Lucky locals go head-to-head against 'Jaws'

Colin Lloyd is also renowned for his two major PDC television titles in his competitive prime. He won the 2004 World Grand Prix, and then, shortly after moving to the top of the global rankings the following spring, added a World Matchplay triumph.

But last weekend 48-year-old ‘Jaws’ was mixing it with Guernsey’s own, making a guest appearance at the Western Individual League’s presentation night before heading up to St Saviour’s to play some lucky locals.

He showed up at West Legion with the original World Matchplay trophy in tow and complimented the thriving Guernsey darts scene.

‘It’s good and it’s supported – that’s the main thing,’ he said at a venue brimming with players and supporters.

‘If you’ve got leagues of any kind, whether it’s in Guernsey, or back home in Essex where I’m from, as long as it’s supported, you’ve got something to build on.

‘It’s just nice to come to a league system where it is supported and they enjoy themselves, they enjoy coming out, they’ve got great camaraderie going on and there’s also that nice competitive edge.’

He was speaking some two decades after he played at the Jersey Festival of Darts, before his true international breakthrough.

Guernsey Darts Association president and Western Individual organiser Caroline La Touche was responsible for bringing him back to the Channel Islands again, which he was thankful for.

‘I’d never seen Guernsey before but now I feel I’m a part of it, because I’ve seen every bit of it,’ he added.

Guernsey was just another destination for a player who has toured the world under the moniker of ‘Jaws’ – that is actually a personal nickname, originating from school rather than darts.

But, unusually for him, Lloyd was at a loss when asked to pinpoint the individual highlight of his career.

‘Everything’s been great, all of it, and I couldn’t really single anything out.

‘I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve found something I was very good at from a young age.

‘I don’t want to use the word exploited it, but I thought to myself “How far can I go with this?” and throwing those three little things has taken me all over the world and I’ve earned a living from it and had a great career from it.

‘I’ve met, and I’m still meeting, great people – and I’ve also met Caroline.’

Laughing off that light-hearted dig, La Touche expressed her amazement at having the ex-professional over.

‘I’m lucky I’ve got the contacts that I’ve got, to be able to get him over,’ she said.

‘We are very lucky that we can get these people over and that they want to come.’