Andy Fordham has died

jsmoke · 15 Jul 2021 at 19:41

I can't say I was a huge darts fan but he reminded me of characters in the 80s/90s. Couple of trucker tattoos, overweight, terrible diet and drinks like a fish.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/57856227

RIP.

robfosters · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:01

Got the news off a friend early this afternoon. Absolutely gutted.

Had a drink with Andy numerous times around Charlton before and after he was world champion. You would never have an inkling you was with someone who was a star in their sport. The most down to earth bloke you’ll ever meet in your life.

Very generous too. You buy him a beer, he’d buy you two back, that sort of fella. His lovely wife Jenny adored him too, she’ll be in absolute bits now.

Andy obviously didn’t lead the healthiest life, but he knew it and at least he had a go at doing something about it. He ended up going on celebrity fit club and achieved the highest weight loss. I think he was more proud of that than his world darts trophy tbh

A very sad day indeed, will be highly missed around his old stomping grounds, because he certainly never forgot where he came from.

RIP Viking. Valhalla awaits

Dirk Diggler · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:34

I worked with his brother a few years back. Nice fella, too.

RIP

Malevolence · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:37

AgentCyclone said:
All that Beer Drinking has slowly caught him up

And you know this how?

Conscript · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:39

Not a darts fan, but he was a well known character in Dartford when I was growing up. RIP.

Conscript · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:46

Malevolence said:
And you know this how?

His health problems scuppered his playing career and Mr Fordham was placed on the transplant list after suffering from cirrhosis – a scarring of the liver – caused by heavy drinking.

Fordham once weighed 31 stone and was reported to have downed 25 bottles of lager a day before addressing his health issues.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/darts-icon-andy-fordham-dies-aged-59-250735/

Think its fair to say his drinking habits were a major contributor

robfosters · 15 Jul 2021 at 20:59

Drinking 26 bottles of Holsten pils then going on national TV and winning the darts world championship is the stuff of legends tbh. Mere mortals trail in his wake.

BeeP · 15 Jul 2021 at 22:06

Always loved the darts and he came over as a true gent.
Way too young.

robfosters · 15 Jul 2021 at 22:15

Heard a while back that Andy died of complete organ failure as a complication of long Covid