Darts pundit Paul Nicholson has insisted he would have done the same as Gerwyn Price following the bizarre saga which in his PDC World Championship quarter final.
Amid relentless jeering from the Ally Pally crowd, Price made the strange move for the fourth set of his match with Gabriel Clemens. After failing to stem the tide, he remerged for the next set with ear plugs instead, but still slipped to a harrowing 5-1 defeat.
The 2021 world champion later took to social media to threaten to quit the Ally Pally for good, but his behaviour was widely ridiculed online via memes and taunts. Tournament runner up Michael van Gerwen also weighed into the debate, arguing such items should be banned as the crowd were integral to the event.
Nicholson, himself a 2009 quarter finalist in the most iconic event in darts, has defended Price. And he went as far as to say he would have done the same had it been permitted in his own career.
Posting on Twitter, he wrote: "I have to say, if in the time of Tommy Cox being tournament director, I’d been allowed to use ear defenders, I would’ve done it too. I applaud people when they try something new and it’s permitted, if they feel it’s necessary."
There was a mixed response to the views of 'The Asset', with many arguing the Price, so long cast as the pantomime villain in his sport, brought things upon himself. "Nonsense Paul, he tried to put Clemens off by resulting to dirty tactics and down right disrespectful oche etiquette, I for one wouldn’t miss him," wrote @steveiratcliffe, while @JellsRant added "No sympathy … he enables the noise."
@ColmccCFC suggested the 39-year-old was now paying for pushing his aggressive persona, writing: "Baffled by your take here, you played out like a WWE heel in your pomp. You can't have it both ways, playing the crowd then getting p***ed when they boo. Gerwyn is reaping what he sowed."
There were fans siding with 'The Iceman' too though, @Stuartp1186 saying of the crowd: "They have definitely been worse before but I remember Price saying it's not so much the noise that bothers him but some of the individual comments he hears. Think he was just out to make a point tonight but I honestly think the crowds are beyond control these days."
The Ally Pally has become famed for its raucous atmosphere, with nigh on 3,000 fans cramming into the venue ever day of the Championship. Due to the impact of Covid-19, this was the first time the arena had been at full capacity for the tournament since 2019/20.
