MODUS Super Series Week 7 Preview: A Field Full of Form

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 7, and this might be one of those weeks where simply looking at the names – or indeed the early bookmaker prices – doesn't tell the whole story.

The 12-player field contains plenty of experience, with the likes of David Evans, Benito van de Pas, Keegan Brown, Richie Howson and Fallon Sherrock, but when I look through the latest Q4QS data there are some fascinating form stories elsewhere in the field.

In fact, several players arrive in Portsmouth having been almost impossible to beat in recent weeks.

And that could make Week 7 considerably more open than it initially appears.

Cooper arrives on a remarkable run

If I'm looking purely at recent form, Henry Cooper is impossible to ignore.

Cooper is currently Q4QS ranked No.516 with an 83.68 Q4QS Average, but it's his recent tournament record that really catches the eye.

His last five recorded events read:

Finalist – Winner – Winner – Winner – Winner.

Two of those victories came with extraordinary tournament averages of 92.33 and 93.95, while he has subsequently started Vault 19 by winning twice at The Newtown in Poole.

There are some huge individual performances in there too – including 109.98 and 104.86 match averages.

Cooper arrives in Portsmouth 10–0 across his latest ten recorded matches.

That's some way to enter a MODUS week.

Spivey leads the Q4QS rankings

While Cooper has the eye-catching recent results, Sam Spivey is actually the highest Q4QS-ranked player in the Week 7 field.

Spivey sits at Q4QS No.159 with an 85.42 Q4QS Average.

His recent win/loss record isn't as spectacular at 5–5, but the scoring numbers show the threat. His recent Challenge Tour event averages include 84.55, 87.99 and 81.00, while an ADC Championship South run included a 93.43 match average.

In a week containing plenty of players in excellent winning form, Spivey's underlying scoring numbers make him one of the obvious benchmarks.

Keegan Brown keeps winning

Keegan Brown provides a very different form line.

The former PDC Tour Card holder is 9–1 across his latest ten recorded matches, and there have been plenty of trophies along the way.

Brown won a Vault 18 event at Hotshots with an 86.14 tournament average, including individual performances of 95.94 and 93.90.

More recently, he won a Vault 19 event on the Isle of Wight before going 9–0 to win the Isle of Wight Grand Prix 3.

He's clearly arriving knowing how to get tournaments won.

One of the most interesting players could be 26.00

Perhaps my favourite storyline of the entire Week 7 field belongs to Ben Flanagan-McClelland.

There isn't quite enough data yet for a full Q4QS Average – he's currently at five of the six qualifying events required – but what is there is extremely interesting.

His recent results include a MODUS Super Series Qualifier quarter-final, a Midlands Vault Series 17 MODUS Super Series Qualifier victory, a final and then another tournament win.

That latest victory came in Vault 19 at The Cue Club in South Wigston.

Flanagan-McClelland went 8–0 and averaged 86.72, with individual performances including 83.76, 83.50, 80.93 and 91.09.

He's currently 10–0.

We'll come back to him when we look at the bookmaker market.

Steve Green's consistency stands out

Steve Green doesn't have quite the same string of titles, but his numbers might be among the most consistent in the field.

Green has an 84.04 Q4QS Average and is 8–2 across his latest ten.

His recent ADC Championship South tournament averages include:

85.16 – 87.22 – 82.74 – 84.21.

He's also produced a 91.50 individual match average.

Those aren't isolated peaks. Green has repeatedly been operating in roughly the same scoring territory, and that consistency could be important across a MODUS week.

Sherrock arrives with plenty of deep runs

Fallon Sherrock brings another strong recent record.

Sherrock is 8–2 across her latest ten and recently won PDC Women's Series Event 18, going 7–0 with an 83.51 tournament average.

Since then, the deep runs have continued.

Her latest five recorded events include a Last 32, quarter-final, two finals and another quarter-final. Her latest tournament was one of those finals, where she averaged 82.67 before losing to Deta Hedman.

She therefore arrives with both scoring form and plenty of experience of playing important matches late in tournaments.

Don't overlook Pete Hughes

It's difficult to find many players anywhere with a recent tournament record much better than Pete Hughes.

His latest five read:

Winner – Winner – Winner – Finalist – Winner.

He's 9–1 across his latest ten recorded matches and has already started Vault 19 with victories at Bridley Moor and The Cue Corner, either side of a final at Bengeworth.

His recent tournament averages include 82.02, 82.64 and 80.02, while he's also produced a remarkable 104.86 individual average in a win over Shaun Vernall.

Hughes doesn't make my Six to Follow – which probably demonstrates the problem I had choosing only six this week.

What about the favourite?

The bookmakers have installed David Evans as the early 4.50 favourite.

There is certainly enough in the Q4QS data to show why Evans commands respect. He's ranked No.281 with an 82.65 Q4QS Average, and recent Challenge Tour performances include tournament averages of 91.73, 86.01 and 84.09.

However, his latest ten recorded matches stand at 4–6, and his most recent Challenge Tour appearance ended at 72.53.

So there is certainly some contrast between the market position and the most recent results.

That doesn't mean the market is necessarily wrong – but it does make the comparison interesting.

Do the odds tell the whole story?

I'm not turning Q4QS into a tipping site, but the early bookmaker market is worth mentioning this week because it looks rather different from some of the patterns in my database.

The early prices have David Evans at 4.50, followed by Benito van de Pas at 6.00 and Sam Spivey at 6.50.

Further down come Richie Howson at 8.00, Henry Cooper at 9.50, Keegan Brown at 11.00, Pete Hughes at 12.00 and Steve Green at 13.00.

