Revelling in the Premier League pantomime

Had things turned out slightly differently you’d be reading about the darts as you, ahem, read. After all, if social media is anything to go by – and occasionally it is – half the nation appeared to be glued to it over Christmas. More drama than a Shakespeare festival and all of that.

Unfortunately, the chap who’s usually here was taken ill at around 8.45pm on Tuesday on foot of events at Dean Court, as the place is known to old-timers like you and me. Although he’d rallied by 9.35 and was subsequently deemed by doctors to have Turned A Corner (just like Arsenal – yet again), the damage had been done.

So here I am but here’s the problem. Not knowing the above would transpire and his services would be called on, your correspondent was more than happy over the past fortnight to regress to childhood and, give or take events at Leopardstown and Kempton Park, spend time with other TV channels.