The ‘Prince of Darkness’ Ashley Coleman admits to a “rollercoaster” of emotions as he signs for Unicorn darts and qualifies for the UK Open within 24 hours!
The 26-year-old produced a remarkable debut with his new Unicorn darts by winning the Rileys qualifier in Norwich on Saturday, and he now wants to follow in the footsteps of the darting greats and go on to become World Champion.
He revealed: “It has been a rollercoaster after Q-School, signing Unicorn and then qualifying for the UK Open.
“The best of the best have played with Unicorn; they have been the best for decades.
“My favourite player was Phil Taylor, and he was with Unicorn when I first got into darts. I always wanted that sponsorship because he’s there. If they can look after Taylor, they can look after me.
“It was the biggest moment of my career. I signed to Unicorn, got my new darts and went to the UK Open qualifier in Riley’s Norwich and won it.
Many will remember another, slightly reluctant, entrant in the Norwich UK Open Qualifier back in 2016. The Suffolk venue’s qualifier was the start of the remarkable journey of Rob Cross, who impressed a few weeks later in Minehead before going on to win the World Championship less than two years later.
Ashley added:
“Within 24 hours of being with Unicorn, I won a tournament; that was pretty incredible.
“I started my first match with my new Unicorn darts. I went in with a blaze of glory and won.
“I wasn’t even going to go to the Rileys qualifier. The parallels with Rob Cross are really strange.
“My mate is the Darts Referee YouTube channel, and I said to him, ‘I don’t think I’ll go because I’d only just got my new darts’.
“He said, ‘Go, and I’ll book you in’. He got me on a train, and I won the whole thing just like the same way Rob Cross did a few years ago.
“So the omen is there I will win the Worlds. Why not? If Luke Littler can get to the final, why can’t I get to the final and win it?”
Coleman, from Haverhill, Suffolk, has got a big ambition to take on new World Champ Luke Humphries in the UK Open and make a big impression.
He added: “I’m a powder coater by trade. I spray metal all day, and I’m just a local lad who likes darts and has been playing it for the best part of 20 years.
“I’ve just been building up over time as a player. The main thing is over the years I’ve put more practice in and focused more on the game. I’ve just let my ability soar.
“My form has been great away from the professional side. I felt the only thing I’ve got to do is put my mind to it, and anything is possible.
“My plan now is to play the entire Challenge Tour and obviously try and win it. Now I’m in the UK Open I will try and win that. I might not win it, but I’m going to give it my best shot.
“I want to go to Minehead and draw the World No. 1; why not? I might as well take on the best of the best.
“If I’m going to go out, I want to go out to the best!”
The UK Open has been a popular event for breakthrough or standout performances over the years. The ‘Open draw’ format and unusual multi-board structure seem to encourage impressive runs and the unveiling of hidden or emergent talent. Could Ashley Coleman be next?
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Image: Unicorn