Eric Bristow quotes:

Mark my words, Michael Van Gerwen will knock Phil Taylor off his perch one day and be the best darts player on the planet.

The Crafty Cockney had a picture of the owner dressed up as a copper, so I brought it home, wore it on TV and the name just stuck.

I remember when we were in the World Cup in Australia and I had to win the singles against Tony Payne, best of seven legs, to win it. I was 2-0 down but ended up beating him 4-2.

I've got a nice little crafty deal with the people in Barbados; 10 days out there teaching the locals how to play darts for an hour a day. Get paid for that as well.

I'm not on Twitter or Facebook and don't even use email. I don't trust computers: one day they'll all break down, and everyone will be knackered.

I play a lot of charity golf mainly. I'm a bandit 18 if I play two or three times a week.

In 1987 I got dartitis, a psychological condition which means you can't let your darts go properly. For a time, I wondered what the hell I was going to do if I didn't recover. But I remained positive and, thankfully, got over it. It occurred during the Swedish Open when I found I couldn't let the darts go.

All this cuddling and kissing on stage these days, well it's all right in football when someone scores a goal, but not when you're playing darts.

I have two bowls of confidence for breakfast each morning.

I knew I didn't want to be stuck in Stoke Newington for the rest of my life, hanging about with idiots. That wasn't for me. I wanted to go out and have a look around.

By the time I was 25 or 26, I would have earned a million, but if you looked in the bank account, it's not there because I've spent it. That's what it's there for. I don't want to be the richest bloke in the graveyard. Look at Elvis.

I was born at the right time. I was a freak - the only young player when darts took off in the 1970s.

I like a drink, mate. I'll have maybe 10 or 12 pints on a good night out.

My dad was an Arsenal supporter and he used to take me there, but I've always been Chelsea.

It took me about 10 years to get rid of. I'm all right now, though, lovely, I'm throwing some nice darts at the moment, but every now and then I get a bit of a jump. I wish I could find a cure, I'd make a bloody fortune.

I love cheese and biscuits, the stronger the better.

Ever since I've been 16, 15, that's all I've been doing: playing darts.

My dad bought me a dartboard for my 11th birthday, and I became intrigued by the game.

Hopefully I've given something back to darts, which has been brilliant to me. Hopefully I made it a bit popular when I first started; I was part of the breakaway, and I also created a monster, so I think I've done a little bit.

Trouble is, I don't get to play a lot at the moment because I've just signed a contract where I've got to do 200 shows a year in pubs, so the golf's fallen away a bit.

Nah, I don't watch TV either, apart from a few sports programmes. I just don't have the time.

When it comes to spending, I don't splash out on fancy cars - I never have. I'm not a car man and, in fact, don't even drive. Although I own a vehicle - it only cost ú3,000, and I can't even tell you the make - friends are kind enough to drive me around. It doesn't make sense to waste lots of money on cars.

I don't read books.

It's all right buying all these good players but they've got to gel, and that takes time.

Any sport where people earn a lot of money you are going to get groupies.

You eat when you're hungry, and I'm not normally hungry in the mornings.

You can't drink too many otherwise you can't see what you're throwing at.