Alan Tabern (born 29 September 1966) is an English darts player who plays in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He is nicknamed "The Saint".

Alan Tabern
Personal information
Nickname"The Saint"
Born (1966-09-29) 29 September 1966 (age 58)
St. Helens, Merseyside, England
Home townSt. Helens, Merseyside, England
Darts information
Playing darts since1985
DartsTarget Darts
LateralityLeft-handed
Walk-on music"The Saints Are Coming" by U2 and Green Day
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO2004
PDC2005–
WDF major events – best performances
Int. Darts LeaguePreliminary round: 2007
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'shipQuarter-final: 2007
World MatchplayQuarter-final: 2008
World Grand PrixLast 16: 2007. 2011
UK OpenSemi-final: 2006
Grand SlamGroup stages: 2008
European Ch'shipQuarter-final: 2008
Ch'ship LeagueWinners group, semi-finals: 2008
Desert ClassicQuarter-final: 2008
US Open/WSoDSemi-final: 2009
PC FinalsLast 16: 2009
Other tournament wins
Atlanta Players Championship 2008
Midlands Open 2008
PDC Challenge Tour England 2014 (x3), 2017
Southport Open 2009

Players Championships

Players Championship (NWE) 2008
Players Championship (WAL) 2008

UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers

UK Open Regional (NWE) 2006

Darts career

edit

A left-hander, Tabern made his PDC World Championship debut in 2006 with a surprising win over Alex Roy. He was beaten in the second round by Mark Dudbridge. Tabern reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 PDC World Darts Championship, where he was beaten 0–5 by eventual winner Raymond van Barneveld. In the 2008 World Championship, Tabern defeated Denmark's Per Laursen and Andy Jenkins, before losing 3–4 in the third round to Phil Taylor. Tabern caused a major shock in the 2008 Las Vegas Desert Classic by beating No. 2 seed and reigning champion van Barneveld 8–4 in the second round.[1] In the 2008 World Matchplay, Tabern reached the quarter-finals, knocking out current World Champion John Part before losing to Dennis Priestley.

Following this great run of form, Tabern attracted a new sponsor in Target Darts. In August 2008, he claimed his second PDC Pro Tour victory in the Peach Tree Open in Atlanta, Georgia, by defeating Andy Hamilton 3–1 in the final, and the next month Tabern claimed another Players Championship win in Wales. This put him in the top 10 in the PDC Order of Merit for the first time in his career. He played in the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts, where he was involved in the first televised nine-dart shootout after he and Hamilton had finished level on points and leg difference in their group. Tabern lost 265–169 in it, with only one of his nine darts hitting treble 20, with three others in either five or one beds, contrasting with Hamilton's four treble 20s from six darts.

Tabern suffered a second round exit in the 2009 PDC World Championship, losing to Co Stompé.[2] The following year, he suffered another second round defeat, this time losing 3–4 to Mark Dudbridge, having missed six darts to win. Tabern once again missed six match-darts in the second round of the 2011 tournament against Mark Walsh.

On the second day of 2018 Q School in Wigan, Tabern managed to regain his tour card for 2018–2019 after beating Steven Kirkby 5–1 in the final.

World Championship results

edit

Performance timeline

edit
Tournament 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
PDC World Championship DNQ 2R QF 3R 2R 2R 2R 2R Did not qualify 2R DNQ
UK Open 2R SF 4R QF QF 5R 3R 3R DNQ Prel. 2R 1R 5R DNQ 3R 5R 2R
World Matchplay DNQ 1R 1R QF 2R 2R 1R Did not qualify
World Grand Prix DNQ 2R 1R 1R 1R 2R Did not qualify
European Championship Not held QF DNQ 1R 1R Did not qualify
Grand Slam of Darts Not held DNQ RR Did not qualify
Players Championship Finals Not held 2R 1R 1R Did not qualify 1R DNQ 1R
Championship League Darts Not held SF RR RR RR DNQ Not held
Las Vegas Desert Classic DNQ 2R QF 1R Not held
Performance Table Legend
DNP Did not play at the event DNQ Did not qualify for the event NYF Not yet founded #R lost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
QF lost in the quarter-finals SF lost in the semi-finals F lost in the final W won the tournament

References

edit
  1. ^ "Shock exit for Barney". Sky Sports. 5 July 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Saint stunned by Stompe". Sky Sports. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
edit