World Matchplay Darts 2025: Gary Anderson Says Darts Has Lost Its Soul and Slams Boring New Generation

Two-time world champion Gary Anderson opened his 2025 Betfred World Matchplay campaign in ideal fashion, cruising to a 10-5 first-round win over Luke Woodhouse. 

But while the 54-year-old Scot looked sharp on stage, his mood backstage told a different story.

Now in the twilight of his career, Anderson opened up after the match with a passionate rant about how much the sport has changed—particularly when it comes to the atmosphere behind the scenes.

“The Good Old Days”: When Darts Had Banter

Reflecting on his heyday, Anderson said the biggest change wasn’t the standard of darts, but the lack of camaraderie between players that once defined the sport.

“The good old days, that's when darts players were darts players. Me, [Adrian] Lewis, [Phil] Taylor, Kevin [Painter], we used to sit and have a crack and a laugh,” Anderson told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

“The old boys like I say, Aidy Lewis was brilliant, and I wish he comes back. I do miss him.”

The Flying Scotsman made no secret of his frustration with the current backstage environment, claiming it’s become so dull and disconnected that he’d rather be anywhere else. 

“Nobody talks to anybody. You don’t have a good laugh; you don’t have a bit of banter.”

“You need to have a laugh. It doesn’t matter what you do in life. When you’re in the building site or the office, you always got to have a laugh. Nowadays there’s not much of that going on.”

The Rise of the New Generation—and the Fall of the Dressing Room

Asked what he believes is behind the shift in mood backstage, Anderson pointed the finger at the younger generation—players like reigning world champion Luke Littler and defending Matchplay champion Luke Humphries.

He didn’t hold back in criticising the younger generation, urging them to relax more and embrace the experience rather than treating it like a corporate job.

“The youngsters are boring, absolutely boring. You talk to them, they’re too busy looking at their phones.”

“They’re sitting on their phones and they’re bloody earphones and don’t talk to you. It’s a completely different life.”

“These youngsters, they’re here to do a job. They’ve got to the stage now that they’ve realised, they’ve got a great chance in life to make a lot of bloody money and boost themselves. But they need to calm down and think this is my job and that’s it.”

“They’re Good—but Not That Good”

While Anderson admits the standard of darts has improved and there are now more genuine contenders, he still questions whether the new crop really lives up to the hype.

He wasn’t surprised to see Humphries crash out early, and even predicted a first-round exit for Littler at the hands of Ryan Searle – which did prove to be wrong. 

“They’re good but they aren’t that good. That’s what you’ve got to remember.”

“I usually talk about certain players. I’ve seen one of them bow out this week [Luke Humphries], and I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan [Searle] comes through and trumps him [Luke Littler]. Then what have you got to talk about,” he concluded.