English amateur Mike Norton, 62, unknowingly played practice matches for three weeks against two-time world champion Gary Anderson, only discovering his opponent's identity afterward. Norton shared the remarkable anecdote on the Weekly Dartscast podcast, recalling a period when he barely watched darts on television and had no idea the Scot who kept beating him was a world-class player.
According to Norton, it started when he met a local player named Graham Curl at the Super League. Curl invited him to a training session in his garage in Shenan, saying, "Me and my mate play every Wednesday. We have a practice. Our missus go off to Slimming World." Norton was told another strong player would be present: "The mate I've got is really good. I don't push him. I think you can push him."
On the first Wednesday, Norton warmed up before a man walked in. They played a format of first to three, winner stays on. Norton beat his mate but then lost 3-0 to the newcomer, who "never got off the board all night." Despite clear defeats, Norton kept returning for several Wednesdays, determined to beat the mysterious opponent. Only after multiple sessions did he ask Curl, "This bloke, he is an animal. Where is he from?" Curl replied, "You idiot, it's Gary Anderson."
Norton, unfamiliar with the name, responded, "Who the bloody hell is Gary Anderson?" When Curl asked if he watched darts on TV, Norton said, "Well, I have never watched darts on the telly, no." Curl explained, "He is on the telly every week and he is famous." Norton realized he had been playing Anderson for three weeks without knowing. He now laughs about the situation, recognizing how special it was to practice with a player from the absolute world elite, and views it as one of the best stories of his darts career.
