A pub darts team from Liverpool have made it to the Grand Final of the Cool Hand Cup by Marston’s, competing against 65 of the best amateur players from across the UK.
The finalists, Phil, Sean, Joel, and Harry, earned their spot in the national showdown after first dominating the competition at their local, the Childwall Abbey Hotel.
Following a nationwide tournament that saw over 11,000 punters form 700 teams, the highest-scoring groups from each region progressed to the final stage held on Friday, 10 April.
Representing the Liverpool and Cheshire region, the Ango All Stars faced off in a thrilling day of traditional 501 darts at The Boundary in Alfreton, Derbyshire.
While “The Dog’s Bollogs” from Wednesfield ultimately took home the £10,000 top prize, the Liverpool side’s journey to the final 16 marked a significant achievement for the local darts scene.
Meeting a Darts Icon
Marston’s teamed up with darts legend ‘Cool Hand’ Luke Humphries for the second consecutive year to host the competition.
The event brought the high-stakes energy of professional darts to the local pub level, culminating in an atmosphere that rivalled the famous Ally Pally.
Phil Symm, Captain of the Ango All Stars, reflected on the experience:
“We’re so proud to have progressed from playing darts in Childwall Abbey Hotel, our local in Liverpool, to competing in the regional qualifiers and earning our spot in the Grand Final.
“The Grand Final exceeded our expectations by far, the set up, atmosphere and hype were all amazing.
“It was great to have the chance to meet Luke Humphries and watch the semi-final and finals with him, then watch him throw some darts in the exhibition match against the winning team.”
A Celebration of Pub Culture
The tournament featured teams from every corner of the country, including Hull’s Best, the Manchester-based Hesketh, and the Welsh finalists Barlow’s Babes.
The competition highlighted how darts remains a cornerstone of British pub culture, bringing together thousands of players for a shot at national glory.
John Green, Director of Operations at Marston’s, said:
“It’s been a true pleasure to bring the Cool Hand Cup back to over 500 pubs in partnership with Luke Humphries.
“This time, we invited teams to enter the tournament, and it’s been incredible to see darts and pub culture bringing people together, with over 11,000 people entering up and down the country.”
The 2026 tournament concluded with an exhibition match where the winning team from the West Midlands had the unique opportunity to test their skills against former world champion Luke Humphries on the big stage.
