Scott Waites' mad dash to make Grand Slam

The Lakeside ruler is one of only three to lift the Grand Slam trophy, alongside four-time winner Phil Taylor and reigning champion Raymond van Barneveld.

But 'Scotty 2 Hotty' only recovered from a back injury in the nick of time to play in the tournament, after hurting himself during his day job as a joiner.

He said: "I did my back in at work a couple of weeks ago and it's affected my darts, as I wasn't able to stand up straight for a period of time.

"I think I pulled a muscle and I have been on painkillers but I have felt a lot better this week, so it's a mad dash to gets lots of intensive practice in before I go to Wolverhampton.

"Let's see if I have a good few days at the Civic now. I don't know what it is about the place, but I always seem to play well there."

The Yorkshireman, who lives in Halifax, first goes up against another man who has been crowned with the BDO' top honour at Lakeside, Telford's Ted Hankey, tomorrow afternoon.

Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith are also in Group H with Hankey having defected to the PDC in 2012, while Waites has rigidly stayed put.

The two have met in the Grand Slam before, Waites winning 5-3 in a group game during the 2009 tournament where he reached the final, losing to Taylor.

Waites' parents, Clive and Linda, live in the same town Hankey calls home, so the Civic is not the only place where the two might bump into each other.

He said: "Ted is a good bloke but a nightmare to play against, the crowd always seem to get on his back and he always seems to react to it.

"It does put you off, I played Ted at the Civic and I found I was watching what he was doing and not concentrating on what I was doing. That's part of his psyche.

"I just need to play the board rather than Ted, who is a good darter and a former world champion in his own right. That said, you never quite know which Ted is going to turn up."

Waites unexpected road to the 2009 final ended in disappointment with a one-sided 16-12 defeat to the formidable Taylor.

He not only rebounded to reach a second final the following year, but came from 8-0 down to beat James Wade 16-12.

But revenge on Taylor in the group stages last year, where he won 5–2, meant just as much to the 36-year-old.

Waites said: "A lot of people said I was lucky in 2009 but I won it in 2010, I don't think you can be lucky two years in a row!

"I was never going to win the first final, so I went out there and enjoyed it. The second time was probably one of the best comebacks you will ever see.

"It meant just as much as me to beat Phil, without a doubt the best darts player who has ever lived, in the group stages this year. Once again, no one thought I had a chance!"

Tickets for the Grand Slam of Darts, sponsored by William Hill, are still available by calling 0870 320 7000 or by visiting www.wolvescivic.co.uk.