The Darts Forum

One of our favourites to hate, but with a fair few devout followers.

Some accolades:

1 x PDC World championship
2 x UK open
1 x Grand slam (non ranking)
1 x Premier League
1 x Desert Classic

1 x World matchplay runner up
2 x World grand prix runner up


4 x BDO World championship
2 x World masters
2 x World Trophy
3 x International darts league


Is he not good as some make out? Are some people too harsh? Post about it below.

Cunt.

Fucking shit disgusting prick Barney

While of course he is a nasty tosspot, I think he is around 7th or 8th all time. Would be higher if Taylor hadnt made him his punching bag.

Whst Robert said
Ludicrously elevated in people's all time lists based on fakeside wins.
Wades record is better

Randall wrote:Whst Robert said
Ludicrously elevated in people's all time lists based on fakeside wins.
Wades record is better

Randall overreacting with that last sentence, there.

van barneveld was world champion.
it doesn't get any better than that.

Ross, Bob wrote:

Randall wrote:Whst Robert said
Ludicrously elevated in people's all time lists based on fakeside wins.
Wades record is better

Randall overreacting with that last sentence, there.

I got carried away

Overhated on here even if I'm a loyal disciple. Personally believe that ranking him any lower than 6th is madness and even then I'd have him either 5th or 6th. Taylor, MVG, Bristow, Anderson, Lowe and I don't get how anyone else is higher honestly. Wade could be debated but I'd only consider him if or when he wins a World title.

Some controversial opinions incoming...

1. Between 2013-17, he was arguably the 4th best in the world by standard, behind MVG, Doug and Anderson. This was a period where the best were majestic but others like Lewis and Wade were on the slide, Wright was a choker and Price/Cross/Clayton hadn't arrived on the scene. Barney slotted in between the top and the pack in these years imo.

It wasn't until he switched to Target and Sylvia etc that the shit really hit the fan. He beat peak MVG, capable Taylor and a higher regarded Lewis (×2) within 3 years at the Worlds when he was down at 12-16 in the rankings. Not bad for a player on the periphery of the 'elite'*.

2. He's judged too harshly because he is a cock. His attitude is absolutely terrible about 3/4 of the time, but that doesn't mean he's not one of the best ever. Gary Anderson, who's latter career is vastly superior to Barney, has an equally terrible attitude these days but doesn't get a fraction of the hate Barney gets.

3. Discrediting his BDO achievements is nonsense if you go down that line. When he won the Lakesides, the BDO had Anderson, Thornton, a good Adams and Hankey, Whitlock, King etc. They aren't on a par with PDC World titles obviously but winning 4 of them count for something.

4. Love him or hate him, he's had longevity. Yes, he's dined out on thousands of undeserved freebies (especially 2019), but he was at the top of darts for nearly 25 years, from 1995 to 2018. That, and he still made it through Q School and won a floor event after coming back, despite being 'finished'.

Conclusion

If by overrated, you mean ranked 3rd or 4th in the all-time list like many casual fans do, then yes, I agree, he's nowhere near the top 3. But any lower than 6th and I'd like to hear who everyone thinks is better than him just for debate.

* top 10

Just to add, he's definitely overhated on here and that's okay because everyone's entitled to their opinion.

But I feel a lot of that is due to his attitude and the freebies he's received, not his achievements or lack thereof

DeepFriedRat wrote:Overhated on here even if I'm a loyal disciple. Personally believe that ranking him any lower than 6th is madness and even then I'd have him either 5th or 6th. Taylor, MVG, Bristow, Anderson, Lowe and I don't get how anyone else is higher honestly. Wade could be debated but I'd only consider him if or when he wins a World title.

Some controversial opinions incoming...

1. Between 2013-17, he was arguably the 4th best in the world by standard, behind MVG, Doug and Anderson. This was a period where the best were majestic but others like Lewis and Wade were on the slide, Wright was a choker and Price/Cross/Clayton hadn't arrived on the scene. Barney slotted in between the top and the pack in these years imo.

It wasn't until he switched to Target and Sylvia etc that the shit really hit the fan. He beat peak MVG, capable Taylor and a higher regarded Lewis (×2) within 3 years at the Worlds when he was down at 12-16 in the rankings. Not bad for a player on the periphery of the 'elite'*.

