Poison arrows fly as 'sacked' Butcher quits

GUERNSEY'S top darts player will not play for the island again until the sport's governing body 'sorts themselves out'. Daryl Butcher is bitterly upset after being dumped as captain of the island side he has led for the past two years, including their triumphant win over Jersey in 2004.

Butcher, who has won the Carling CI individual title for the past two years, said: 'there was a disagreement and I said: ?If I'm not good enough to be captain I'm not good enough to be in your team?.'

He is fiercely critical of the Guernsey Darts Association who for the 2005 match in Jersey opted to let the selected team pick their own captain.

When Butcher learned of the move to choose the captain in this manner, he was very angry.

'The team was picked and they then decided to change the captaincy.

'They all had a vote and four players who had a vote voted for themselves.

'It's a mockery and an embarrassing situation to be in.

'They haven't given me any reason why they don't want me as captain.

'I've told them I won't play Guernsey darts again until they sort themselves out.'

Butcher, who has been succeeded as captain by Mick Le Gallic who collected six votes to his two and one for John Cusack, said that he thought three or four players were behind the move.

He said he has no problem with Le Gallic: 'I've got no malice towards any of the lads.

'I've not pulled out of the Muratti because he was named as captain.

'It will be tough in Jersey but I hope they do it.'

Gill Le Cras, secretary of the GDA, is saddened by the developments and refutes Butcher's accusations that he knew nothing about the decision to elect the captain in this manner.

'Two meetings prior to the selection meeting it was agreed that the team would pick their captain. He wasn't at that meeting but he was at the next where it came up in the minutes and he agreed with those minutes.'

At the following association meeting Butcher brought up the question of selecting a captain and was told the committee could not select the captain as it was already agreed that the players would.

It was then, Le Cras said, that Butcher declined to play.

'We asked him three times to reconsider.'

'I do feel sorry for him but I can't disagree with what was decided by the GDA,' said the secretary, who added the row has spoiled the good news of her own selection to play Jersey at the end of April.