PDC Darts hit by another referee retirement shortly after Russ Bray and Paul Hinks exits

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5 days ago

PDC Darts hit by another referee retirement shortly after Russ Bray and Paul Hinks exits
George Noble has been a mainstay of the darts circuit for the best part of three decades, but he has now confirmed that he will be stepping away from the professional game
George Noble will retire from refereeing after the World Championship
(Image: undefined via Getty Images )
George Noble has announced his impending retirement after the upcoming World Darts Championship, delivering a huge blow to the PDC.
An integral voice at numerous major tournaments for the past three decades, Noble is nearing the conclusion of an illustrious career and has revealed his decision to retire. His last event on the European Tour took place at the Dutch Darts Championship, with his final PDC outing set for Alexandra Palace - where he will oversee Luke Littler's world title defence.
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Over the weekend, Noble confirmed his retirement plans to Viaplay. The 56-year-old's departure signifies another notable exit from the PDC following Russ Bray and Paul Hinks.
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Referees like Kirk Bevins, Huw Ware and Owen Binks remain, their youth offset by considerable experience. After confirming his retirement plans, Noble spoke about the future of refereeing, explaining: "I think it's time we had the first female referee at a major tournament...and maybe even the first non-British one, too."
Despite stepping down from top-tier events, Noble is anticipated to remain connected to the sport, having earlier this year demonstrated his enduring passion by competing in the pairs event at the Dutch Open. Known affectionately in the darts world as The Puppy, Noble launched his refereeing journey back in 1992 at his local club, reports the Express.
By 1994, he had stepped onto the prestigious Lakeside stage, where he continued to officiate every final between 1995 and 2007. Noble has been a fixture on the PDC circuit since 2009, a notable year for him as he called the first ever nine-darter at the World Darts Championship when Raymond van Barneveld achieved the feat against Jelle Klaasen.
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In a candid chat with Live Darts in 2018, Noble said: "A quarter of a century, I didn't realise it was that long! I was young back then and I had a different nickname as well. I won't get into that.
Noble has worked for the PDC since 2009 and has called at many big events
(Image: GETTY )
"When you do your first World Championship final, you think it's great, it's what you want to do. But then you do another one and another one.
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"I wouldn't say the novelty wears off, but it's not as daunting as it was the first time. It becomes more regular, not run-of-the-mill because it's the world final, but it's a big achievement to have done that many world finals."
Beyond the darts arena, Noble nurtures a deep-rooted allegiance to Millwall FC, and as he considers winding down from his professional commitments, he looks forward to spending more time enjoying matches at The Den next year.
Littler will hope to defend his World Championship when the final of the event rolls around at Alexandra Palace at the turn of 2026. The youngster made history with his 7-3 win over Michael van Gerwen in January, becoming the youngest-ever player to lift the title at just 17.