News of the World Darts Championship draws 1972-1982

News of the World Championship

Founded	1927
Ceased	1997
Country	England
Venue	Various venues in London
Last champions	Phil Taylor Linda Jones (1996–97)
Tournament format	Legs

The News of the World Darts Championship began in 1927 as a regional darts competition. In 1946/7 the first national competition was held. By the 1970s it attracted players from all over the world. All players needed to win through in county and regional stages of the competition to reach the final stages, which were first televised in 1972. Matches were short, with just two legs being required for victory. The oche was slightly longer than most tournaments, being a full 8 feet from the board to the toe line. The early televised events until 1977 were held at Alexandra Palace, London. The event moved to Wembley Arena, Wembley, London in 1978.

See also

• News of the World Darts Championship draws 1983-1997

1972 Final stages

^[1]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Alan Evans

Bye

Alan Evans

2

Mick Roper

1

Mick Roper

Bye

Alan Evans

2

Dennis Filkins

1

Dennis Filkins

Bye

Dennis Filkins

2

Vince King

0

Vince King

Bye

Alan Evans

0

Brian Netherton

2

Brian Netherton

Bye

Brian Netherton

2

Peter Crane

0

Peter Crane

Bye

Brian Netherton

2

John Walker

1

John Walker

2

Barry Atkinson

0

John Walker

2

Jack Jones

1

Jack Jones

Bye

1973 Final stages

^[2]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Roy Baker

Bye

Roy Baker

2

Orvar Svensson

0

Orvar Svensson

Bye

Roy Baker

1

Ron Church

2

Ron Church

Bye

Ron Church

2

Denby Parkin

0

Denby Parkin

Bye

Ron Church

1

Ivor Hodgkinson

2

Ken Batchelor

Bye

Ken Batchelor

2

Bob Whyte

0

Bob Whyte

2

Bob Ludkin

1

Ken Batchelor

0

Ivor Hodgkinson

2

Ivor Hodgkinson

2

Rod Hailstone

0

Ivor Hodgkinson

2

Tony Ridler

0

Tony Ridler

2

Al Lippman

0

1974 Final stages

^[3]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Peter Chapman

Bye

Peter Chapman

2

Eddie Brown

1

Eddie Brown

Bye

Peter Chapman

2

Jim McQuillan

1

Jim McQuillan

Bye

Jim McQuillan

2

Tom Bafverfeldt

1

Tom Bafverfeldt

Bye

Peter Chapman

2

Paul Gosling

1

Al Lippman

2

Leighton Rees

0

Al Lippman

0

Joe Givnan

2

Joe Givnan

2

Bill Bryson

0

Joe Givnan

1

Paul Gosling

2

Paul Gosling

2

John Moore

0

Paul Gosling

2

Paul Jackson

0

Paul Jackson

2

Rob McDonald

0

1975 Final stages

^[4]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Derek White

Bye

Derek White

2

Keith Farrow

1

Keith Farrow

Bye

Derek White

2

Ron Colby

1

Ron Colby

Bye

Ron Colby

2

Conrad Daniels

0

Conrad Daniels

Bye

Derek White

2

Bill Duddy

1

Bill Duddy

2

Fred Allott

0

Bill Duddy

2

Sandy Aitken

1

Sandy Aitken

2

Jack Jones

0

Bill Duddy

2

Phil Obbard

0

Vic Baxendale

2

Gunnar Moberg

0

Vic Baxendale

0

Phil Obbard

2

Phil Obbard

2

Jack McKenna

1

1976 Final stages

^[5]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Bill Lennard

Bye

Bill Lennard

2

Seamus O'Brien

0

Seamus O'Brien

Bye

Bill Lennard

2

Sid Webb

1

Sid Webb

Bye

Sid Webb

2

Gordon Bristo

0

Gordon Bristo

Bye

Bill Lennard

2

Leighton Rees

0

Stewart McCleary

2

Stefan Lord

1

Stewart McCleary

1

Leighton Rees

1

Leighton Rees

2

Bob Brown

1

Leighton Rees

2

George Champion

0

Tony Money

2

Joe McKay

0

Tony Money

1

George Champion

2

George Champion

2

Peter Chapman

0

1977 Final stages

^[6]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Bob Crosland

Bye

Bob Crosland

2

Mick McDermott

0

Mick McDermott

Bye

Bob Crosland

2

Jack Jones

1

Jack Jones

Bye

Jack Jones

2

Eddie Bush

1

Eddie Bush

Bye

Bob Crosland

0

Mick Norris

2

Bryan Smart

2

Hugh Barnsley

0

Bryan Smart

0

Mick Norris

2

Mick Norris

2

Kim Brown

1

Mick Norris

2

John Lowe

0

Rick Wobensmith

2

Seamus O'Brien

0

Rick Wobensmith

0

John Lowe

2

John Lowe

2

Neil Campbell-Adams

0

1978 Final stages

^[7]