But then things become particularly interesting.

Fallon Sherrock is 21.00 despite arriving 8–2 with a recent Women's Series victory.

And Ben Flanagan-McClelland is 26.00 despite being 10–0 and coming straight from an unbeaten tournament victory averaging 86.72.

Perhaps the bookmakers have priced this one correctly. Perhaps they haven't.

But the Q4QS numbers certainly suggest Week 7 could be considerably more competitive than the prices at the top of the market imply.

There is an important caveat. Q4QS currently has no matching data in this export for Benito van de Pas or Kai Fan Leung, so I can't make the same data comparison for those two players.

Six Players to Follow

🎯 Henry Cooper

Four wins in his latest five tournaments

The form player of the field. Cooper has won four consecutive recorded tournaments, has recently produced event averages of 92.33 and 93.95 and arrives 10–0.

🎯 Sam Spivey

The highest-ranked Q4QS player in Week 7

Q4QS No.159 with an 85.42 Average. The recent results have been mixed, but the scoring ceiling remains extremely high.

🎯 Keegan Brown

Titles are becoming a habit

Brown arrives 9–1 with multiple recent tournament victories, including an 86.14-average Vault win.

🎯 Steve Green

Perhaps the most consistent scorer in the field

An 84.04 Q4QS Average and a sequence of recent ADC tournament averages consistently sitting in the 82–87 range.

🎯 Ben Flanagan-McClelland

The fascinating outsider

Currently 10–0 and fresh from an unbeaten Vault 19 victory with an 86.72 tournament average. One of the most interesting stories of Week 7.

🎯 Fallon Sherrock

Winning and going deep

A recent Women's Series champion who has continued reaching finals and quarter-finals since. Sherrock arrives 8–2 and in strong scoring form.

A difficult week to call

There are still unknowns here.

Q4QS doesn't currently have sufficient data to properly assess Benito van de Pas or Kai Fan Leung, while Richie Howson's available sample is also extremely limited – just one qualifying event in this particular dataset.

Panagiotis Chrysospathis is another with a relatively small Q4QS sample, although the database does contain recent international competition from Romania and Cyprus.

That's why I wouldn't simply rearrange the bookmaker market according to Q4QS ranking and declare that the answer.

What the database does show is just how much winning form there is among several players sitting outside the favourites.

Cooper: 10–0.
Flanagan-McClelland: 10–0.
Brown: 9–1.
Hughes: 9–1.
Green: 8–2.
Sherrock: 8–2.

That's an awful lot of confidence arriving in Portsmouth at the same time.

The bookmakers may have their favourites.

The recent results suggest MODUS Super Series Week 7 might not be quite that simple.

MODUS Super Series Week 6 Preview: Can Anyone Stop Derek Coulson?

 

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 6 of Series 15, and there is one very obvious place to start.

Derek Coulson is back.

Coulson has become one of the standout MODUS stories of recent times, finally converting years of deep runs into Champions Week success earlier this year. Now he returns to Portsmouth as the clear man to beat in a 12-player field containing a fascinating mixture of established names, former MODUS winners, emerging players and experienced campaigners.

And the Q4QS numbers reinforce just how formidable Coulson currently looks.

He sits 12th in the Q4QS rankings with a 728.3 rating and 91.69 average, and his recent results have been exceptional. Coulson won Challenge Tour 16 unbeaten with a 93.77 tournament average and subsequently reached the final of Challenge Tour 20, averaging 95.15 across that run. Even his recent Players Championship appearances have seen him operating around the 90-plus mark.

The question this week is whether anybody in this field can prevent another Coulson run.

Van den Herik brings another winning pedigree

One of the strongest candidates is Jamai van den Herik.

The Dutch youngster already knows how to win a MODUS week, having done so during Series 13, and his recent results elsewhere show why he could be one of Coulson's biggest threats.

Van den Herik won Development Tour 18 with an 86.48 tournament average, going 8–0, and his notable recent victories include Owen Bates and Dominik Gruellich. He is ranked 109th by Q4QS with an 84.54 average.

Coulson and Van den Herik are together in Group A, but that section has considerably more depth than just its two headline names.

Hubbard could be one of the week's dangers

James Hubbard arrives with one of the strongest recent form profiles in the field.

The former PDC World Youth Champion has reached the semi-finals of both the England Open and UKDA National Finals in his recent recorded events. The England Open run came with an 85.89 tournament average, while his latest National Finals campaign produced an 84.16 average.

He is also 8–2 across his last ten recorded matches.

That consistency makes Hubbard particularly interesting in the MODUS format, where producing your level repeatedly across multiple sessions can be every bit as important as one spectacular performance.

Mawson arrives as a recent champion

There is also plenty of international interest.

Canada's Gary Mawson comes into Week 6 after winning Championship Darts Circuit Main Event 8, going through the tournament unbeaten with an 81.21 average. He has since reached another quarter-final and also carries an 8–2 last-ten record.

David Munyua returns to the Super Series following the Kenyan's memorable appearance at Alexandra Palace, while Patrick Dekker completes what looks a genuinely intriguing opening group.

Dekker's recent results include an 84.59 match average on the Challenge Tour and a victory over Steve Lennon.

Three Kevins – and three very different threats

One of the more unusual features of Week 6 is a group containing Kevin Edwards, Kevin Lane and Kevin Painter.

Beyond the shared first name, there are three very different darting stories.

Edwards has been producing some excellent numbers on the ADC circuit. His recent results include tournament averages of 87.92, 85.78 and 85.71, with a peak match average of 96.27. He is 7–3 across his last ten recorded matches.

