R.I.P The Crafty Cockney

[Steward]

Eric Bristow has passed away, suspected heart attack.

[Wedgie_pie]

Not a darts fan but heard him on the radio just a few weeks ago paying tribute to the late Jim Bowen...

RIP

[The-Mac pie]

You look at some people And see how” he”and a few others changed the way his sport was heading for the future.
Controversial,a whole hearted and talented.
I remember when Phil Taylor came onto the scene and give him a beating which was the start of his successful career
Rip Eric

[jackal2]

Sad news (again), RIP Eric.

I've got many happy memories from my childhood of watching Eric Bristow's matches against the likes of John Lowe and Keith Deller. At the time I was rooting for the underdog and wanted this cocky cockney character to lose, but as you grow older you appreciate the skill, self-confidence and resilience required to reach the elite, championship level of any sport. You also appreciate that commercial sport is about providing entertainment, and that characters such as Bristow, whether they play the hero or the pantomime villain, are the reason people buy the tickets.

Sky Sports found themselves in a very difficult and hypocritical position last night, having to hastily arrange a live tribute to a man they had sacked, harshly and unnecessarily in my view. Bristow's comments about the football abuse scandal were ill judged and clumsy by his own admission, but in a society where free speech is supposedly allowed (ha ha), this will happen from time to time. Very few people (including Sky TV Executives I'm sure) go through life without saying something misguided at some stage, especially in the online world where it's easy to get carried away and for the spirit and tone of your remarks to get exaggerated or misinterpreted. I don't see how Bristow's comments are any more serious than Jamie Carragher's physical act of spitting through somebody's car window, yet he has only been suspended.

[DelroyFacey22]

How crafty can a darts player be? Did he try and throw a 4th dart?

Before my time, that joke (by Micky Flanagan) is the only reason I'd heard of 'The Crafty Cockney', RIP all the same though.

[legs77]

Sad news (again), RIP Eric.

I've got many happy memories from my childhood of watching Eric Bristow's matches against the likes of John Lowe and Keith Deller. At the time I was rooting for the underdog and wanted this cocky cockney character to lose, but as you grow older you appreciate the skill, self-confidence and resilience required to reach the elite, championship level of any sport. You also appreciate that commercial sport is about providing entertainment, and that characters such as Bristow, whether they play the hero or the pantomime villain, are the reason people buy the tickets.

Sky Sports found themselves in a very difficult and hypocritical position last night, having to hastily arrange a live tribute to a man they had sacked, harshly and unnecessarily in my view. Bristow's comments about the football abuse scandal were ill judged and clumsy by his own admission, but in a society where free speech is supposedly allowed (ha ha), this will happen from time to time. Very few people (including Sky TV Executives I'm sure) go through life without saying something misguided at some stage, especially in the online world where it's easy to get carried away and for the spirit and tone of your remarks to get exaggerated or misinterpreted. I don't see how Bristow's comments are any more serious than Jamie Carragher's physical act of spitting through somebody's car window, yet he has only been suspended.

Totally agree with this he had a huge impact in how big darts is now much like Alex Higgins in the snooker world.

You are right the man should never have lost his job at Sky he made a few comments Carragher spat at someone and Kirsty Gallagher was drunk behind the wheel yet they escape with a slap on the wrist.