	First round					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Lionel Smith		Bye
						Lionel Smith		2
						Tony Clark		0
	Tony Clark		Bye
											Lionel Smith		1
											John Coward		2
	John Coward		Bye
						John Coward		2
						Lionel Smith		0
	Roger Smith		2
	John Zimnawoda		0
																John Coward		0
																Stefan Lord		2
	Jack Bentley		2
	Alan Grant		1
						Jack Bentley		0
						Stefan Lord		2
	Stefan Lord		2
	Tony Brown		0
											Stefan Lord		2
											Jocky Wilson		1
	Jocky Wilson		2
	Bobby George		1
						Jocky Wilson		2
						Jim McQuillan		0
	Jim McQuillan		2
	Gerry Haywood		1

1979 Final stages

^[8]

World champion John Lowe lost in the final of the Derbyshire County finals to Jack Holmes. ^[9] Eric Bristow lost in quarter finals of the London and Home Counties Divisional finals to Martin Humphrey. ^[10]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Lance Richards

Bye

Lance Richards

2

Jake Brestowski

0

Jake Brestowski

Bye

Lance Richards

0

Bobby George

2

Bobby George

Bye

Bobby George

2

George Adams

0

George Adams

Bye

Bobby George

2

Alan Glazier

0

Martin Humphrey

2

Ron Bayliss

0

Martin Humphrey

2

Eddie Morrisey

0

Eddie Morrisey

2

Stan Morris

0

Martin Humphrey

0

Alan Glazier

2

Alan Glazier

2

Stefan Lord

0

Alan Glazier

2

John Herrmann

1

John Herrmann

2

Terry Crawford

0

1980 Final stages

^[11]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Dave Whitcombe

Bye

Dave Whitcombe

2

Rick Ney

0

Rick Ney

Bye

Dave Whitcombe

2

Pat Kiely

0

Pat Kiely

Bye

Pat Kiely

2

Tony Clark

1

Tony Clark

Bye

Dave Whitcombe

0

Stefan Lord

2

John Lowe

2

Tony Bowers

1

John Lowe

2

Bobby George

0

Bobby George

2

Colin Kemys

1

John Lowe

1

Stefan Lord

2

Stefan Lord

2

George Forrest

1

Stefan Lord

2

Alan Turnbull

0

Alan Turnbull

2

Jim Brogan

0

1981 Final stages

^[12]

World champion Eric Bristow lost in the quarter finals of the Staffordshire County finals to Les Capewell. ^[13]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

John Lowe

Bye

John Lowe

2

Cam Melchiore

1

Cam Melchiore

Bye

John Lowe

2

Rab Smith

1

Rab Smith

Bye

Rab Smith

2

Stefan Lord

0

Stefan Lord

Bye

John Lowe

2

Mick Norris

0

Mick Norris

2

Bob Crosland

0

Mick Norris

2

Ian Knowles

0

Ian Knowles

2

Roland Hill

0

Mick Norris

2

Alan Blewitt

0

John-Paul Kinsella

2

Malcolm Padmore

0

John-Paul Kinsella

1

Alan Blewitt

2

Alan Blewitt

2

Stan Harding

0

1982 Final stages

^[14]

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Roy Morgan

Bye

Roy Morgan

2

John Kane

0

John Kane

Bye

Roy Morgan

2

John Yelland

1

John Yelland

Bye

John Yelland

2

Bobby George

0

Bobby George

Bye

Roy Morgan

2

Jim Hughes

1

John Buckley

Bye

John Buckley

0

Jim Hughes

2

Jim Hughes

2

Rick Ney

0

Jim Hughes

2

Jocky Wilson

1

Jocky Wilson

2

Graham Collins

0

Jocky Wilson

2

Alan Evans

0

Alan Evans

2

Joe Dodd

0

References

1. "Results of News of the World 1972". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
2. "Results of News of the World 1973". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
3. "Results of News of the World 1974". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
4. "Results of News of the World 1975". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
5. "Results of News of the World 1976". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
6. "Results of News of the World 1977". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
7. "Results of News of the World 1978". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
8. "Results of News of the World 1979". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
9. "Bogy-man Jack shatters Lowe". Evening Telegraph (Derby). 6 February 1979. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
10. "Darts". Isle of Wight County Press (Newport, IOW). 14 April 1979. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
11. "Results of News of the World 1980". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
12. "Results of News of the World 1981". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
13. "Warwicks bounce back into form". Birmingham Evening Mail. 2 March 1981. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
14. "Results of News of the World 1982". MasterCaller. Retrieved 10 November 2025.