1975: ALAN EVANS - The Rhondda Darts LEGEND | Nationwide | Classic Sport | BBC Archive

"In Ferndale, and in the villages and towns of the Rhondda, Alan is little short of a God."
Bob Wellings reports from Ferndale in the Rhondda valley, Wales - the home of the British Open Darts Champion and local hero, Alan Evans.
Originally broadcast 23 April, 1975.
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[@bigbadwolf200335]

Brilliant, great days never to be seen again.

[@johntucker6073]

Nostalgic for something that happened long before I was born, to be in that crowd with a cardigan on and a tray of pints

[@depniff]

Can't help thinking of the Smith and Jones darts sketch whenever I see old darts films. He looked older than 25 but what a talent.

[@TimmyTickle]

ONE HUNDRED MILLIGRAMS

[@jakefr5150]

It was the 70s - everyone looked 10+ years older than they were.

[@middleagedpunk8923]

What a superb video and a far cry from all the ridiculous Americanised glitz and glamour of today's game. Alan Evans and Leighton Rees have two of the most beautiful throwing actions alongside early Eric Bristow.

[@spastic54]

Americanised? Lol. If you would, please explain how the game is Americanised in contrast to what it used to be? Especially when considering that darts could quite nearly be considered a uniquely European game/sport.

[@martinredr]

Very beautiful insight into what is a classic now. Love it.

[@Djoarhet001]

£30 in 1975 would equate to £300 today. That's not too shabby for a 25 year old attending a local match

[@WillDraco]

7:03 Alan gives a little wink to the camera, like he knew he was going to win all along.

[@Luke96-sy9jv]

Lovely bit of history here 😊

[@LeighRichards27]

His epic clash with bristow at the world championship in 79 remains among the most compelling televised sporting occasions ive seen. Incredible atmosphere with neither player hiding their visceral dislike for each other (tho they wud later become good pals). PS. loved the shot of alan going up to the stage supping a pint....really was another age then!

[@gary1961]

He done really well not to spill a drop. Great darts player, great pint carrier.

[@ycymrobach9012]

Great player, lucky enough to have a drink with him years ago. Top man.

[@ReneeinVirginia]

Pretty amazing.

[@SOFAJEDI]

Only one word for that “magic darts”

[@carlsam1516]

Fantastic player

[@atomictraveller]

5, left for arizona at 10. 1970s wales is forever crystalised in my mind. but with cactus.

[@andybirchenall1113]

Monday night was always darts night.9pm start plenty of beer supped and always hoping you were not last on as you were usually bladdered. Happy Days

[@necropink9200]

He was only 25 when this was filmed? He looks old enough to be his own father.

[@Playsinvain]

He puts his shirt on like my brother. Never could understand why you wouldn’t throw your arms through as the shirt is over your head. But…a great video! Thanks.

[@garryleeks4848]

Days when dart players liked a smoke and a drink, I can smell the fumes from here 😬

[@whiteonggoy7009]

My very thoughts

[@garryleeks4848]

@@whiteonggoy7009 and not a beer belly in sight 🙄

[@cromandum217]

dude is blackout in that first interview

[@davidheafield1436]

Leighton Rees was from Ynysybwl the same village I grew up in , even though I was still well underage he would take on anybody whilst he was practicing , so I played him many times and I so very nearly beat him once when he couldn’t get a double to start and mine went straight-in first dart , but he still whooped my arse….never came close to beating him anytime after

[@garethroblyn]

My middle name is named after him. I was born the year he won the world championship

[@johntucker6073]

By the way if you’re watching this and wondering what became of that beautiful hall, it was in Maerdy and allowed to go to rack and ruin before being demolished in 2003. There is now just a patch of grass where it used to be.

[@barnzYT]

I can smell that room

[@AshtonArcher]

Interestingly for 1975 it seems like everyone is drinking Lager - pretty sure I saw a Carling Black Label pump on the bar.

[@tonyd4911]

Rip Alan

[@112chapters3]

0:38….. how close the Mini Countryman to the other car😂 hahah the scene at the end of him having to chug the beer. Got the cameras on you come on

[@fearfactorymark]

Sit down if you love the darts

[@xboxgamer7453]

The narrator sounds like he does monty python skits in his spare time.

[@ayyywerelisteninghere1022]

Beautiful 9 pint finish there

[@johnmc3862]

Liquid darts!!!

[@maddaveyesay1611]

22 quid a set.that was anexpensive set back then

[@OlafProt]

“Films were killed off by stay at home television…” goodness I’d forgotten all that nonsense. So many cinemas would still be here if they could’ve just survived until the early 80s and the Spielberg era, and been less snobbish about American movies in the 70s Whoever wins tonight gets £200. Allowing for inflation that still only £2000 now. That’s how money has destroyed the sport

[@psychosquirrel555]

Some epic hair here. What us ice hockey ppl would call great salad.

[@frankiebenson3212]

Them old places including the pubs had brown tar dripping off the roof beams due to all the smoking. I know so as I worked in them. The smell up top was worse than anything.

[@Therealderry433]

25 going on 45

[@MrJoecool9999]

50p a head to get in lol - takes me back - I worked in a social club in Scotland - 25p a pint - 16 pints and a Chinese takeaway for £5......!

[@alistairmcmillan8914]

remember them days 25p a p1nt and 26p for 10 club

[@gazbeast666]

I was like number 180 🙂

[@4seeableTV]

Ferndale wasn't exactly crawling with Brad Pitt types.

[@garryleeks4848]

Thought they were a great looking bunch 🙄

[@BadgerBotherer1]

My mother used to teach at Ferndale Comprehensive. She said the students were the least-intelligent she had encountered in her teaching career.

[@TheGlassman63]

No, instead it was crawling with real hard working normal men, not demigod figures.

[@VCosta-ql4ue]

25 years old 😮 Looks 45 😂

[@DAN420.]

😆

[@ianfortean7808]

and died at 49

[@VCosta-ql4ue]

​@@ianfortean7808 Wow, He Looked 75 in 1997 😅 kzbin.info/www/bejne/m37Hn6hqlrmpqck

[@cactusdan94]

25!? He looks like he could have a 25 year old son😂

[@stevenhumphries110]

3001 ? Surely not ??

[@markgibbins4143]

25

[@MrClarksop]

alan moved to stockport and supported man city in the seventies, he got more stick for that than for being welsh.

[@jesselopes5196]

If KZbin gamer channels had live audiences

[@magnump.i.5894]

Nearly a car crash at 0. 40!

[@Neil-Aspinall]

More Monty Python classic gold!

[@PaleBlueDotCitizen]

6:37 Two games to one up, the best out of three wins. Ummm, two up IS the best out of three. Is everyone dumb? Hello?

[@brianhutchison1788]

Always the problem when someone who doesn't really understand the game tries to explain what's going on.! Great video capturing darts at the time but could have made the details of the game clearer; who was Leighton Rees playing? Did Alan Evans play the decider against the other Londoner?

[@RD-js3uo]

You'd think if he was earning decent money he could afford a decent haircut.

[@bestpeter78]

Black bulls eye 😜

[@PDZ1122]

The only "sport" performed while chugging pints.

[@westy8065]

Have a look at the snooker videos from the same period!!

[@patsanters2741]

Top player but Scotland's Jocky Wilson was better , won World title twice v the best England can throw at him Lowe and Bristow winning World titles in England .

[@Dommer1973]

No, no he wasnt

[@dazzp2]

Great player, but he could be a nasty *Barstool"

[@tomfrancis5575]

25 😂

[@TrueFilter]

@YTThrowaway died we 49. Pretty sad.