Lane has also been competing strongly. He reached the quarter-finals of ADC Championship South Event 11 with an 83.64 tournament average, beating Lewis Cook with an 89.02 average along the way. More recently he has continued to average in the mid-80s on the Challenge Tour.

Then there is Kevin Painter.

The former World Championship finalist needs little introduction, and while his recent results are less consistent than some of the field, the scoring ability remains. Painter recently reached a Vault quarter-final averaging 80.92 and produced a 91.09 match average during the event.

Killington could be dangerous

Another name I particularly like this week is George Killington.

Killington comes in immediately after reaching a Vault final at Waterlooville, averaging 82.54 across the tournament. His individual performances included a 93.94, and he is 8–2 across his latest ten recorded matches.

The former Tour Card holder has enough experience to make a sustained MODUS run, and his recent numbers suggest he arrives in good shape.

John O'Shea and Ram Guevara Jr complete the 12-player field. The Q4QS database is currently much thinner on Guevara, while O'Shea's recorded recent results include an 87.44 match average on the Challenge Tour and a 5–1 victory over Jelle Klaasen.

Six Players to Watch

Derek Coulson

The obvious benchmark. Challenge Tour champion, Challenge Tour finalist and consistently producing 90-plus tournament numbers. If Coulson brings his recent level to Portsmouth, somebody is going to have to play extremely well to stop him.

Jamai van den Herik

Already a MODUS weekly winner and a Development Tour champion this season. He has both the scoring level and experience of this particular format to challenge again.

Kevin Edwards

Possibly the most interesting player outside the headline names. Recent ADC numbers have been excellent, including a 96.27 match average, and this week provides a chance to translate that form onto the MODUS stage.

James Hubbard

Two recent major amateur semi-finals and an 8–2 last ten. Hubbard's consistency makes him a serious candidate to outperform expectations.

George Killington

Arrives straight from a final and has been producing plenty of 80-plus darts, with the ability to push considerably higher. A dangerous player if momentum carries over.

Kevin Lane

Recent Challenge Tour averages in the mid-80s follow an impressive ADC quarter-final. His current scoring suggests he can cause problems throughout the week.

A favourite – but not necessarily a straightforward week

Coulson deserves to begin as the standout name. The combination of MODUS experience, current form and a Q4QS average above 91 separates him from the field on paper.

But MODUS weeks rarely play out entirely on paper.

Van den Herik has already demonstrated that he can win in this environment. Hubbard is making deep runs. Mawson has recently won on the CDC. Killington arrives from a final. Edwards and Lane are producing numbers capable of beating very good players.

And with players such as Painter, Dekker, O'Shea, Munyua and Guevara completing the field, there should be plenty of opportunities for the week's expected order to be disrupted.

Coulson starts as the man to beat. Finding out who can get closest to him – or perhaps knock him off the top altogether – should make Week 6 well worth following.

MODUS Super Series Week 4 Preview: Experience, Form and Familiar Faces Collide

 

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 4, and the latest field brings together some of the most recognisable names on the non-Tour Card circuit alongside players arriving with excellent recent form.

One of the great strengths of the Super Series is the variety of routes players take to reach Portsmouth. Former major champions, ex-PDC professionals, Challenge Tour regulars and players progressing through the grassroots game can suddenly find themselves competing on the same stage.

Week 4 looks a particularly good example.

Steve Beaton and John Henderson need little introduction, while Ted Evetts, Matthew Dennant, Paul Hogan and James Richardson all have substantial experience behind them. There are also potentially dangerous players further through the field, including Adam Hunt, Colin Osborne and Danny van Trijp.

And while reputation inevitably attracts attention, the Q4QS database suggests that some of the players arriving in the best form aren't necessarily the biggest names.

Can Beaton Roll Back the Years?

There will inevitably be plenty of attention on Steve Beaton.

The former Lakeside World Champion's career spans generations, and his appearance in the MODUS Super Series gives Week 4 another fascinating storyline.

The recent Q4QS data shows that Beaton can still produce the level required to trouble strong opposition.

His best Challenge Tour run in the database came at Event 3, where he reached the quarter-finals with an 86.33 event average, while his notable performances include an 89.81 in victory over Daniel Klose.

His more recent results have been mixed – he's 6-4 across his last ten recorded matches – but the quality remains.

And the Super Series environment can be very different from a huge Challenge Tour floor. With repeated matches, a settled board and opportunities to build momentum across the week, it will be fascinating to see what Beaton produces.

Henderson Has Been Going Deep on the Challenge Tour

John Henderson arrives with considerably stronger recent results.

The Scot is 8-2 across his last ten recorded matches, and there is an impressive consistency to his recent Challenge Tour record.

He reached the last 32 of Event 16 before producing consecutive quarter-final appearances at Events 17 and 18. His Event 17 run came with an 87.24 tournament average, including performances of 94.42 and 93.94.

That is particularly relevant here.

Henderson isn't simply a famous name from the past entering the Super Series. The recent evidence says he's still winning matches against strong opposition.

If he brings that Challenge Tour level to Portsmouth, he should be extremely competitive.

Dennant Arrives in Outstanding Form

One of the strongest statistical profiles in the entire Week 4 field belongs to Matthew Dennant.

Dennant is 9-1 across his last ten recorded matches, but even that doesn't fully describe his recent run.

His last five events in the Q4QS database include four tournament victories.

He won twice at The Beacon Way in Walsall, added another title at Tipton Sports Academy and then won at The Beacon Way again before reaching the last 64 of the UKDA National Finals.

