Darts legend Russ Bray reveals his picks for the three greatest players in the sport's history.

In the world of darts, there is one man who stands out as a true icon: Russ Bray. Known for his famous gravelly voice, Bray has been a referee for the PDC since 1996 and is often referred to as "the Voice" of darts. As we gear up for this year's World Championship, Bray has taken the time to reflect on his career and name his top three players of all time.

Last year, Bray made the decision to step away from his full-time refereeing career and become an ambassador for the PDC. While he can still be seen on stage at World Series events, he will not be refereeing the action at Alexandra Palace this year. Throughout his time in the sport, Bray has worked alongside some of the greatest names in darts, but there are three players who have stood out to him.

"Eric Bristow for what he did in the eighties," Bray shared on Sky Sports' Love The Darts podcast. "He was untouchable at that time, a wonderful character and a very close friend of mine." Bristow, who sadly passed away in 2018 at the age of 60, was a five-time WDF World Champion and five-time World Masters winner during his era of dominance in the late seventies and eighties.

Of course, no list of top players would be complete without the legendary Phil Taylor. "He has to be on the list for what he's done for the game and how he's brought it up," Bray said of the 16-time World Champion. "Incredible." Taylor, also known as "The Power," was the first player to hit two nine-dart finishes in the same match and held the world number one spot for an impressive 13 years.

And finally, Bray named Michael van Gerwen as the third player on his list. "He followed Taylor," Bray explained. "Once Phil had sort of finished, MVG was untouchable for two or three years. He was fantastic and brought the game up to that next level." Van Gerwen, a three-time World Champion and two-time runner-up, took over as the world's best player as Taylor began to slow down in his later years.

As we look ahead to this year's World Championship, we can't help but think of these three legendary players and the impact they have had on the sport. Bristow, Taylor, and van Gerwen all have their own unique contributions to the world of darts, and their names will forever be remembered in the history books. Thank you, Russ Bray, for sharing your top three with us and reminding us of the incredible talent that has graced the darts stage over the years.

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