STEPHEN BUNTING isn’t sure if his own son will support him in his quarter-final showdown with Peter Wright.
Former Lakeside world champion Bunting, 39, faces Snakebite in a PDC last-eight tie on New Year’s Day.
Wright‘s No.1 fan actually lives in the Bunting household in St Helens.
The Liverpool Bullet, a father of two, said: “To be fair, my eldest son Toby is his biggest fan.
“Hopefully he doesn’t wear his Peter Wright shirt!
“I have known Peter for a long time. He sent Toby darts equipment. He is his biggest fan – I am sure he won’t be when we play.
“I have a good relationship with Peter. I have a lot of respect for what he has done for the sport, being a two-time world champion. But on that oche, it’s about me.
“When I first came over to the PDC, I used to beat him a lot. In my lows, he started beating me a lot.
“He’s a good pal but on that stage, playing for a lot of money, you want to rip his head off.
“Peter Wright is one of the best players on the planet. I expect him to bring the version of Peter that knocked out Luke. I hope he does.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
“It won’t be a rollover. But it doesn’t matter what anybody else does. It’s all about me.
“Who will the crowd back? They’ll all go ‘Bunting Mental’.”
Wright meanwhile would love to create history for Scotland and meet his Tartan sporting hero.
Should Snakebite, 54, lift the Sid Waddell Trophy on Friday night, he would claim a third title and become the oldest victor in the PDC.
That would be one more than fellow Scotsmen Gary Anderson and the late Jocky Wilson, who are both double world champions.
If he makes the final then he will have the chance at least to meet Chris Hoy for the first time.
READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza...
All the info:
News, features and interviews:
The cyclist – a six-time Olympic champion for Team GB – will be present with his mates and post-final, he hands over the Paddy Power-sponsored Ballon d’Art award to the player with the most 180s.
Hoy, 48, announced in October that he has stage 4 prostate cancer.
Wright – who knocked out reigning world champion Luke Humphries – said: “What a fantastic sportsman. The size of his thighs. I used to watch him all the time.
“I’m a big fan of his. I’d love to meet him and it would be a dream to get a trophy from him, one of my heroes.
Here's how the last eight is shaping up at the World Darts Championship...
Wednesday, January 1
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
Evening Session (7pm)
“The speed of him was unbelievable. I’m gutted what he’s got to go through, for him and his family.
“To overtake Jocky and Gary would be very very special and that’s in the back of my mind.
I’m not a favourite for the title, that’s ridiculous to say. There’s a long way to go yet.”