His Tipton victory was particularly impressive: an unbeaten 8-0 tournament with an 89.62 event average.

The database also has a best recorded performance of 120.24 for Dennant.

This is exactly the sort of player the Super Series can reward. Dennant may not carry the mainstream recognition of Beaton or Henderson, but anyone following the wider darts circuit will know how dangerous he can be.

On current form, he has to be considered one of the major contenders.

Hogan Just Keeps Winning

Then there is Paul Hogan.

If recent winning form is the criterion, it is difficult to make a stronger case for anyone.

Hogan is 10-0 across his last ten matches in the database.

More significantly, his last five recorded tournaments contain four victories and a semi-final.

He has won at The Academy in Basingstoke twice, The Wolversdene Club in Andover and Burghfield Community Sports Association, with his Andover success coming via an 87.02 event average.

Hogan's longevity sometimes disguises just how competitive he remains.

He isn't appearing in Week 4 simply because of what he has achieved previously. He's arriving while winning tournament after tournament.

That makes him one of my strongest picks for the week.

Evetts Looking to Convert Scoring Into a Run

Ted Evetts brings another combination of experience and recent success.

The former PDC Tour Card holder and World Youth Champion has been active on the Challenge Tour, but one of his standout recent performances came in Vault 18.

Evetts went 8-0 at The Crow Pie in Rugby, winning the tournament with an excellent 92.50 average.

That run included a 100.20 performance against Harvey Lucas-Carter and a 95.42 against Jacob Crinigan.

His subsequent Challenge Tour results haven't produced the same sustained run, although his tournament averages of 90.20 at Event 16 and 91.08 at Event 20 demonstrate that his scoring remains strong.

If Evetts converts that scoring into results, he could quickly become one of the week's leading players.

Richardson Quietly Building an Excellent Record

My final selection is James Richardson, whose recent numbers are difficult to overlook.

Richardson is 9-1 across his last ten recorded matches and has been accumulating titles.

His recent sequence includes victories at Earls Barton Silver Band Club and two different Vault events at Windmill Club in Rushden, including an unbeaten 7-0 performance with an 82.92 tournament average.

There's a 94.48 individual performance among the recent data as well.

Like Hogan, Richardson has vast experience, but his selection isn't based on reputation.

He's here because he's currently winning.

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🎯 Q4QS Six to Follow

1. Steve Beaton
The former world champion still possesses the scoring level to trouble anyone, with a 98.88 best recorded average in the Q4QS data.

2. John Henderson
Back-to-back Challenge Tour quarter-finals and an 8-2 recent record make Henderson one of the strongest form players among the established names.

3. Matthew Dennant
Four wins from his last five recorded events, 9-1 in his last ten and a huge scoring ceiling make Dennant a serious contender.

4. Paul Hogan
A perfect 10-0 across his last ten and four tournament wins from his last five appearances – Hogan arrives in exceptional form.

5. Ted Evetts
An unbeaten Vault victory with a 92.50 tournament average shows just how dangerous Evetts can be when everything clicks.

6. James Richardson
Nine wins from his last ten recorded matches and multiple recent titles make Richardson another player whose current form demands attention.

Beyond the Six

There are plenty of reasons not to restrict the conversation to those six.

Adam Hunt has a Q4QS overall average of 85.88 and has demonstrated a very high ceiling, including a 103.73 performance against Matthew Dennant at Q School.

Former Players Championship winner Colin Osborne adds another hugely experienced name. His recent results have been inconsistent, but he reached the last 64 of Challenge Tour 20 and produced an 84.69 during that event.

Dutchman Jurgen Nuijten is 7-3 across his last ten recorded matches, while Danny van Trijp is another player with experience of competing at a high level.

That's what makes this field so interesting. There are players with huge amounts of stage experience, others currently dominating grassroots tournaments and several capable of producing averages well into the 90s and beyond.

A Week Where Reputation Might Not Be Enough

It's tempting to look at Week 4 and immediately focus on Beaton and Henderson.

They are the two names most casual darts followers are likely to recognise.

But the data tells a more interesting story.

Hogan is 10-0.

Dennant is 9-1 and has won four of his last five recorded tournaments.

Richardson is 9-1.

Henderson is 8-2 and has recently made consecutive Challenge Tour quarter-finals.

Evetts has produced a 92.50 tournament-winning average.

That creates exactly the sort of field I enjoy watching in the MODUS Super Series.

We know what some of these players have achieved.

Week 4 is about discovering what they can do now.

And with experience, current form and some serious scoring power colliding in Portsmouth, there should be plenty to follow throughout the week.

Senior Darts: Why Can Golf and Snooker Make It Work?

 

There was a thought that occurred to me recently.

Golf has a successful senior circuit. Snooker has established a place for senior competition. Both sports have found ways of bringing familiar names back into meaningful competition long after their peak years on the main tour.

So why has the same idea proved so difficult to establish in darts?

On the surface, darts would seem almost perfect for it.

The sport has generations of recognisable players, an audience with plenty of affection for the stars they grew up watching, and — perhaps most importantly — a game in which age doesn't necessarily prevent somebody from remaining extremely competitive.

Yet attempts to establish senior darts have struggled to develop into something permanent.

The World Seniors Darts Championship generated considerable attention when it arrived in 2022, bringing some famous names back onto a major stage. But the organisation behind the World Seniors Darts Tour subsequently ceased operating, with plans for a 2026 championship cancelled.

That doesn't necessarily mean there isn't an audience for senior darts.

Perhaps the bigger question is whether we have been trying to build the wrong kind of product.

Darts Has a Very Different Problem

There is an important difference between darts and many other sports.

