“I’ve got plenty I’d like to say” – Mickey Mansell fires fresh dig at Michael Smith after handshake snub

Mickey Mansell has fired a pointed parting shot at Michael Smith after knocking the former world champion out of the Belgian Darts Open for the second time in six weeks — and refusing to shake his hand before doing so — as one of the most acrimonious feuds on the PDC circuit showed no sign of cooling in Wieze.

The Northern Irishman produced a composed 6-3 victory in the afternoon session on Friday at the Oktoberhallen, dispatching Smith in a match that had been bubbling with tension long before either player stepped onto the stage. And after seeing off ‘Bully Boy’ for the second time this year, Mansell took to social media to make his feelings known — without quite making them known.

The Handshake That Wasn’t

After both players arrived on stage, they refused to shake hands before the start of the match, something that is usually customary. The gesture — or rather its conspicuous absence — told the watching crowd and viewers everything they needed to know about the state of relations between the two men before a dart had been thrown.

It was a visible escalation. In darts, the pre-match handshake is so ingrained as a mark of mutual respect that the decision to withhold it carries unmistakable weight. There was nothing accidental about what unfolded in Wieze on Friday afternoon.

What Sparked It All

The root of the feud lies in a European Tour qualifier at Hildesheim in Germany back in February, where Mansell beat Smith 6-3 to book his place at the Poland Darts Open. Smith was far from pleased afterwards, writing on Facebook: “Imagine doing that to win a game. Tinkerbell won’t come along and move your darts for you. No need to stand looking at the board for 15 seconds. Horrible mentality. And a horrible player.”

The post was later deleted, but not before it had spread widely across darts social media. Smith had also elaborated, adding: “His throw doesn’t bother me, it’s the standing looking at his darts for 15 seconds hoping Harry Potter does a spell and moves one of them.”

Smith also withdrew from the subsequent ET2 qualifier, less than an hour after losing to Mansell, with no reason given. Mansell responded on X: “Shoulda been a boxer!! Knocked one man outta 2 tournaments.”

Same Script, Same Result

In Wieze on Friday, Smith had the opportunity to settle the score on the oche. He did not take it. Smith crashed out 6-3 to Mansell, who landed two ton-plus checkouts — including a sublime 161 outshot.

Despite Smith outperforming his opponent statistically across average, checkout percentage, and maximums, he proved incapable of breaching Mansell’s throw. With the Clonoe Cyclone holding the advantage of throwing first, that singular factor ultimately proved decisive. The irony will not have been lost on anyone: a man criticised for his pace of play beat the man who criticised him, twice in six weeks, both times 6-3.

Mansell’s Pointed Post-Match Message

After the win, Mansell posted a message on X that managed to say a great deal while apparently saying very little. “Obviously I’ve got plenty I’d like to say but what’s the point? Opinions are like assholes everyone has one!”

The post is a study in controlled restraint and barely concealed contempt. The opening acknowledgement — that he has “plenty” he could say — is itself a dig, a reminder that the well of grievance has not run dry. The follow-up, wrapped in the familiar vernacular of someone choosing to take the high road while making absolutely sure you know they could descend from it at any moment, lands its point squarely. Everyone, including Smith, knows exactly what Mansell is referring to.

It is also, pointedly, the second time Mansell has come out on top of an encounter he did not start. It was Smith who launched the public broadside in February. It has been Mansell who has responded with victories.

What Comes Next

Mansell now faces another former world champion in Michael van Gerwen in Saturday evening’s second round at the Oktoberhallen — a considerably steeper challenge, with the three-time world champion having entered the tournament in the seeded section. It is the kind of draw that would make most players on the ProTour Tour Card qualifier reserve list simply grateful to be involved. For Mansell, fresh off back-to-back wins over a seeded opponent and with his confidence visibly intact, it is a genuine opportunity to make a statement on the biggest possible stage.

For Smith, meanwhile, the weekend is over before it properly began — the second time this year Mansell has brought his European Tour campaign to an abrupt end. Whether the two men will shake hands the next time they meet remains, at this stage, an open question.