‘It’s unacceptable’ – Ally McCoist reveals Cameron Menzies conversation after PDC World Championship abuse
Ally McCoist revealed he spoke to fellow Scot Cameron Menzies after he suffered ‘unacceptable’ abuse at the PDC World Darts Championship. Menzies was the strong favourite to advance from his match with Leonard Gates having come into the tournament in good form. Cameron Menzies lost to Leonard Gates but that wasn’t the most contentious moment of the nightPDC But what many expected to be a routine evening for Menzies quickly spiraled out of control. The fans at Ally Pally quickly bought into Gates’ showmanship at the expense of Menzies in what eventually turned out to be a partisan crowd in the American’s favour. Sections of the crowd were heard subjecting Menzies to anti-Scotland chants while also jeering him whenever he missed chances to win a leg or failed to hit a treble. Menzies struggled to hold it together on stage causing him to take breaks between throws, as he fought to hold back tears. It became a tough watch for 35-year-old who missed 27 of the 32 double attempts on the night. Menzies, who appeared to tear up every time he took to the oche, bravely fought back but ultimately succumbed to Gates in a 3-1 defeat. The Scot later took to social media to post a now-deleted image of his ill father in hospital and captioned it: “This is all.” Former Rangers and Scotland striker McCoist revealed he reached out to Menzies after Monday’s exit and likened his treatment to playing in an Old Firm match. “It goes with the turf I think, ” McCoist told talkSPORT. “Cameron’s a brilliant lad, I know him, I spoke to him, smashing lad, particularly in an arena like that where he can hear it, see it, and it’s so visible. “Anybody that has performed in an Old Firm derby, would tell you, particularly the opposition Stadium, the abuse that you take, with the greatest respect it’s unacceptable. Menzies was reduced in tears during the final set against Gates on MondayPDC American star Gates became an instant fan favourite with his outlandish antics Ally McCoist revealed he spoke to Menzies after he crashed out of the tournament “Right, it is unacceptable. Some of the things that are shouted at football matches, in particular, any other walk of life, you did it in the street, you go to jail. So it should not be allowed. “But there is an element of fans, 100 percent entitled to voice opinions at sporting events, people dancing and enjoying themselves having a couple of drinks. There’s something great about it, but if it starts affecting people’s mental health that’s something that should be looked at.” He added: “There should always be a level of respect. There should always be, there won’t be probably in some cases, a level of respect between the fans and the participants.” Gates, who will play Nathan Aspinall in the second round, revealed he picked up on Menzies struggles during the match and had a few words of advice when the match had ended. “I definitely picked up on it throughout the game and like I told him in the end, I just said use that energy. I told him I said, ‘you have a lot of darts left in you’,” Gates said. “We played together in Vegas. So I know what he can do. You know when he’s feeling good and he’s having fun and having a good time. “He can throw some great darts and I mean I hats off to him. You know Cameron Menzies is a great man, a great opponent and I hope he keeps going.”
Ally McCoist revealed he spoke to fellow Scot Cameron Menzies after he suffered ‘unacceptable’ abuse at the PDC World Darts Championship.
Menzies was the strong favourite to advance from his match with Leonard Gates having come into the tournament in good form.
But what many expected to be a routine evening for Menzies quickly spiraled out of control.
The fans at Ally Pally quickly bought into Gates’ showmanship at the expense of Menzies in what eventually turned out to be a partisan crowd in the American’s favour.
Sections of the crowd were heard subjecting Menzies to anti-Scotland chants while also jeering him whenever he missed chances to win a leg or failed to hit a treble.
Menzies struggled to hold it together on stage causing him to take breaks between throws, as he fought to hold back tears.
It became a tough watch for 35-year-old who missed 27 of the 32 double attempts on the night.
Menzies, who appeared to tear up every time he took to the oche, bravely fought back but ultimately succumbed to Gates in a 3-1 defeat.
The Scot later took to social media to post a now-deleted image of his ill father in hospital and captioned it: “This is all.”
Former Rangers and Scotland striker McCoist revealed he reached out to Menzies after Monday’s exit and likened his treatment to playing in an Old Firm match.
“It goes with the turf I think, ” McCoist told talkSPORT. “Cameron’s a brilliant lad, I know him, I spoke to him, smashing lad, particularly in an arena like that where he can hear it, see it, and it’s so visible.
“Anybody that has performed in an Old Firm derby, would tell you, particularly the opposition Stadium, the abuse that you take, with the greatest respect it’s unacceptable.
“Right, it is unacceptable. Some of the things that are shouted at football matches, in particular, any other walk of life, you did it in the street, you go to jail. So it should not be allowed.
“But there is an element of fans, 100 percent entitled to voice opinions at sporting events, people dancing and enjoying themselves having a couple of drinks. There’s something great about it, but if it starts affecting people’s mental health that’s something that should be looked at.”
He added: “There should always be a level of respect. There should always be, there won’t be probably in some cases, a level of respect between the fans and the participants.”
Gates, who will play Nathan Aspinall in the second round, revealed he picked up on Menzies struggles during the match and had a few words of advice when the match had ended.
“I definitely picked up on it throughout the game and like I told him in the end, I just said use that energy. I told him I said, ‘you have a lot of darts left in you’,” Gates said.
“We played together in Vegas. So I know what he can do. You know when he’s feeling good and he’s having fun and having a good time.
“He can throw some great darts and I mean I hats off to him. You know Cameron Menzies is a great man, a great opponent and I hope he keeps going.”
