TRIBUTES have poured in from the world of darts for Eric Bristow MBE, who passed away on Thursday night.
Five-time World Champion Bristow, 60, died after suffering a heart attack in Liverpool on the same night as the Unibet Premier League at the Echo Arena.
A legendary figure in the sport's history, Bristow was the game's first superstar as he won five World Championship titles during the 1980s.
Although he enjoyed a great rivalry with John Lowe, Bristow is perhaps most famously remembered for the 1983 World Championship final which he lost to Keith Deller.
The pair worked together for many years since both on the exhibition circuit and whilst working for Sky Sports, where they were "spotters" for televised events.
Keith Deller
"It's devastating," said Deller, speaking on Thursday night. "I'd known Eric for 40 years but for the last 25 years we'd been best pals.
"We were together all the time and I used to speak to Eric nearly every day of the week. It's really sad - he's been one of my best friends I've ever had and I'm going to miss him.
"You had to have a big figure in any sport for people to take notice, and we had someone who was a great champion. He was massive for our sport.
"He's been one of the best sportsmen that Britain has ever had and he deserves all the credit.
"When he was playing darts he had the self-belief to win every tournament and he would always let us know that he was going to take the trophy home - and unfortunately we had to keep seeing that go in his car!"
Following the news of Bristow's death breaking on Thursday night, the 8,000-strong crowd at the Echo Arena in Liverpool sang in tribute to "The Crafty Cockney".
"Tonight the fans were fantastic," added Deller. "They know what he has done for our game and I don't think we would be here tonight if it wasn't for Eric."
Deller reflected on the 1983 final, saying: "It was a long time ago now and if you ask anyone in any sport you want to beat the number one, the best player - and Eric was the one that you wanted in the final in one respect.
"To beat Eric in the final couldn't be any better for me.
"When I won, Eric didn't really speak to me on the day when I won the World title and in the years after that he just wanted to beat me and make sure it was a one-off - unfortunately it was!
"We carried on together, we did exhibitions together and the first person I put on the exhibitions was him.
"The last one, sadly, was at the Circus Tavern a couple of weeks ago. He was bubbly as usual and it was the last time I saw him.
"He has got a soft side to him and he'd always say to me 'text me when you get home'. He was a good guy."
Rod Harrington
Rod Harrington competed alongside Bristow and was also a founder member of the WDC (now PDC) when the sport's leading players broke away from the BDO 25 years ago.
"Eric was a close friend for a long, long time and it's incredibly sad that we've lost him," said Harrington.
"He was a great character and a phenomenal player in his time, as his record shows, but he was larger than life and was still known worldwide.
"Darts needed a player like him and he took us from being a pub game to being a sport back in the 1980s.
"We often looked back on the memories we'd shared travelling around the world, and there's no doubt that the darts wouldn't be as big as it is today if it wasn't for Eric."
Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle, a colleague of Bristow's at Sky Sports, also paid tribute, saying: "I'm absolutely devastated, gutted - every emotion that everyone else is feeling who knew Eric.
"We'd become close mates, and recently even more so. My wife hasn't been particularly well and he was constantly asking if she was alright.
"That was the softer side of Eric that not many people knew because he was this relentless winning machine that never showed a lot of emotion to anything, so that meant a lot.
"Without Eric Bristow I don't think that darts would have made it out of the 80s. The other players were great, but they weren't Eric Bristow or Bobby [George] - they led the way, they were showmen.
"Eric had the star quality. He was a special human being. He's going to be so missed because there's not many people on the planet like him."
Marcus Robertson
PDC Director Marcus Robertson had worked with Bristow throughout his career, and said: "Eric's death is a very sad and poignant moment for his family, friends and colleagues in the sport.
"The creation of what became the PDC was founded on the popularity that his charisma created for the sport.
"He supported the breakaway 100% and always stood up to be counted in the fight for the WDC to prosper, including the successful legal case that went all the way to the High Court.
"Without him quite simply the WDC and subsequent PDC would not have had the credibility it did. He was darts' first superstar and the modern sport was built around his enduring legacy."
Tommy Cox
Former PDC Tournament Director Tommy Cox, who helped to form the World Darts Council when the leading players - including Bristow - broke away from the BDO, said: "It's a sad day.
"I played him in North Shields when he was 17 years old and have been a friend ever since. Eric was instrumental in making darts as popular as it is now and he set the standard back in the 1980s.
"When the fledgling WDC were battling to progress in television terms, Eric was the player who gave us most credibility.
"A couple of players were put under pressure and returned to the previous organisation and the WDC breakaway players were put under great pressure and offered incentives to break from the fledgling WDC.
"Eric was the strongman who held them together and he attended every single day of the High Court hearing with Dick Allix and I which resulted in us being able to continue our development unhindered.
"Today's players owe him an awful lot and he should never be forgotten either as a player or the original backbone of what became the PDC."
Bob Anderson
Bob and Sally Anderson, who had Bristow as the Best Man at their wedding, paid an emotional tribute to their great friend.
"We can't contain our tears...he was our best man and a lovely friend...RIP Eric...darts won't be the same without you," they wrote.
"We will all miss #EricBristow with heavy hearts. It was a privilege to know him and to compete with him over all these years. Bob and Sally x"
Dennis Priestley
Eric was a great character who had that special aura about him, which not many people have.
Darts will not be the same without him, he will be solely missed by all.
Our thoughts go out to his family and his close friends at this sad time. Rest in peace pal.
Michael van Gerwen
World number one Michael van Gerwen - who shared his April 25 birthday with Bristow - told Sky Sports News: "It’s so sad for his family, the legend has gone.
"You need to live your life like he did. He never cared what anyone else said, he lived his life like he wanted to.
"Eric was always positive about the game and a huge influence. He had a great opinion. People either liked that or didn't but he said it anyway - that made him Eric, it's how he was. That made him a hero."
Gary Anderson
Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson said: "Jocky Wilson and Eric were my great inspirations - I remember my dad cheering on Jocky playing Eric in the early 80s and was fascinated by the atmosphere and rivalry.
"Those old clashes between Jocky and Eric were very special. I think they made what the game is today. People didn’t think much of darts in those days but those matches showed just how much passion the sport could produce.
"The way Jocky and Eric wound each other up was just brilliant. You could see the body language on stage and it was electric.
"Eric was such a big character - he took darts to another level. I don't think the sport would be where it is today without him making it so big in the late 70s and 80s.
"He was massively popular and perhaps still the most recognisable person in the sport along with Phil Taylor.
"Everyone wanted to talk to him because he was such a massive character but you can’t forget what a brilliant dart player he was.
"He made people talk about darts in almost every household in the UK. The legacy of Eric Bristow will live on forever more.
"It was a very emotional moment for the sport to hear that singing in Liverpool - it was a tough night for everyone involved in the sport."