2. He's judged too harshly because he is a cock. His attitude is absolutely terrible about 3/4 of the time, but that doesn't mean he's not one of the best ever. Gary Anderson, who's latter career is vastly superior to Barney, has an equally terrible attitude these days but doesn't get a fraction of the hate Barney gets.

3. Discrediting his BDO achievements is nonsense if you go down that line. When he won the Lakesides, the BDO had Anderson, Thornton, a good Adams and Hankey, Whitlock, King etc. They aren't on a par with PDC World titles obviously but winning 4 of them count for something.

4. Love him or hate him, he's had longevity. Yes, he's dined out on thousands of undeserved freebies (especially 2019), but he was at the top of darts for nearly 25 years, from 1995 to 2018. That, and he still made it through Q School and won a floor event after coming back, despite being 'finished'.

Conclusion

If by overrated, you mean ranked 3rd or 4th in the all-time list like many casual fans do, then yes, I agree, he's nowhere near the top 3. But any lower than 6th and I'd like to hear who everyone thinks is better than him just for debate.

* top 10

Lame PT13 multiple attempt, there.

Wow, fuck off.

DeepFriedRat wrote: ↑Sat Sep 03, 2022 7:42 pm 3. Discrediting his BDO achievements is nonsense if you go down that line. When he won the Lakesides, the BDO had Anderson, Thornton, a good Adams and Hankey, Whitlock, King etc.

Most of your points have some merit to them.

However, while I agree the BDO wasn't a joke when Barney won his Lakeside titles, citing Thornton and Whitlock's presence as proof that the Lakeside fields were strong during that timeframe is short-sighted. Thornton competed in only one Lakeside that Barney competed in (2005), whereas Whitlock only played in two Lakesides that Barney competed in (2005 +2006). Neither were the players they would later become either, especially Thornton.

sennafan24 wrote:

DeepFriedRat wrote: ↑Sat Sep 03, 2022 7:42 pm 3. Discrediting his BDO achievements is nonsense if you go down that line. When he won the Lakesides, the BDO had Anderson, Thornton, a good Adams and Hankey, Whitlock, King etc.

Most of your points have some merit to them.

However, while I agree the BDO wasn't a joke when Barney won his Lakeside titles, citing Thornton and Whitlock's presence as proof that the Lakeside fields were strong during that timeframe is short-sighted. Thornton competed in only one Lakeside that Barney competed in (2005), whereas Whitlock only played in two Lakesides that Barney competed in (2005 +2006). Neither were the players they would later become either, especially Thornton.

Yeah fair enough Senna...

Thornton/Whitlock were still part of the BDO system as you said so it's still important to include him anyway even if they broke through slightly after 2005. That said, there were some players I didn't mention too that were genuinely great players in their era, like Burnett in the 90s and Ronnie Baxter, Beaton, Fordham etc. Definitely a class above a lot of the PDC in that period. I'd even argue that those players were stronger than those who went deep in some recent World Championships. Jamie Lewis, my man Joyce, Rydz, Labanauskas come to mind.

If only there were a way to convert a value of those 4 titles into a more realistic number to give the total as much credibility as his rivals have.

Barney is a sex pest but I have heard he struggles to get it up

Nobody gives a fuck about what you think Thorn, Your opinion is irrelevant.

People have forgotten how good Barney was once. He was at his highest in 2007, not just the World Championship win over Taylor, but the 7-0 in sets demolition of Manley with a 108 average in the 2007 Masters of Darts final, and in mid 2007 when he beat Taylor 11-4 at the 2007 UK Open and went on to win the tournament, then won the 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic at a canter. I think soon after this, Barney fell victim to what is termed "paralysis by analysis", changing his darts far too often. Once Taylor went into his greatest form, it played with Barney's head.

An utter cunt after 2007, i did slightly enjoy his slam and pl wins because he stopped the prowler and the goblin but as i said a cunt, his Vegas speech tarnished his 2006/7 showings.

A cunt.

shenmue wrote:An utter cunt after 2007, i did slightly enjoy his slam and pl wins because he stopped the prowler and the goblin but as i said a cunt, his Vegas speech tarnished his 2006/7 showings.

A cunt.

Well said.

+1

Thanks Bob. Always appreciate your kind words.