmest man in the room.

The noise from the 3,000-strong crowd as he hit that double 12 was unlike anything I’ve ever heard.

MARK WILSON (Host and commentator)

In 2019 I was lucky enough to be commentating on talkSPORT 2 as Fallon Sherrock became the first woman to win at the World Championship.

The atmosphere was electric, it was like a carnival at the Palace as Sherrock beat Ted Evetts in a 3-2 thriller.

Nobody watching or listening will ever forget that night, it was a groundbreaking performance which changed the sporting landscape forever.