Darts players don't necessarily become uncompetitive simply because they get older.

Look around the professional game and there are numerous examples.

Andrew Gilding remains capable of competing for major honours well into his 50s. Jonny Clayton is still operating at the highest level. Gary Anderson remains capable of producing extraordinary darts, while James Wade and Dave Chisnall continue to compete against players considerably younger than themselves.

At the same time, a new generation featuring players such as Wessel Nijman, Kevin Doets, Beau Greaves, Sebastian Białecki and Niko Springer is pushing through.

It creates an unusual overlap.

In golf, physical changes eventually have a significant effect. Losing distance makes competing against the very best younger players increasingly difficult, which creates a natural reason for a separate senior tour.

Snooker has also been able to create a senior structure alongside its main professional circuit.

Darts isn't quite so straightforward.

If some of the best players aged 50 and above are still good enough to compete with the best players in the world, what exactly is senior darts supposed to be?

That may be one of the biggest questions any future circuit has to answer.

Nostalgia Is Great – But Is It Enough?

There is unquestionably appeal in seeing famous names from previous generations competing again.

That was part of the attraction when the World Seniors Championship appeared.

But nostalgia alone is difficult to turn into a sustainable sporting structure.

There is a difference between:

"I'd love to see that player throw again."

and:

"I'm going to follow this tour every week."

The first can sell tickets for an exhibition or generate interest in an occasional major championship.

The second is what you need to build a tour.

And perhaps senior darts has sometimes tried to jump directly to the big event without first establishing the ecosystem underneath it.

Why Golf and Snooker Have Advantages

Senior golf has something darts has never really established: a recognised place within the overall structure of the sport.

Tours such as the Legends Tour provide schedules, ranking competitions, significant events and an environment in which former elite professionals continue their competitive careers.

Senior snooker has similarly developed an organised structure. The World Seniors Snooker Tour operates alongside the wider sport, while the WPBSA recognises seniors snooker within its participation structure.

That matters.

It makes senior competition feel like a sporting category, rather than simply a collection of former stars being brought together for occasional events.

And that distinction might be crucial for darts.

The Biggest Problem May Actually Be Money

Forget the format for a moment.

Any new darts tour ultimately needs several things to survive: enough players wanting to compete, sufficient prize money to make competing worthwhile, sponsors willing to fund it and an audience large enough to justify the investment.

Unfortunately, each depends upon the others.

Sponsors want an audience.

Players want prize money.

Prize money needs sponsors.

Broadcasters and streaming platforms want interesting players and viewers.

And viewers generally need a reason to become invested in the competition.

It's a difficult circle to break.

Trying to launch immediately with large venues, significant prize funds and television production therefore carries enormous financial risk.

So perhaps the solution is to start at completely the opposite end.

What If Senior Darts Started at Grassroots Level?

This is the part I find most interesting.

What if somebody stopped trying to create a senior equivalent of the PDC and instead built something much smaller?

Imagine an Over-50s darts circuit beginning with relatively inexpensive events around the country.

Local competitions feed into regional rankings.

Those rankings feed into national standings.

Players accumulate points throughout the season.

There could then be regional finals and eventually a national championship.

Entry fees wouldn't need to be enormous. Venues wouldn't need thousands of spectators. Every tournament wouldn't require television-quality production.

Initially, the important thing would simply be getting people playing.

It's closer to the grassroots model we have seen developing elsewhere in darts than it is to creating another professional tour.

And that could solve one of senior darts' biggest problems.

Instead of trying to find an audience and then building a competition for them, build the competition first and allow an audience to form around it.

It Doesn't Have to Start on Television

This is another area where the landscape has changed dramatically.

Twenty years ago, launching a new sporting product without a television deal would have been extremely difficult.

Today?

YouTube changes the equation considerably.

A senior circuit could begin with relatively modest streams and gradually improve the product.

Good commentary.

Player interviews.

Statistics.

Highlights.

Short social-media clips.

Features introducing players people might not know.

Stories about former professionals attempting to compete again.

And importantly, coverage of the ordinary players progressing through the rankings rather than concentrating entirely on famous names.

Suddenly you aren't simply selling nostalgia.

You're creating stories.

If 500 people watch initially, perhaps that becomes 1,000.

Then 2,000.

Then 5,000.

At that stage, conversations with sponsors become considerably easier because there is evidence that an audience actually exists.

The Stars Could Still Be Part of It

None of this means famous former professionals should be excluded.

Quite the opposite.

They could become incredibly valuable.

But instead of being the entire product, they could enhance it.

Imagine grassroots qualifiers producing players who eventually reach a major championship where established names are also competing.

Now there is something at stake.

It isn't simply:

"Here are some players you remember."

It's:

"Can somebody who has spent the year coming through this circuit beat one of the great names of the sport?"

That is a sporting story rather than simply an exhibition.

And sporting stories are what keep people coming back.

Could MODUS Eventually Become Involved?

This is where things could become particularly interesting if a grassroots senior structure actually gained traction.

MODUS Super Series already has many of the things a developing senior competition would eventually need: production facilities, streaming experience, sponsors, an established darts audience and extensive contacts throughout the sport.

That doesn't mean MODUS would necessarily want to operate a senior tour.

But it illustrates why the first objective shouldn't necessarily be finding somebody capable of creating the finished product.

Create something worth investing in first.

If an independent Over-50s circuit eventually had hundreds of players, recognisable rankings, compelling stories and thousands of people watching its biggest events online, it would become considerably more attractive to established operators.

The commercial infrastructure can come later.

But What About the Age Limit?

