Eight amateur darts players from Scotland will swap their garage dart board for a game on the world’s biggest stage, after beating hundreds of competitors in Glasgow to qualify for one of the sports biggest tournaments.

In a David and Goliath story for the sport, scores of hopeful throwers descended upon the Speedy Glasgow Power Superstore in Downiebrae Road, Rutherglen in the hope of making it through to the UK Open in June.

Ryan Murray, Charlie Burns, Kirk Gordon and Tommy Little are embarking on a David and Goliath darts story with 2004 world champion Andy Fordham, after qualifying in Glasgow for the UK Open.

Out of hundreds of entrants, Kirk Gordon (Livingston), Tommy Little (Glasgow), Charlie Burns (Edinburgh), Ryan Murray (Edinburgh), Gordon Foster (Middlesbrough), Danny Jones (Haydock), John Donaldson (Falkirk) and Duncan Hastings (Falkirk) eventually prevailed and are now dreaming of a date with the finest players Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor and Scotland number one Gary Anderson.

Their first obstacle was to score enough points with 15 darts to qualify for a one off leg of 501 against another successful amateur.

They then held their nerves in the all-or-nothing games to seal winning doubles and progress into the FA Cup of Darts, where they will share the same stage as some of the world’s finest players.

Speedy enlisted the help of 2004 World Champion Andy Fordham to offer expert advice and he was again overwhelmed with the quality.

He said: “Our visit to Glasgow was the final stop on our four date tour of the UK, and we saved the best for last.

“Hundreds of players came along to chance their arm, and the quality was right up there with the best we have seen.

“To be able to throw a few arrows in their garage, and now stand on stage against some of the world’s finest players in June is a wonderful story.

“I think we will be seeing a lot more of them at the Speedy Hire UK Open, where they might just spring a surprise or two.”

Speedy’s group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: “There is no other story like this in sport as far as we know.

“Players can literally turn up, throw some darts and end up playing Phil ‘the Power’ Taylor and company.

“The prize certainly appealed to the Glasgow darting fraternity and we want to thank everyone for taking part.”

For more information about the Speedy Hire UK Open click on speedyhiredarts.com

Speedy has helped to cement Stoke-on-Trent as the capital of darts, after hundreds of amateur throwers flocked to the city to qualify for one of the biggest events in the sport’s calendar.

In the week that Stoke City prepare to face Bolton at Wembley, qualifying for the competition known aptly as the ‘FA Cup of Darts’ was taking place at the Speedy Stoke Superstore in Lowfield Drive.

Andy Fordham with some of the successful qualifiers

Speedy threw down the challenge to amateurs to take aim, with eight players qualifying to play at the UK Open at the Reebok Stadium in June, in front of a huge television audience – and possibly Phil Taylor.

Out of hundreds of entrants, Stuart Daniels (Ellesmere Port), Colin Appleton (Warrington), Andy Beardmore (Leek), Robbie Green (Merseyside), Paul Cartwright (Oldham), John Jackson (Eccles), Kevin Simm (Bolton) and Brandon Walsh (Doncaster) eventually prevailed and are now dreaming of a date with ‘The Power’ and current world champion Adrian Lewis, who has put Stoke on the map as a hotbed for darts.

Their first obstacle was to score enough points with 15 darts to qualify for a one off leg of 501 against another successful amateur.

They then held their nerves in the all-or-nothing games to seal winning doubles and progress into the FA Cup of Darts, where they will share the same stage as some of the world’s finest players.

Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of equipment rental and support services, is staging a further qualifier in Glasgow on Friday April 15th, which will unearth a further 8 budding stars, after also visiting Bristol and Dartford earlier in the week.

Speedy enlisted the help of 2004 World Champion Andy Fordham to offer expert advice and he was again overwhelmed with the quality.

He said: “When I knew we were coming to Stoke, I expected the standard to be good, but the guys at the oche exceeded my expectations.

“To see hundreds of fanatics crammed into the Speedy Stoke Superstore was a great sight. The fact that people have been able to walk in off the street, throw some darts and now dream of playing the world’s best players is brilliant.”

Speedy’s group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: “Our visit to Stoke was a huge highlight from our week of qualifying events for the Speedy Hire UK Open.

