Why Blackpool's Winter Gardens tops Ally Pally for darts prestige as Joe Cullen previews World Matchplay

Joe Cullen is among those in action on the opening night of this year’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.

The 37-year-old takes on Nathan Aspinall in Saturday’s closing game, following clashes between Josh Rock and Luke Woodhouse, Stephen Bunting and Niels Zonneveld, and Luke Littler and Niko Springer.

Back in 2023, The Rockstar reached the semi-finals at the Winter Gardens, and is hoping to enjoy a good run once again at a venue he places even above the World Championships at Ally Pally.

“As far as the place goes, it ranks number one,” Cullen said.

“The Winter Gardens is an incredible place to play. Every year it seems to retain its specialness, and I don’t think I’m on my own in feeling that way.

“I look forward to it every year, and look at where it is on the calendar every year. It’s a special place to a lot of darts players. There’s a few debutants this year who would’ve heard stories about it, but until you’ve actually experienced for yourself for the first time, you can’t get the feeling of what it’s really about.

“I remember my first time, I was looking around the place thinking: ‘How are we having a game of darts here.’

“I’m used to it now, but there’s still occasions where I take in the venue.

“The Worlds are obviously incredible, but they’ve got that party feel to it, being right before Christmas, and there’s quite a few who are there just for the night and not the darts; whereas you still get the atmosphere in Blackpool and everyone’s there for the darts.

“Everyone’s into it, and you rarely get any crowd trouble. Whistling has been a big thing of late, but you never get that sort of thing.

“The best I’ve done there is the semis, and you’re there the full week, so you just feel a part of it. Obviously if you go home early doors, and you’re watching at home, you feel like you’ve missed a trick.

“It’s a cliche, but the field is strong - it’s the best players in the world essentially, so if you get carried away and start looking past certain people, that’s when you can come unstuck.

“I’m focussed on my game against Nathan (Aspinall). We’re great friends away from darts, but we won’t be mates on the oche.”

Cullen, who is an ambassador for Winmau and has his own range with the darts manufacturer, admits having the right equipment is a crucial part of the game.

“It’s huge - I don’t think you can put enough stakes on that,” he added.

“I’ve been with Winmau for six or seven years now, and after the initial meeting with Lee, who puts the designs together, I thought: ‘This is where I need to be.’

“He came up with ideas that I’d never even thought of, with certain little intricacies. You think it should be a long drawn out affair, but he did it in a day. It’s testament to him.

“At this level, I’m at the stage of my career now where I’m not going to be improving by 10 or 20 percent, it’s the little one and two percents. Lee and the rest of Winmau leave no stone left unturned.

“Nothing is too much to ask for. It could be something minute like the weight of a flight or the length of a stem - it sounds so trivial to people who don’t play.”