John Ferrell (darts player)

John Ferrell
Personal information
Nickname"The Joker"
Born (1961-02-28) 28 February 1961[1]
Lewisham, London, England
Home townLewisham, London, England
Darts information
Playing darts since1983
Darts22g Unicorn Signature
LateralityLeft-handed
Walk-on music"Mission: Impossible" by Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO1994–1997, 2001–2002
PDC1997–2000, 2003–2017
WDF major events – best performances
World ChampionshipLast 32: 2002
World MastersLast 128: 2001
PDC premier events – best performances
World ChampionshipQuarter-Finals: 1999
World MatchplayLast 16: 1998
World Grand PrixLast 16: 1999
UK OpenLast 64: 2008, 2015
Desert ClassicLast 32: 2007
US Open/WSoDLast 128: 2007
Other tournament wins
England GP Of Darts Brighton2012
England GP Of Darts Thanet2012
Gibraltar Open2009, 2015

John Ferrell (born 28 February 1961) is an English former professional darts player who played in both Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events.

Career

Ferrell's first foray in a major tournament was reaching the quarter-final in the 1994 BDO British Open, before switching to the PDC and making his televised debut in the 1997 World Matchplay, where he would reach the last 32, losing to Drew O'Neill.[2] He would also compete in his first PDC World Championship later that year, although he would go out in the group stages.[3]

1998, however, would prove to be his most successful year on the PDC circuit. A return to the Matchplay saw him reach the last 16 (losing to eventual finalist Ronnie Baxter), before making a surprise run to the quarter-finals of the World Championship, causing a shock by defeating perpetual finalist Dennis Priestley along the way. In fact, Ferrell would prove to be something of a bogeyman for Priestley in televised tournaments over that calendar year, knocking him out of both the Matchplay and the World Championship.[4][5] He would eventually be knocked out by Alan-Warriner Little.[6]

A solid year saw him reach the world's top sixteen[7], meaning he competed in his first (and only) World Grand Prix in 1999, going out in the group stages.[8][9] Similarly, he never quite hit the same heights in majors again, achieving only last 32 berths in both the World Championship and World Matchplay in 2000 before deciding to switch back to the BDO, qualifying for the 2001 World Masters but losing in the second round to Co Stompe.[10][11][12]

He would then win through qualifiers to appear in the 2002 BDO World Championship[13], but lost 3-0 in the first round to Bob Taylor.[14] That would end his brief flirtation with the 'other side' of the darting divide, and he returned to the PDC in 2003, qualifying for that year's UK Open where he lost in the opening round.[15] Sporadic appearances in darts events followed, including a second-round exit at the PDC US Open in 2007, before a run of form that summer saw him qualify for the 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic, where he lost in the first round to Wayne Mardle.[16][17]

Ferrell would lead something of a nomadic darting existence following this - he qualified for three more major PDC events: the UK Open in 2008, 2015, and 2017 respectively (making his best runs in the tournament with last 64 berths in 2008 and 2015), while also qualifying for the World Masters of the BDO in 2009 and 2015, although failing to make a dent in either tournament.[18] He would frequently attempt to win a PDC Tour Card at Q School, attempting to do so in 2011 and 2014 (as well as playing the opening events of the Challenge Tour in 2014), but failed to make an impact. He did, however, win some tour events over that period, winning the Gibraltar Open on two occasions and picking up a pair of England Grand Prix Of Darts titles.[19]

His last event to date was the UK Open in 2017.

Personal life

Outside of darts, Ferrell worked as a taxi driver.[5]

World Championship performances

BDO

PDC

References

  1. ↑ "John Ferrell - Mastercaller.com". Mastercaller.
  2. ↑ "World Matchplay 29/07/1997". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "PDC World Championship 04/01/1998". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "Dec 30, 1998, page 22 - The Birmingham Post at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Dec 30, 1998, page 19 - The Independent at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Jan 02, 1999, page 23 - The Independent at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Oct 19, 1999, page 44 - Medway Standard at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Oct 26, 1999, page 44 - Medway Standard at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "World Grand Prix 18/10/1999". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "PDC World Championship 04/01/2000". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "World Matchplay 29/07/2000". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "World Masters 02/12/2001". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Nov 30, 2001, page 30 - The Guardian at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "BDO World Championship 05/01/2002 - 13/01/2002". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  15. ↑ "UK Open 01/06/2003". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "PDC US Open 18/05/2007 - 20/05/2007". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Las Vegas Desert Classic 04/07/2007 - 08/07/2007". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "John Ferrell - Mastercaller". mastercaller.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "John Ferrell Player Profile". www.dartsdatabase.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
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