With his deliberate, precise throwing style, Mickey Mansell is always likely to rub a few opponents up the wrong way.
But it’s not gamesmanship, the Dungannon dartist is at pains to point out, but instead a technique that enables him to get the very best out of his ability.
He may have attracted the ire of former world champion Michael Smith already this year, but that won’t stop Mansell from competing in what is his sixteenth consecutive season as a PDC pro.
The Underdog
Despite playing in six of the last seven editions of the tournament, Mansell is not available to those wanting to place their World Darts bets early ahead of the December showpiece.
The Dungannon man is yet to be included in the darts odds for the Alexandra Palace event, where Luke Humphries (6/1) and Michael van Gerwen (16/1) are amongst the predicted frontrunners.
But Mansell is a more regular feature at the Worlds than many of those listed in the current market, so once again it seems that the ‘Clonoe Cyclone’ has been written off at the top level of the darts.
And yet, somehow, you suspect that’s the way he likes it. The 52-year-old may be one of the PDC Tour’s elder statesmen these days, but he continues to ruffle feathers…
At Players Championship 1 in February, he defeated Irishman Daryl Gurney on his way to the last 32 – notching the perfect nine-dart leg along the way, before knocking world number 19 Damon Heta out of Players Championship 2.
GWANNNN' MICKEY! 9️⃣
Mickey Mansell pins the first nine-darter of the season on the Players Championship circuit, as he pins the perfect leg to take a 4-1 lead over Carl Sneyd in the Last 64!
📺https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8
📝 https://t.co/YiJaaWmt5u pic.twitter.com/nibq5arHZQ— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 9, 2026
Mansell has also successfully qualified for European Tour events, beating Smith in the final of one of those qualification campaigns (more on that later), before defeating the Bully Boy again in the first round of the Belgian Darts Open.
Van Gerwen would prove too strong in the second round, averaging 99 to end Mansell’s hopes, but he would have been left to reflect on more success on the big TV stage.
The Irishman will be hoping for plenty more of that in 2026!
Besting the Bully
Mansell’s campaign so far has been notable for an unlikely spat with Smith. The pair had something of a falling out at a European Tour qualifier back in February, where Mansell would prevail 6-3 to book his place in the main draw of the Poland Darts Open.
The contest left something of a bitter taste, with Smith taking to social media to describe Mansell as a ‘horrible player’, referring to his slow pace, in a post that has since been deleted.
And after the Bully Boy withdrew from a subsequent European Tour qualifier held that same day, Mansell took to his own X feed with a rather cheeky quip.
Shoulda been a boxer!! Knocked one man outta 2 tournaments 👊🏻
— Mickey Mansell (@C10noeCyclone) February 11, 2026
The irony was not lost on anyone when Mansell and Smith latterly separately qualified for the Belgian Darts Open, where they were drawn against each other in the first round.
Would old hostilities be cast aside? Not a bit of it… the players refusing to shake hands before the start of the game, which Mansell won 6-3.
Winning games and rattling cages, just how the Dungannon thrower likes it, you fancy.
