THIRTY ONE years ago there was trouble in the darts world when a ban was slapped on an a local player because of his madcap antics and gestures.

Double top exponent Jack Neville, 25, was accused of going way over the top and intimidating opponents.

The colourful librarian upset other players in the Teignmouth league and almost provoked some to violence, by dancing a jig, holding darts to his nose, pulling faces, making one finger salutes and blowing kisses when he won – just like star player Eric Bristow, the Crafty Cockney.

Zany Jack was banned for a minimum of 12 months after an ‘incident’ at a recent needle match and was seethng.

He claimed he was never given a chance to put his side, not given any details of the ‘offence’ and told there was no appeal.

He played for the Kangaroo pub in Teign Street and quipped he was sentenced by a ‘kangaroo court’!

‘A year’s ban is savage. I admit I do get excited during games and make gestures and comments, but it is all a bit of fun,’ he fumed.

‘Perhaps it does wind some people up, but I really get a buzz out of winning, and when I have thrown good darts I do put one finger in the air, just as a footballer will when he has scored a goal. But I never do anything to put anybody off while they are actually playing.

‘Perhaps I do model myself a bit on Eric Bristow and impersonate him, but most people love it and say it adds a bit of colour to games.

‘I know I am not allowed to appeal, but I intend to write to the league to demand a full explanation.’

His skipper at the Kangaroo, Terry Lock, said the trouble stemmed from a Devon cup final match against the Half Moon, played at a neutral venue, the Lifeboat Inn.

He said: ‘Jack is a well known character who does get quite excited, but I have played against him in the past and never found anything to object to. The other side won, but they lodged a protest against Jack which mystified me because I did not think he had done anything wrong.

‘Jack in one of the best players in the area. His ban will hurt our chances of winning the league. He has been very harshly treated.

George Green, secretary of the Rodney Bennett Insurance League, maintained Jack’s antics at the final were the last straw.

‘We have had complaints about his behaviour before, and I gave him a verbal warning before the match which I was refereeing because there was ill feeling between the teams anyway.

‘But it did not make any difference, and he just went completely over the top as usual.

‘He was making comments and gestures which were winding up a lot of people and causing ill feeling. I have never seen anyone go on like that before, and people had to be restrained from hitting him.

‘We play darts for a friendly night out, but he takes it too seriously and causes friction and spoils the atmosphere.’

But Jack will still be throwing his arrows in the town - the ban does not apply to the midweek LVA League which the Kangaroo tops.

He is no stranger to sporting controversy. About four years ago he was banned from the Devon cricket league for a spell, after pulling his Teignmouth side off the field at Brixham following a dispute.