Wayne Jones gets a new set of darts

Wolverhampton's Wayne Jones will return to televised tournaments with a set of darts to finally call his own - after turning up to a game without any arrows.

Jones opens the World Grand Prix on Monday night, live on Sky Sports, against Northern Ireland's No 1 darts player, Brendan Dolan, in Dublin.

And 'the Wanderer' will never have to worry about misplaced arrows again after joining up with A180, who are making his very own brand of darts.

The 46-year-old was left red faced after the PDC Players Championship at the Barnsley Metrodome in June, where he had to borrow a set to take part.

His darts had fell out of his pocket in a taxi the night before and, although he got them back, it wasn't until he was back in Wolverhampton.

That was enough to convince Jones to stash arrows far and wide in case any more 'wandered' off.

He said: "I hadn't got any darts, so I had to make up a set of old ones somebody had! Luckily, they found them, although they couldn't get them to me until I came home.

"I thought 'this is getting silly now' so it was time to get some made. And Alan Tabern is going to keep a pair in his suitcase, so I have always have a spare set on the circuit.

"They are on sale now from A180 and I think they are going to make a 23g set, as well, for people who prefer a slightly heavier dart, as mine are 20g."

With the tools to work with, Jones insists he doesn't sweat what could be a hostile environment at the New Citywest Convention Centre.

Dolan is his country's best but lags over 20 places behind his 14th-placed opponent in the world rankings and had to come through the qualifiers.

Jones also has the carrot of a possible meeting with world champion Adrian Lewis, who eliminated him in the quarter finals of last year's competition, in the next round.

Mulling it over while practicing at his sponsor Richard Carter's pub, the New Victoria Inn on Deans Road in Wolverhampton, Jones feels the draw has been reasonably kind.

He said: "Without being disrespectful, if I had looked at the draw and picked five or six players who I would liked to have drawn, Brendan would probably have been one of them.

"There's no gimmes in this tournament but I play well, I will in, and that would be a nice set-up for Lewis or Part in the next round and Ady beat me in the quarters last year.

"The crowd won't bother me because I know from the Grand Slam, when the crowd are behind you, it puts you under pressure yourself.

"Anybody who says you can't hear the crowd is telling a lie but I would rather play with the atmosphere, than without.

"It's a quick format as well so, if I break as I normally do, hopefully everything will go to plan."