ChildLine Chief Quits for Darts

For those immune to the charms of the oche, skill at darts has generally been judged as evidence of a misspent youth. Justin Irwin, until recently a senior executive at the charity ChildLine, has other ideas; he intends to make the game the subject of a misspent adulthood.

Irwin, 35, quit his £50,000-a-year job at the charity in January to take up the game full-time. Despite only having played the game occasionally, Irwin is convinced that he can fulfil his ambition of competing as a professional through practice alone. "I have decided to try to do this because I have never lost the boyhood ambition of being a world champion in a sport, any sport. Most people grow out of that but I haven't," he said.

Irwin believes that unlike other sports it is possible to excel in darts through hard work rather than natural talent. "I've not played a lot of darts but I have enjoyed it. It started as a pub conversation really - the argument is that if you play enough darts you will eventually hit what you are aiming for.

"I'm taking it seriously. I am practising four to six hours a day, which is the same as Phil Taylor, the best player in the world. The other players may be a bit wary of me, but once they realise that I respect the game I'm sure they will come round."

Judging by the response to his plans yesterday, Irwin, who hopes to make his competitive debut in the Hampshire Open in May, has some way to go before he wins over the pros in his chosen game.

Andy Fordham, former British Darts Organisation world champion, dismissed Irwin as "barmy".

"Darts is a skilled game, you don't just walk up to a darts board and take over as the world champion."