BDO World Championships: Bobby George on son's debut

Two-time finalist Bobby George says his son Richie has earned his place at the BDO World Championships and is not where he is because of his name.

Richie George, 23, made his debut at the Lakeside tournament when he beat Dave Prins on Saturday.

"If he handles the pressure he can handle the darts," George told BBC Sport before the match.

"He has not got there because he is my son, he has got to where he is because of his hands and his darts."

Richie George played for the England youth team as a teenager before taking a break from darts, but returned last year to develop into one of the most promising players on the BDO circuit.

He was runner-up at the BDO International Open and reached the semi-finals of the Swiss Open and Welsh Masters, as well as achieving a quarter-final position in the Finland Open.

He is seeded 15th for the BDO World Championships and Bobby George sees no reason why he cannot win the tournament, if he can handle the pressure of being on the stage of a televised event.

"He has played since he was three at home, he knows on the rules, can count - he has got it all but it is about doing it when on the stage," he told BBC Sport.

"I want Richie to win, of course I do, but I don't know how he will handle it. He is explosive or he is not. If he wins that first game and once he gets into the long racing he is a different player.

"Some people can play all their life and never get to the world championships. Another guy can go there first time and win it. It is that sort of tournament.

"So he is there, he has a chance. If you are in it, you can win it. But if he doesn't he has plenty of years ahead of him."

Bobby George was renowned for being one of darts' most colourful characters, and earned the nickname "King of Bling" due to the jewellery he wore while playing.

But the 67-year-old says his son is unlikely to follow in his footsteps in that regard, adding: "He has a nice shirt and he has got my genes but in terms of the jewellery he doesn't have all that.

"He is not like that. That was my image."