A THREE-TIMES sporting world champion has bid farewell to his colleagues at an affordable housing provider after 30 years to pursue a professional darts career.
Glen Durrant, the three times BDO World Champion from Middlesbrough, decided to turn professional earlier this year after his run of success at the Lakeside.
'Duzza' started his first full-time contract as a housing benefit clerk in February 1989, at what was then Langbaurgh Borough Council.
In 1996, having been promoted two years earlier, he took a sidestep to become a housing officer at the Grangetown office, in the heart of the community in which he grew up.
During this period, he was also working six nights a week at karaoke events to make ends meet.
Glen said: “I have had an incredible career in housing, first with Langbaurgh, then Redcar and Cleveland Council, Coast & Country and most recently Beyond Housing.
"It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve made wonderful friends along the way. But now it’s time for me to focus on being the best I can be at darts.
“The support I have had from management and colleagues has been tremendous and without that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my darts career.
"I’ll miss everyone but I’m sure we will keep in touch and I know they will still be cheering me on.”
2005 was the year that Glen had his first taste of darts success, when he reached the last eight of the World Masters.
From there he went from strength to strength in the darts world, travelling as far as Canada in his quest to become a champion and winning a BDO World Master title in 2015 before eventually becoming BDO World Champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Earlier this year, he became the first person to claim three Lakeside World titles in a row since Eric Bristow in the mid-1980s.
The 2019 final, against Scott Waites, was a tight affair, with the pair trading sets as the score reached 3-3.
However, Glen rattled off three quick sets before the next break, and returned to successfully defend his title as he finished on double 16.
Speaking after he received the World Championship trophy, he said: "It means the earth and back. To do it against a Lakeside legend like Scott Waites, that was the icing on the cake.
"I've been under pressure for three or four years as the top seed. Every tournament I go to, when you lose you think it’s the end of the world.
"For three or four sets he was much the better player, but I just kept finding that double. At 5-3 I was feeling a lot more confident. I’m so impressed to beat him, I’m dead happy.
"But I've had my wife and daughter here, I’ve got the best family base. Just when I needed to hear my friends and family, they were right there."
Lesley Conroy, head of communities at Beyond Housing, said: “Glen has been a dedicated and inspirational colleague for more than 30 years. He has made such a positive impact on the lives of both fellow workers and residents in his unassuming and humble way.
“Of course, we will miss him, but we wish him the very best and look forward to celebrating his victories every step of the way.”
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