Tony O'Shea turns down the PDC
Tony O'Shea today pledged his future to the BDO and warned defector Ted Hankey that 'the grass may not be greener' in the PDC.
Tony O'Shea today pledged his future to the BDO and warned defector Ted Hankey that 'the grass may not be greener' in the PDC.
O'Shea revealed at a darts exhibition at the Cleveland Arms pub in Wolverhampton that he has turned down the PDC's offer of a Tour Card.
It was Hankey's controversial departure from the BDO after last weekend's World Championship semi-finals that prompted the PDC raid on their rivals.
The PDC then put offers on the table for the other three of the last four but O'Shea, who lost to Christian Kist in the final, has rejected their advances.
He said: "I am quite happy, I love playing for England and everything that goes with the BDO, so it wasn't a hard decision for me.
"I e-mailed the PDC and thanked them for their lovely offer, I turned it down but I did it properly, like I was brought up to.
"It's done and dusted now, so let's concentrate on what we do."
BDO rules had stated that the last four in the World Championships must stay with the orgnanisation for a year, or pay back their winnings.
They claim that Hankey refused to play - two hours before he was due to appear on the BBC - unless the regulation was lifted.
O'Shea was backstage at Lakeside as it happened and believes burning bridges, after 18 years with the BDO, could come back to haunt 'the Count.'
Both played in the PDC's Grand Slam at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in November, which BDO World Championship semi-finalists are invited to.
Hankey lost in the quarter-finals and O'Shea, who didn't make it past the group stages, warns the competition will be tougher in the PDC.
He said: "Nothing surprises me with Ted, he was planning to go and it's a free country but, once you sign a contract, it should be set in stone.
"He obviously had other ideas and he's been tapped up, anyone watching the Grand Slam could have predicted that, because it's obvious.
"He thinks the grass is greener, he thinks he's going to go over there and win fortunes, what he doesn't realise is that it will be tougher than he thinks.
"He's a class, quality player, but he will play against class, quality players in every round of their tournaments. It won't be as easy as he thinks.
"I wish him well and I hope he does well but I can't see it, to be honest."
O'Shea was joined by BDO players Scott Waites, Darryl Fitton and Gary Robson for the exhibition on Stowheath Lane.
Fitton and Robson went out in the first round of the World Championships while Waites, the second seed, lost to Hankey in the second round.
But Waites holds the distinction of having already won a major PDC title, the Grand Slam at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in 2010.
The PDC wanted them to go to Q School, which started today, an open tournament with a number of Tour Cards on offer.
BDO players were told at a recent meeting they could compete in Q School and retain their memberships until they accepted Tour Cards.
Waites and Robson refused to go anyway and Fitton joined them, after a late change of heart.
He said: "I was very close, I was actually e-mailing the PDC to go to Q School and I changed my mind at the last minute.
"I think I have got a world championship left in me here."
By Craig Birch
Follow Craig Birch on Twitter @Craig417
