Rob Cross makes financial claim after ban ahead of World Championship | Other | Sport
Former world darts champion Rob Cross has insisted his dip in form is unrelated to past financial troubles, after his company failed to pay more than £450,000 in tax last summer. The 35‑year‑old was director of Rob Cross Darts Limited, which was set up to handle his prize money earnings.
He has since been disqualified from his position for five years after the company went into liquidation, owing HMRC and other creditors. Between March 2020 and November 2023, Cross withdrew more than £300,000 from the business – funds that should have gone to HMRC and other creditors.
Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said at the time: “When directors fail to pay the correct amount of tax, it directly impacts the government’s ability to fund vital public services such as the NHS, schools, transport infrastructure, and our national defence. Rob Cross’s company owed more than £400,000 in corporation tax alone when it went into liquidation.
“For more than three years, he withdrew funds from the company which should have gone to HMRC and other creditors. This case demonstrates that we will pursue action against directors who deprive the public purse of much-needed funds. The rules apply equally to everyone in business, and we expect all company directors to comply with their legal responsibilities. Enforcing these rules consistently is crucial in maintaining a level playing field and preventing companies from gaining an unfair competitive advantage over compliant businesses that properly fulfil their tax obligations.”
Cross had been appointed as director in May 2017, when the company was formed. This week, Cross was interviewed as he prepares to participate in the World Darts Championship, which gets underway on Thursday.
One of the questions put to him was whether his financial problems has impacted his form. “I don’t think so,” the five-time World Series of Darts winner told Online Darts. “Look, I’ve had it for a long time and other stuff and I just think that, if I was going to be honest, and I’ve been quite honest about it anyway, is more that get up and go. I’ve been walking into tournaments and not to say I’m not enjoying my game but I just turn up and that fight and probably the practice side and all – I’ve not been doing anything.
“If I haven’t got darts for six, seven days, I won’t pick up a dart for seven days. And then sometimes you walk in and it’s ok when your confidence is high. But if your confidence is a bit low and you haven’t picked one up, it can be disastrous. So look, I just believe it and it is all my fault.
“I’ve not put the work in and I’ve not done the time, you know. It’s unusual for me and all, if I usually want to play well, but I suppose the head is where it is and I’ve been working on it, trying to get that sorted. But I seem to find I don’t have a problem with this game if I want to do it.”