Even 50 might require some thought.

Darts is unusual because somebody turning 50 isn't necessarily approaching the end of their competitive career.

Perhaps eligibility should begin at 55.

Perhaps there could eventually be Over-50 and Over-60 categories.

Perhaps Tour Card holders should be eligible. Perhaps they shouldn't.

Those are questions that would need answering.

But they are secondary to the bigger issue.

What is senior darts actually trying to achieve?

If the objective is to recreate the PDC with older players, I suspect it will always be difficult.

If the objective is instead to give older players a structured competitive environment — with rankings, progression, championships and eventually meaningful media coverage — the possibilities become much more interesting.

Maybe Senior Darts Has Been Starting at the Wrong End

That's ultimately where my thinking leads.

I don't believe the struggles of previous senior darts ventures necessarily prove that the concept doesn't work.

They may simply demonstrate how difficult it is to begin with the finished product.

Don't start with television.

Don't start with huge prize funds.

Don't start by trying to reunite every famous player from 25 years ago.

Start with players.

Create affordable tournaments.

Build regional and national rankings.

Give people something to qualify for.

Stream what you can.

Tell the stories.

Develop an audience.

Then approach sponsors.

Then improve the production.

And only expand when the numbers justify doing so.

Golf's senior circuit may never be a realistic comparison because the economics and competitive dynamics of the sports are completely different.

Senior darts doesn't necessarily need to become darts' answer to the Champions Tour.

It could become something else entirely.

A genuine grassroots competitive circuit for older players, with former professionals and ordinary competitors sharing the same ecosystem and digital coverage allowing the audience to grow alongside it.

Would it work?

I don't know.

But I do think there is enough evidence to suggest the idea of senior darts isn't the problem.

The way we try to build it might be.

MODUS Super Series Week 2 Preview – Drayton Arrives With a Title, Wild in Form and Van Peer the Intriguing Unknown

 

The MODUS Super Series moves into Week 2, and once again the field provides exactly the sort of mix that makes these weeks so difficult to predict: emerging players, experienced campaigners, players carrying strong grassroots form and a few names for whom the available recent data tells only part of the story.

From a Q4QS perspective, Jack Drayton immediately catches the eye, while Neil Wild arrives with some extraordinary recent numbers. George Cressey and Reece Colley have been winning tournaments, Connor Hopkins has demonstrated plenty of scoring power, and then there is perhaps the most intriguing name of all – Berry van Peer.

Jack Drayton arrives on the back of a title

There could hardly be a better piece of preparation for Jack Drayton.

He has just won Event 11 of the ADC Winmau Tour Championship, giving him a timely confidence boost immediately before his MODUS appearance.

That adds another dimension to what was already an encouraging recent profile.

Drayton sits 37th in the Q4QS rankings, with an 86.45 database average and seven victories from his last ten recorded matches. His recent Development Tour results include a quarter-final at Event 17, where he won five matches and averaged 85.69 across the event.

There have been glimpses of a considerably higher ceiling too. He recorded a 91.31 in beating Kilian Hohnstedt and an 87.24 against Damien Moore.

Coming into MODUS having just won an ADC Winmau Tour Championship event makes Drayton one of the obvious players to watch this week.

Neil Wild brings some remarkable recent numbers

If we're looking purely at recent Q4QS data, Neil Wild is very difficult to ignore.

Wild has won nine of his last ten recorded matches and recently won an Evesham competition with a 104.63 tournament average. That run included some huge performances – most notably a remarkable 119.55 average in a 4–3 victory over Joe Quiney, as well as 104.51 against Mitchell Leeming and 100.31 against Dave Honey.

He has subsequently reached a semi-final at the Vault 18.0 event at Tipton Sports Academy.

Clearly the MODUS environment represents a different challenge, but Wild arrives with enough recent form to make him a fascinating proposition.

Berry van Peer – perhaps the biggest unknown

Berry van Peer is much harder to assess through the current Q4QS database.

There simply isn't enough recent information there to build the same sort of statistical profile we have for many of the other players in the field – he appears among the missing/unranked players in the tournament export.

But that certainly doesn't make him someone to overlook.

It wasn't that long ago that Van Peer was ripping up the PDC Challenge Tour, demonstrating the level of ability he possesses when his game is flowing.

His career has also included a well-documented battle with dartitis. That makes his appearance particularly interesting: if Van Peer has rediscovered some of the ability we've seen from him previously, he could be one of the most interesting players to watch all week.

Sometimes a lack of recent data means exactly that – a lack of data, rather than a lack of ability. Van Peer could be the perfect example.

George Cressey knows how to win

Another player arriving with winning form is George Cressey.

Cressey has won eight of his last ten recorded matches and sits 425th in Q4QS with an impressive 85.73 database average.

More importantly, he's been collecting titles. He won the Once Twitten Early Bird event with a 93.58 tournament average, and also won the Men's Singles at the same venue with an 86.73 average.

His recorded performances include a spectacular 120.40 in a 2–0 win over Lee Clark and 95.05 against John Power. More recently, he reached the semi-finals of an ADC Winmau Championship South Friday Night event before making the last 64 of Event 10.

Cressey's ranking probably understates how dangerous he could be in this company.

Reece Colley in excellent form

Reece Colley is another player whose recent win-loss record demands attention.

He's 9–1 across his last ten recorded matches, with recent results including a Vault 18.0 tournament victory at Amblecote British Legion and another title at Bostin Darts 180 Bar.

Between those victories he also reached a final at Bostin.

