World Championship star was sacked from job for playing too much darts | Other | Sport

Cam Crabtree’s decision to prioritise darts over shop work has paid off as he prepares to make his World Championship debut. Crabtree was sacked by the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing chair for spending more time at the oche than at the counter but has no regrets, with the 22-year-old’s career going from strength to strength.

In January, he secured a PDC Tour card via Q-School before topping the Development Tour ahead of Beau Greaves. That landed him a place at the recent Grand Slam, where he thrashed former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton and took Danny Noppert to a deciding leg in the group stage. Asked what he’d be doing if darts hadn’t worked out, he says with a smile: “I worked in Abercrombie & Fitch for a bit and then they sacked me because I was away too often for darts!

“So I have no idea. I quite like the idea of finance. So maybe something in that. But I would probably be trying to be as close to darts or football as I could. So anywhere in that capacity.”

There should be no need for Crabtree to explore a career change anytime soon after an excellent first year as a full PDC Tour player. He says: “This is where you want to be. I love MODUS [the MODUS Super Series], I love playing the ADC [Amateur Darts Circuit], stuff like that, and the Challenge Tour.

“But this [at an event like the Grand Slam] is where you want to be as a player. You want to be a professional, you want to be playing in arenas like this and on stages like that in front of these fans.

“So it’s amazing for me. Opportunities like this just make me want to do better so that I can get even more opportunities.”

Crabree’s experience has grown thanks to meetings with some of the biggest names in the sport. He adds: “I’ve been doing all right over the last couple of years. 

In the Euro tour, I’ve played some good games. I’ve played Luke [Littler], I’ve played Raymond [Van Barneveld], I’ve played some great players on the stage. It’s just about being comfortable in yourself and then trying to get on with your job.”

Crabtree has been handed a winnable-looking first-round tie against former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding, the world number 34, on Saturday.