“We saw hundreds of fanatics here and a handful of excited winners who we look forward to seeing again at the UK Open at the Reebok Stadium in June.”

The darts qualifier coincided with an open day to celebrate the first anniversary of Speedy’s Stoke Superstore.

The 20,000sq ft site employs 15 people and houses a full range of tools, lifting and surveying equipment.

For more information about Speedy and its sponsorship of the UK Open, visit speedyhiredarts.com

Hundreds of fanatical throwers have put the dart into Dartford, after descending upon the town in their droves to meet a former world champion and take aim for one of the sport’s biggest events.

Speedy Hire threw down the challenge to amateurs to bring their arrows to its Hawley Road depot, with eight players qualifying to play at the UK Open at the Reebok Stadium in June, in front of a huge television audience.

Andy Fordham and Eddy Martin (from left) Jamie Robinson,Ian Covill and John Keating

Conan Whitehead (Gillingham), Kevin Edwards (Great Bentley), John Kennedy (Hackney), Ian Covill (Welling), Craig Mucklow (Chiswick), Jamie Robinson (Colchester), John Keating (Strood) and Eddy Martin (East London) eventually prevailed and are now dreaming of a date with Phil ‘the Power’ Taylor and company.

Their first obstacle was to score enough points with 15 darts to qualify for a one off leg of 501 against another successful amateur.

They then held their nerves in the all-or-nothing games to seal winning doubles and progress into the FA Cup of Darts, where they will share the same stage as some of the world’s finest players. Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of equipment rental and support services, is staging further qualifiers in Stoke on April 14th and Glasgow (15th), which will unearth a further 16 budding stars.

Speedy enlisted the help of 2004 World Champion Andy Fordham to offer expert advice and he was extremely impressed with the quality on show.

He said: “The quality just gets better and better. I knew the quality in Kent would be good and none of us were disappointed.

“The players were extremely serious about their darts and that reflected on the board.”

Speedy’s group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: “Our Dartford event has been a huge success and it has been great to be here, in one of four UK qualifying events.

“The Speedy Hire UK Open is the FA Cup of darts and it was easy to see why with all these people here today.”

For more information about Speedy and its sponsorship of the UK Open, visit speedyhiredarts.com

The dreams of eight amateur darts fanatics have well and truly taken flight with Speedy Hire, after becoming the first to qualify for the UK Open.

The eight great players triumphed over hundreds of other hopefuls at the first of four Speedy qualifiers for the prestigious tournament at the UK Open in June.

Their first obstacle was to score enough points with 15 darts to qualify for a one off leg of 501 against another successful amateur.

Darts legend Andy Fordham with four of the successful qualifiers

They then held their nerves in the all-or-nothing game to seal winning doubles and progress into the FA Cup of Darts, where they will share the same stage as some of the world’s finest players.

Darren Pugh, Stuart White, Bruce Harrison, Jon Jukes, Martin Perring, Peter White, Charlie Cooper and Damien Sherwood all prevailed and are now dreaming of facing the cream of the PDC, live in front of the TV cameras.

Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of equipment rental and support services, is staging further qualifiers in Dartford on April 13, Stoke (14th) and Glasgow (15th), which will unearth a further 24 budding stars

Speedy enlisted the help of 2004 World Champion Andy Fordham to offer expert advice and he was extremely impressed with the quality on show.

He said: “The standard was right up there from the first dart thrown. It was great to see so many darts fanatics here, all ready to give it a go.

“To see the faces of the winning players was wonderful. I think we may well be hearing more about them soon.”

Speedy’s group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: “To see so many people here has been fantastic.

“The Speedy Hire UK Open is the FA Cup of darts and it was easy to see why with all these people here today.”

Aside from the darts, the event also coincided with the official opening of Bristol’s 27,000 sq ft superstore. Designed to complement the company’s nationwide network of 350 smaller depots it will house over £1 million worth of equipment including small tools, lifting and survey equipment, light plant, and fencing.

The Superstore – the opening of which has created 40 jobs for the local area – will also offer testing, inspection and repair (TIR) services for all lifting equipment.

The Bristol Superstore is the fourth Speedy has opened following the success of new sites in Stoke, Edinburgh and Wolverhampton which were opened in 2010.

The company plans to open 12 Superstores around the UK by 2012.