And so, there was no fairytale ending for Phil Taylor.
Newcomer Rob Cross, in his first ever World Darts Championship, stunned the 16-time world champion, 7-2.
HE’S DONE IT! Debutant @RobCross180 beats sixteen-time world champion @PhilTaylor!!! 🎯🏆 Reaction here: https://t.co/aro77AAsao #LoveTheDarts https://t.co/X9lQ47alag
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) January 1, 2018
Clearly, this was an incredible achievement for former electrician, Cross (resists temptation to use a line about an electrician cutting The Power), but much of the focus after the game was on Taylor, who now bows out of the sport he once dominated. To mark the end of his career, those watching were treated to a post-match montage of some of Taylor’s career highlights, set to the soundtrack of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. Taylor was even spotted miming some of the words, bless him.
To some people, all this might have seemed lovely. To others, more specifically those whose tweets we’ve embedded below, it was all a bit… odd. Some even suggested that it upstaged an incredible achievement from new world champion, Cross.
Coldplay was soon trending on Twitter in the UK as a result. Here’s a sample of what was being tweeted…
https://twitter.com/fallows_blake/status/947954439394156544
What is this shit? A complete novice has just won the world title and we;ve to watch a 3 minute segment about Taylor overplayed by fucking COLDPLAY?#AIDS
— Wafty Crank (@WaftyCrank) January 1, 2018
Has Rob Cross just won the world title or is that bit on later after Coldplay?
— ᴀᴀʀᴏɴ ʙᴏᴡᴇʀ (@AaronBower) January 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/mrwayneg/status/947953666920800257
https://twitter.com/mikeyronan/status/947953991345954823
And Taylor signs off with Coldplay while mouthing the lyrics. Feel queasy
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) January 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/wacker171284/status/947955755889676288
https://twitter.com/Skinedmond/status/947955037501841408
Phil Taylor finishing his career by miming Coldplay has just ruined everything he’s ever done 🚮
— Cally 🏴 (@cfccally) January 1, 2018
