Andy Fordham

Andrew Fordham (2 February 1962 – 15 July 2021) was an English professional darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation (BDO) tournaments. Nicknamed the Viking, he won the 2004 BDO World Darts Championship and the 1999 World Masters.

Darts career

Fordham made his first appearance on the stage at Lakeside in the 1995 BDO World Darts Championship and reached the semi-finals before losing to Richie Burnett. Another semi-final defeat followed in 1996, this time to Steve Beaton. On both these occasions, his victor then went on to claim the title. Second round defeats followed in 1997 (to Marshall James) and 1998 (to Raymond van Barneveld) before Fordham made it to the semi-final stage of the World Championship for third time in 1999, but was defeated by Ronnie Baxter.

His 2000 campaign ended in the quarter-finals at the hands of Chris Mason and his fourth semi-final loss in 2001 was to Ted Hankey. In 2002 and 2003 he went out in the first and second rounds respectively.

Fordham finally put an end to his "nearly man" reputation in the 2004 World Championship. His run saw him win his first match comfortably, 3–0 against qualifier Brian Derbyshire. He then beat former Masters champion Tony West 3–0, and teased a 9-dart leg in the third set. He defeated Darryl Fitton in the quarter-finals 5–4, and then stunned Van Barneveld, the defending world champion and strong tournament favourite, by recovering from 0–3 and 2–4 down to win the match 5–4, in what is still considered one of the most dramatic and exciting matches in BDO history.

In the final, Fordham defeated Mervyn King, hitting a 139 checkout to take the eighth set 3–2 when King had reached a double-18, and then recovering from 2–0 down in the next set to take it 3–2 with double-8, and win the match by 6 sets to 3.