Archive: Jocky Wilson wins second world championship The Scotsman, 16 January, 1989: Jocky Wilson, the new world darts champion, believes that his never-say-die spirit was the deciding factor in the greatest triumph of his career. Wilson, renowned for his jerky action, defeated five-times winner Eric Bristow 6-4 in the final of the Embassy World Professional championship at Frimley Green on Saturday, but says it was a much sweeter win than when he first won the title back in 1982. "To beat Eric, the greatest name in darts, in the final is something I will never forget," said the emotional Wilson, who collected £20,000 in prize money. But the 38-year-old Scot, who won the first five sets before Bristow came storming back to win four on the trot, added: "I must confess I had my luck during the week because I had one hard match after another." In the second round, Alan Warriner, a male nurse from Lancaster, had eight shots at a double to beat Wilson, but missed tham all. Then Wilson scraped home 4-3 against west countryman Mike Gregory in the quarter-final, winning the final set in a sudden death finish by six legs to five. But that was not all, for Wilson also beat the reigning world champion, Bob Anderson, of Swindon, 5-4 in the semi-finals after being 2-4 down. "My big secret is that I never give up," said Wilson, who now lives at Wallsend, Northumberland. Whatever the position, I always feel I can win. Wilson agreed that he thought he would lose to Bristow when the 31-year-old "Crafty Cockney" pulled up to 4-5 in the final. Wilson, however, has no plans for mathematics lessons in the future after his classic blunder in the ninth set against Bristow. Needing only a double 18 to clinch the title, Wilson miscounted and threw at double top instead. "I don't know what went through my mind," he said. I needed 104 and then hit treble 18 and a single 14 which left me 36. But for some reason or other I thought I needed 40. I guess I got too excited. It could have been crucial because instead of the little Scot winning the title 6-3, Bristow won the ninth set and then had a superb check-out of 130 to pull up to two legs all in the vital tenth set. Had Bristow made it 5-5 even Wilson admitted that he would probably have lost. "But I kept my nerve in that final leg," said Wilson. And that's what counts at this level.