Colley's numbers aren't as spectacular as some in this field, but repeatedly going deep and winning tournaments matters. He has also shown that there is more scoring available, including a 97.84 performance against Michael Powell.

Connor Hopkins capable of raising his level

Connor Hopkins is another interesting younger name.

He has won seven of his last ten recorded matches and has been active on the Development Tour. His best recent run came at Development Tour 17, where he averaged 88.30 across four matches.

The standout individual performance was a 100.20 average in a 4–0 victory over Moritz Klein, while he also averaged 91.09 when whitewashing Angelo Balsamo.

There is enough there to suggest Hopkins could cause problems if he settles quickly into the MODUS format.

Wilkinson brings experience and scoring power

Carl Wilkinson brings plenty of experience and has seven wins from his last ten matches in the database.

His recent highlight was a quarter-final at the Isle of Man Caliburn International Festival, where he averaged 90.46 across seven matches.

There were consecutive 93.94 performances among his notable results, alongside a 93.31 and 91.09. He's since been competing in Eastern European events, so arrives with plenty of competitive darts behind him.

Others who could make an impact

There is plenty more depth beyond those names.

Ryan Branley has shown a 93.94 ceiling and recently reached the quarter-finals of an ADC Winmau Championship South Friday Night event.

Scott Campbell has Challenge Tour experience and recorded notable victories over Keegan Brown and Darren Armstrong, while Michael Huntley's limited Q4QS sample contains an impressive eight wins from his last ten and individual averages reaching 96.97.

And Zvonimir Lesic brings experience from the Eastern European Tour qualifiers, including a semi-final at ET03 and another semi-final at ET04.

Six to Follow

Jack Drayton – The obvious Q4QS selection after winning ADC Winmau Tour Championship Event 11 and showing good recent Development Tour form.

Neil Wild – Nine wins from his last ten and some extraordinary recent scoring, including that 119.55 performance.

Berry van Peer – The wildcard. Limited recent Q4QS information, but we know the ability he has shown previously. If some of that old Challenge Tour form is returning, watch out.

George Cressey – Two recent titles in the database and capable of producing seriously big individual performances.

Reece Colley – 9–1 across his last ten and repeatedly reaching the business end of tournaments.

Connor Hopkins – Development Tour experience, improving results and already capable of producing ton-plus averages.

Week 2 therefore looks particularly difficult to call. Drayton brings perhaps the most immediate momentum after his latest ADC success, Wild has some eye-catching numbers behind him and Cressey and Colley have demonstrated that they know how to win.

But Berry van Peer might be the player I'm most curious to see. Recent statistics don't tell us much about where his game currently sits. His past ability tells us why it is worth finding out.

If he is anywhere close to the player who was tearing through Challenge Tour fields not so long ago, MODUS Week 2 could become very interesting indeed.

Modus Super Series Week 1 Preview: New Season, Fresh Opportunity

 

The wait is over. A brand-new Modus Super Series season gets underway this week, launching another fascinating twelve-week campaign that will eventually culminate in the return of Champions Week.

Each of the twelve weekly competitions offers one player the chance to qualify for the season finale, where the week's winners will battle to become the overall Modus Super Series champion. Last season ended with Derek Coulson producing a superb Champions Week performance to lift the title, and now a fresh group of hopefuls begin their quest to follow in his footsteps.

Week One always carries extra significance. Every player starts with a clean slate, momentum is built quickly, and one outstanding week is all that's required to book an early place in Champions Week.

Several players arrive in encouraging form.

Matt Clark is arguably one of the form players entering the week. The Gibraltar Open & Classic champion has already shown he can finish tournaments strongly, lifting the title with an event average of 84.83 before reaching the latter stages of several WDF events. A recent 7–3 record across his last ten matches suggests confidence is high.

Another player capable of making a deep run is Joe Croft, who has quietly put together one of the strongest recent records in the field. Croft arrives on the back of victory at the Galaxy Sports Bar event and boasts an impressive 9 wins from his last 10 matches, making him one of the week's most in-form competitors.

Darren Beveridge has already demonstrated the scoring power needed to compete at this level. His excellent 96.63 average against James Beeton at PDC UK Q School earlier this year showed exactly what he is capable of when everything clicks together.

Patrik Williams also has pedigree, having produced a superb 95.01 average on the PDC Challenge Tour while recording notable victories over players including Daniel Nicholls. If he can rediscover that level consistently, he could become one of the week's dark horses.

There are several familiar names capable of causing problems throughout the week. James Buckby has Development Tour experience and has already produced performances above the 92 average mark this season, while former professionals Mark Dudbridge and Dean Gallagher both possess the experience to upset higher-ranked opponents despite mixed recent results.

One intriguing storyline surrounds Mason Whitlock, who recently reached the final of an event at The Phoenix Club before losing to Simon Whitlock. A strong week here would represent another step forward in his development. Meanwhile Richie Parkin continues to progress despite not yet meeting the minimum number of events for a published Q4QS ranking, having already produced some encouraging ADC performances.

As always with the Modus Super Series, consistency is everything. Five or six excellent matches can transform an entire week, while one difficult session can leave players chasing qualification. That's exactly why the format remains one of the most entertaining in modern darts.

With Derek Coulson watching on as the reigning champion, the race to become the first qualifier for Champions Week starts now.

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Six To Watch

🎯 Matt Clark – Recent Gibraltar Open champion arriving with winning momentum.

🎯 Joe Croft – Nine wins from his last ten matches and full of confidence.

🎯 Darren Beveridge – Proven scoring power capable of producing huge averages.

🎯 Patrik Williams – Challenge Tour pedigree and dangerous on his day.

