Les Wallace
Encyclopedia
Les Wallace is a Scottish
, former World Champion darts player. He currently lives in Midanbury Broadway
, Southampton
, England
. He adopted the nickname McDanger - coming out for his matches dressed in a traditional kilt
. He won the 1997 Embassy World Championship, which is one of the two versions of the World Professional Darts Championship
.
. His assault on the 1996 Championship ended at the hands of the defending world champion, Richie Burnett
in the semi-finals.
Wallace avenged his defeat by van Barneveld in 1997, beating him 3-2 in the second round. He went on to win the World Championship with a 6-3 victory over Welshman Marshall James. Wallace became the first left-handed player to win a World Championship (either PDC or BDO).
He never consolidated his position after winning the World Championship in 1997. He managed only two more match victories at Lakeside, the venue of the BDO Worlds. The defence of his title ended with a second round loss to Steve Beaton
(another former World Champion). Wallace was beaten again by van Barneveld in 1999 (2nd Round) having had darts at double to win, and Wallace went out to Ritchie Davies
in the first round in 2000 - he hasn't qualified to play at the World Championship since.
Wallace reached the final of the 1993 Winmau World Masters
, losing to Steve Beaton
. He won the title five years later, beating Alan Warriner
in the final.
He effectively withdrew from the full-time circuit in 1999, although he still participated in some BDO tournaments - including the World Masters in 2000 and 2003 - losing his first match on both occasions. His only televised appearance since came in an exhibition match before the World Darts Trophy
final in 2006 - when he played in a Legends match against Bobby George
.
He has made some attempts to revive his career in recent years and won the Hampshire Open in 2004. In the 2010 Hampshire Open he won three early round matches, but was eliminated at the last 64 stage. As a former BDO World Championship winner, he received an invitation to compete in the preliminary round of the 2010 competition, but was beaten in his first match.
Wallace, a father of four, was given a two-week suspended prison sentence for failing to pay £778.73 of council tax in February 2001. He owed the money to Southampton City Council for failing to pay for the period 1 April 1997 (the year in which he won £38,000 for winning the World Championship) to 31 May 2000.
He admitted non-payment of council tax and was warned that he will be jailed unless he keeps up his repayments. The magistrates were told that he had financial problems and could not afford to pay the debts.
Later in 2001, he received a four month jail sentence after admitting dangerous driving.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of drink-driving and dangerous driving.
Police reported Wallace was driving his red Ford Sierra
through the city's streets too fast and ignored the police car's blue flashing lights. Wallace drove the wrong way up a one-way street, and several other roads, to try to get away. Wallace then abandoned the car and ran off chased by a police officer who caught him when he fell over. A breath test found he was nearly twice the legal alcohol limit of 35 mg.
He received a three-year ban from driving in addition to the custodial sentence
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, former World Champion darts player. He currently lives in Midanbury Broadway
Midanbury
Midanbury is a small suburb of Southampton, England, bordering Bitterne, Bitterne Park and Townhill Park.-History:It is named after the country house "Midanbury Lodge" which was situated on the summit of a hill to the east of Southampton. The house no longer stands, and the land was used for...
, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He adopted the nickname McDanger - coming out for his matches dressed in a traditional kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
. He won the 1997 Embassy World Championship, which is one of the two versions of the World Professional Darts Championship
World Professional Darts Championship
The World Professional Darts Championship is one of the most important tournaments in the darts calendar. Originally held as an annual event between 1978 and 1993, players then broke off into two separate organisations after a controversial split in the game...
.
World Championship performances
Wallace made his first appearance at the World Championship in 1995, losing a first round match to Raymond van BarneveldRaymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
. His assault on the 1996 Championship ended at the hands of the defending world champion, Richie Burnett
Richie Burnett
Richie Burnett is a Welsh darts player who was the 1995 Embassy World Darts Champion and currently plays in Professional Darts Corporation events. His nickname is The Prince of Wales.-BDO career:...
in the semi-finals.
Wallace avenged his defeat by van Barneveld in 1997, beating him 3-2 in the second round. He went on to win the World Championship with a 6-3 victory over Welshman Marshall James. Wallace became the first left-handed player to win a World Championship (either PDC or BDO).
He never consolidated his position after winning the World Championship in 1997. He managed only two more match victories at Lakeside, the venue of the BDO Worlds. The defence of his title ended with a second round loss to Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...
(another former World Champion). Wallace was beaten again by van Barneveld in 1999 (2nd Round) having had darts at double to win, and Wallace went out to Ritchie Davies
Ritchie Davies
Ritchie Davies is a Welsh former professional darts player from Aberdare. Davies is most well known for his run at the 2003 BDO World Darts Championship, where he reached the final.-Darts career:...
in the first round in 2000 - he hasn't qualified to play at the World Championship since.
Wallace reached the final of the 1993 Winmau World Masters
Winmau World Masters
The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running and most prestigious professional darts tournaments, which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship...
, losing to Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...
. He won the title five years later, beating Alan Warriner
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little is an English professional darts player. He currently lives in Crosby, Cumbria and plays with the nickname The Iceman...
in the final.
End of career
Wallace's private life was a major contributor to his withdrawal from the full-time darts circuit. At one of his court cases, his solicitor Charles Thomas told the court that Wallace's life dramatically changed in 1999 when his partner, Carol, lost premature twins who were four days old. That led to the collapse of the relationship and his alcohol consumption became greater.He effectively withdrew from the full-time circuit in 1999, although he still participated in some BDO tournaments - including the World Masters in 2000 and 2003 - losing his first match on both occasions. His only televised appearance since came in an exhibition match before the World Darts Trophy
World Darts Trophy
The World Darts Trophy was a darts tournament held each September at De Vechtsebanen in Utrecht, Netherlands between 2002 and 2007. The tournament has a playing format comparable with the two World Championships, the BDO World Darts Championship and the PDC World Darts Championship...
final in 2006 - when he played in a Legends match against Bobby George
Bobby George
Robert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...
.
He has made some attempts to revive his career in recent years and won the Hampshire Open in 2004. In the 2010 Hampshire Open he won three early round matches, but was eliminated at the last 64 stage. As a former BDO World Championship winner, he received an invitation to compete in the preliminary round of the 2010 competition, but was beaten in his first match.
Outside darts
Les Wallace has flirted with the law on several occasions. After a 1996 court appearance, he was fined £210 and banned for 12 months for driving with excess alcohol, having no insurance and failing to stop.Wallace, a father of four, was given a two-week suspended prison sentence for failing to pay £778.73 of council tax in February 2001. He owed the money to Southampton City Council for failing to pay for the period 1 April 1997 (the year in which he won £38,000 for winning the World Championship) to 31 May 2000.
He admitted non-payment of council tax and was warned that he will be jailed unless he keeps up his repayments. The magistrates were told that he had financial problems and could not afford to pay the debts.
Later in 2001, he received a four month jail sentence after admitting dangerous driving.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of drink-driving and dangerous driving.
Police reported Wallace was driving his red Ford Sierra
Ford Sierra
The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
through the city's streets too fast and ignored the police car's blue flashing lights. Wallace drove the wrong way up a one-way street, and several other roads, to try to get away. Wallace then abandoned the car and ran off chased by a police officer who caught him when he fell over. A breath test found he was nearly twice the legal alcohol limit of 35 mg.
He received a three-year ban from driving in addition to the custodial sentence
Custodial sentence
A custodial sentence is a judicial sentence, imposing a punishment consisting of mandatory custody of the convict, either in prison or in some other closed therapeutic and/or educational institution, such as a reformatory, psychiatry or drug detoxification...
.