Greater Manchester’s very own Nathan Aspinall has finally done it: he’s won his first European Tour Trophy and ended a two-year wait for a title.
‘The Asp’ is back on the up.
33-year-old Nathan Aspinall broke onto the Development and Challenge scene over a decade ago and has had an up and down time in professional darts ever since, including a career-threatening injury back in 2022, but he’s remained a fan favourite underdog throughout that time.
That being said, the room was fully behind as he broke the duck. Here’s how it happened:
ASPINALL IS THE CHAMPION! 🏆
Nathan Aspinall beats Ryan Joyce to win his first European Tour title!
Notching a thrilling televised win against Ryan Joyce, currently ranked 26th, the world number eight from Stockport made felt like not just a statement victory but a comeback of sorts, showcasing some of the impressive form that saw him emerge as such a promising talent in the first place.
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He won his inaugural PDC Pro Tour title back in 2018 and his first World Series of Darts title at the US Darts Masters a year later, but he’s had to wait for his moments in the years since; in terms of a big title win on the Euro Tour, Aspinall was the first to joke “it only took me 10 years!”
His last piece of silverware came in July 2023 when he won his first World Matchplay title and dropped to the oche floor in a similarly emotional fashion, but the subsequent drought has felt like an eternity for the Stopfordian and his loyal following of fans.
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The Asp led the entire match, breaking Joyce’s throw to take a 4-1 lead before ultimately going on to win 8-4 at the European Darts Trophy final in Göttingen, Germany on Sunday night.
He flexed some serious muscles and showed some resilience to do so, including an absolute peach of a 170 checkout that will go down as one of the best of the year – we don’t care if it’s only March.
Checkout of the year easily if he goes on to win the title. The big fishhhhhh 🎣
It wasn’t the only ‘Big Fish’ he pulled off either, having managed the same feat against veteran Gary Anderson in the semis, a moment he said had his hands shaking, let alone making it to the final.
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Speaking after the crowd-pleasing conclusion and his maiden Euro title win, Aspinall said: “For me, personally – can I swear? It’s been a s*** few years for me. This is what I needed, it was a big win.
“It makes me believe in myself that I’m still good enough to compete with these boys. Because of the situation I’ve been in over the last few years with the injuries and the dartitis, this is probably my proudest moment.
The crowd were unbelievable. The support I got was amazing. This honestly means so much to me. Roll on [Michael] van Gerwen on Thursday night [in the Premier League of Darts].” He also told PDC of his struggles with ‘dartitis’ – a phenomenon that continues to confound players and viewers alike.
He signed off with a typically amusing moment, adding: “Honestly, [one] final word for this crowd, you guys are unbelievable and if anyone wants to buy me a pint at the bar, I’ll see you later.”
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Sport
Details released of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners while Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Details of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester have been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed on the situation a little first, Manchester City was found guilty back in September all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and on top of that, was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors.
These were part of a disguised funding scheme – with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Within the past week or so, it has since come to light that now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham had dealings with Manchester City during his tenure as Greater Manchester Mayor, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now issued a public statement, giving details on the matter and what these ‘dealings’ entailed.
A spokesperson for GMCA confirmed that Burnham had a ‘formal meeting’ with Man City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, back in October 2021.
The statement reads in full: “In October 2021, Andy Burnham, in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit arranged by the Department for International Trade.
“In his capacity as Mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City FC at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the Chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as Mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of Mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City FC staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
Featured Image – Lauren Hurley / Number 10 Downing Street (Press Image via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
24th March 2025 