🎯 James Buckby – Development Tour experience makes him one to watch.

🎯 Mason Whitlock – Recent finalist who continues to improve.

Modus Super Series Champions Week Preview

 

The stage is set for one of the biggest weeks of the Modus Super Series season, as twelve weekly winners return to battle it out for the coveted Champions Week title.

Every player has already proved they can win a week, but one name arrives with a remarkable record that immediately catches the eye.

Derek Coulson – The Man Everyone Has to Beat?

If there is one player carrying serious momentum into Champions Week, it has to be Derek Coulson.

Not only did he qualify for Champions Week, he did so in emphatic fashion by winning every single match during his qualifying week. That's a rare achievement at Modus level and sends a clear message to the rest of the field.

Coulson has also shown he possesses genuine scoring power. Earlier this season he fired a stunning 106.59 average at a PDC Players Championship and recorded an impressive 6-1 victory over Niko Springer. If he reproduces anything like that form this week, he'll take some stopping.

Robertson Arrives in Red-Hot Form

While Coulson may be the headline act, Scott Robertson is arguably the form player coming into the event.

The Scotsman has won his last ten matches in the Q4QS database and arrives after lifting both the England Open and Denmark Open & Masters titles. During that run he defeated WDF World Champion Neil Duff with a superb 103.58 average, highlighting the level he's currently producing.

Neil Duff Looking to Add Another Big Title

Former WDF World Champion Neil Duff is always a dangerous proposition.

Duff recently won the Eastern European Darts Challenge and arrives having won eight of his last ten matches. Champions Week has a habit of rewarding experience, and few players in this field possess more of it.

Young Talent Ready to Shine

Several younger players will believe this could be their breakthrough week.

Jack Aldridge has already shown he can compete with established names after defeating Michael Unterbuchner on the Challenge Tour, while Henry Coates continues to gain valuable experience through both the Development Tour and Players Championship circuit.

Both have demonstrated the scoring ability required to upset the favourites if they can find consistency over the week.

Dark Horses

Champions Week often throws up a surprise, and several players fit that description.

Jack Tweddell recently impressed against Raymond van Barneveld despite defeat and continues to produce strong performances.

Archie Self arrives in outstanding form after winning four Vault titles in recent months and boasting a 9-1 record from his last ten matches, while David Evans has already shown he can compete deep into PDC Challenge Tour events.

None of them will fear the occasion.

Six To Follow

🎯 Derek Coulson
🎯 Scott Robertson
🎯 Neil Duff
🎯 Jack Aldridge
🎯 Henry Coates
🎯 Archie Self

Storylines to Watch

• 🏆 Can Derek Coulson continue the incredible form that saw him qualify by winning every match?
• 🔥 Scott Robertson arrives on a perfect 10-match winning streak.
• 💪 Can Neil Duff add another televised title to his collection?
• ⭐ Will one of the younger stars announce themselves on the Modus stage?
• 🎯 Which weekly winner will handle the pressure of Champions Week best?

Prediction

Champions Week rarely follows the script, but it's difficult to look beyond Derek Coulson after the way he qualified.

Winning an entire qualifying week without defeat is an outstanding achievement, and if he can maintain that level he'll be the man everyone wants to avoid.

Scott Robertson looks the biggest challenger on current form, while Neil Duff's experience means he can never be discounted. Expect a week full of quality darts, high averages and plenty of drama before one player is crowned Champions Week champion.

Modus Super Series Week 8 Preview

 

The Modus Super Series returns for Week 8 with a fascinating blend of established performers, emerging talent and proven winners looking to make their mark on the live-streamed stage.

Heading the field is Joe Hunt, currently ranked 11th in the Q4QS rankings. Hunt has continued to impress in PDC competition, recently reaching the quarter-finals of Players Championship 16 and recording notable victories over Michael van Gerwen, Christian Kist and Shane McGuirk. When Hunt finds his rhythm, few players in this field can match his scoring power.

Another player arriving with strong credentials is Dylan Slevin. The Irishman reached the semi-finals of a recent PDC Development Tour event and has posted a number of impressive performances throughout the season. A recent 7W-3L run highlights the consistency he brings into the week.

One of the form players entering the competition is Graham Hall. Hall arrives on the back of a remarkable 10-match winning streak and has collected multiple titles in recent weeks. Momentum can be a powerful weapon in the Modus format and Hall certainly has plenty of it.

Sam Spivey has been gaining valuable experience on the PDC Challenge Tour and recently reached the Last 32 stage of Challenge Tour 15. His scoring ability and competitive experience could make him one of the dark horses of the week.

Oliver King enters the competition as a recent Rileys UK Open Qualifier champion. Tournament-winning confidence can often be crucial in the Modus environment, and King has already shown he knows how to get over the line when trophies are on the line.

Joe Croft is another player worth keeping an eye on. Recent results include a tournament victory and a strong run to the Last 32 of the England Open. An 8W-2L recent record suggests he arrives full of confidence.

Elsewhere, Ryan Branley, Alec Small, Bradley O'Connor and Dean Finn all have the ability to cause problems throughout the week. The Modus Super Series has built a reputation for producing surprises, and it would be no shock to see one of the outsiders put together a memorable run.

Six To Follow

⭐ Joe Hunt
⭐ Dylan Slevin
⭐ Graham Hall
⭐ Sam Spivey
⭐ Joe Croft
⭐ Oliver King

With proven winners, PDC experience and several players carrying excellent recent form, Week 8 promises to be another highly competitive chapter in the Modus Super Series. The format often rewards consistency and momentum, and there is no shortage of both in this week's line-up.