Shock name on presenting duties
Iconic Match of the Day presenter Ray Stubbs has made a shock return to TV.
The sports broadcaster has hosted a number of legendary shows over the years.
In 1990 he began hosting Match of the Day, Grandstand and Sportsnight – three of the BBC’s most iconic sport shows.
Stubbs, 68, also worked as a presenter at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, as well as Euro 96.
He appeared at the Olympics and has hosted Football Focus and Final Score.
As well as football, Stubbs hosted the BBC’s coverage of darts and snooker before switching to ESPN in 2009.
However, he has now returned to darts, hosting the World Seniors Matchplay on TNT Sports.
He is joined on coverage by darts legend Bobby George.
Who will go home £10,000 richer?
Eight players remain in the hunt to take home the huge £10,000 jackpot from the York Barbican.
Leonard Gates won the tournament last year and is still in the conversation to make it back-to-back trumphs.
The American faces Lisa Ashton in the quarter-finals this afternoon.
Here is a full breakdown of the prize money:
- Winner: £10,000
- Runner-up: £5,000
- Semi-finalists x2: £2,500
- Quarter-finalists x4: £1,250
- First round x8: £750
Gates & Henderson enter final day as favourites
We’ve seven matches today to decide who takes the World Seniors Matchplay Darts title at the York Barbican tonight.
And judging by yesterday’s last-16 clashes the tournament is wide open.
Leonard Gates and John Henderson remain the bookies’ favourites ahead of this afternoon’s quarter-finals.
Both admitted they’ll need to improve on patchy first-round wins – but also predicted they will do just that.
Third in the betting odds comes Richie Howson, who is first in action this afternoon against Neil Duff.
Scottish star Henderson takes on David Cameroon an hour later.
Then it’s fourth favourite Robert Thornton against Martin Adams.
And at around 4pm Gates takes on Lisa Ashton, who is rated the rank outsider despite yesterday’s comprehensive win over Paul Hogan.
The two semis and the final take place this evening.
Quarter-final schedule:
1pm – Richie Howson vs Neil Duff
2pm – John Henderson vs David Cameron
3pm – Robert Thornton vs Martin Adams
4pm – Leonard Gates vs Lisa Ashton
Round-up of yesterday’s action
It was certainly a mixed bag on Friday – with no player at his best.
Martin Adams looked well below par in beating Matt Clark, title-holder Leonard Gates showed flashes of why he’s the favourite and world seniors champ John Henderson also admitted he’ll need to improve.
Chris Mason bagged six maximums, only for poor finishing to creep in and give a solid-looking Neil Duff a flattering 8-4 win.
And Robert Thornton eventually pipped John Part 10-8 in an odd but ultimately epic encounter between icons of the sport.
Afternoon:
Richie Howson 8-4 Trina Gulliver
Martin Adams 8-6 Matt Clark
Kevin Painter 3-8 David Cameron
Leonard Gates 8-5 James Richardson
Evening:
Robert Thornton 10-8 John Part
Neil Duff 8-4 Chris Mason
John Henderson 8-5 John O’Shea
Paul Hogan 3-8 Lisa Ashton