'I probably need therapy to say leave all that behind': Mark Dudbridge still playing darts at 52 after previous retirement

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 9:33 AM ET

Mark Dudbridge was one of the better players in the PDC in the early 2000s. In recent years, the now 52-year-old Englishman has been mostly active in the MODUS Super Series and on the senior tour.

Dudbridge first made his presence felt when he managed to win the Winmau World Masters somewhat out of nowhere in late 2002. "I had a decision to make which took a while, Martin Fitzmaurice was on the phone like what are you going to do. It all turned a bit nasty with him. I said I want to come out in the smoke at the Circus Tavern. I went on to the WDC circuit and didn't take long to get up into the rankings. Before long I was in TV majors," said Dudbridge on the MODUS Super Series YouTube channel.

Barely two years after his switch, Dudbridge already reached the final of the PDC's World Darts Championship. In the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, he eventually lost 7-4 to the then virtually untouchable Phil Taylor. In subsequent years, "Flash" was also a regular in the PDC, but never managed to win a major.

Comeback

After 2010, Dudbridge recorded few more appealing results and, in fact, he had already put a stop to his career when he suddenly showed up at the 2023 World Seniors. "I was gone, I was finished. It has got me back into it. In a good way I enjoy it, I'm still ultra competitive. But I wish I was competitive in my daily life and I might do a bit more."

"I don't think I achieved what I should've achieved. I think I was as good or better than all of the players in the world other than Phil (Taylor). Probably Lloydy (Colin Lloyd) was a bit better at the time. i got to World No.3 and that was probably just about right."

"I enjoy it before and after, the actual playing side of it is a bit difficult these days. I suppose I don't put in what I should. You get out what you put in. My brain still thinks it can do it, this is the dilemma I'm in."

"I'm a bit lazy in terms of entering tournaments, if I get an email from MODUS saying can you appear I say yes. Seniors yes. I am thinking of entering more local tournaments just to try and get a bit of confidence. Try and throw a bit better but it's still putting it in the background, the desire is still there but the application probably isn't as good."

"I'm watching the Premier League and thinking I can still do that. The reality is you can't. I probably need therapy to say leave all that behind. The body doesn't go with the brain."