Martin 'Wolfie' Adams tells Sky Sports about his Grand Slam debut, loyalty in darts, and how Gary Anderson overcame stage fright.
'Wolfie' lets out a throaty chuckle as he recalls one of the many moments that made him smile during his recent appearance at the Grand Slam.
Akin to his animal nickname, the Adams laugh is deep, rasping and ends almost like a growl. With flecks of grey in his beard, the 59-year-old bears more of a Wolf-like resemblance by each passing day, but he only showed his teeth while making a beaming smile on the oche in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Adams had been a little anxious about making his debut at the PDC's Grand Slam as he had previously turned down invitations due to his long-term allegiance to the rival BDO organisation.
But the three-time BDO world champion quickly charmed the raucous crowds, fittingly becoming a favourite in Wolverhampton, and laughed and joked all the way until the final dart in his last-16 defeat by Kim Huybrechts.
"I've always enjoyed playing and I always think you should try and smile," Adams told Sky Sports. "At least show the television viewing audience that you're enjoying it and it's not actually a chore.
"There were some moments in the games, particularly the early games, where I found some of the activities of the crowd quite amusing and they helped to make me laugh, I must admit.
"Some of the outfits that these people wear. A man with a cone on his head standing up, it's really quite funny."
The Grand Slam offers a rare occasion for players from both organisations to compete and Adams was joined by other BDO champions from past and present, with the likes of Andy 'The Viking' Fordham and 'Scotty Dog' Mitchell also making the trip to the Midlands.
The PDC were represented by their regular selection of top stars and world No 1 Michael van Gerwen lifted the title after a thrilling win over Phil 'The Power' Taylor in the final.
But in stark contrast to the warmth in the arena, Adams encountered a frosty atmosphere behind the scenes.
"The only downside, if there is a downside, is their players' room - it was like a morgue," said Adams. "It was so quiet, there was no banter.
"The players in the practise area, they didn't seem to talk to each other, unless they were actually practising on a board together. It was quite bizarre really. I thought in darts we are all friends, but obviously not."
Adams had topped his group at the Grand Slam and his unflappable finishing was on show in wins over Ian White, Jelle Klaasen and Steve Beaton.
Even that 10-9 defeat to Huybrechts did not spoil his maiden showing at the tournament and he would welcome a return in 2016.
"Well, if I get the invitation, yes I would accept it," he said. "It would be nice to entertain the crowd there and obviously all the viewers that watch Sky Sports."
Adams briefly competed in PDC events in the past and inevitably faced renewed calls for him to make a permanent switch, which would force him to sever his ties with the BDO.
But loyalty has always been important to the long-serving England captain, who believes he owes a debt of gratitude to the organisation which helped to nurture his career.
"It's quite simple, I want to," replies Adams, when asked to explain why he remains in the BDO. "I want to stay with the BDO because that is where I enjoy playing my darts.
"I would not find my darts as enjoyable full-time with the PDC.
"Of course there's loyalty. I'm loyal to the organisation that helped me achieve my goals in the sport.
"I've never been one to turn my back on people that give me good advice and good guidance and they have been doing that all the way through my career. Unfortunately, some of those people that gave me the good advice and guidance are no longer with us, which is very sad indeed.
"It is nice that people would love to see me participate in the PDC on a regular basis, but unfortunately that is not going to be the case."
Gary Anderson is one of the players who has crossed the darts divide and he will start the defence of his PDC world title at Alexandra Palace in a few weeks' time.
Adams admits the Scotsman was not always so assured in the spotlight, but believes he can handle the hype that comes with the title of World Champion.
"When he was in the BDO, he had times where he would go out on stage in front of the television cameras and a live audience would frighten the life out of him," recalls Adams.
"He knows how to handle it now and he proved that last year when he took the world title.
"There is no doubt about it that's he got more mentally strong. That was the thing in the past that he wasn't mentally strong enough to handle the crowd and the TV and he is now, without a doubt."
As for 'Wolfie', he retains his same hunger for the sport and will continue to hunt more titles, with that big permanent grin on his face.
Offering a parting answer on his future plans, Adams said: "Keep winning the titles along the way, keep near the top of the ranking system.
"I don't worry about being No 1 these days; someone else can have those pressures if they want. As long as I'm in the top three or four, I'm quite happy and I'll keep that smile on my face."
Watch the live draw for this year's World Darts Championship on Monday, from 10.30am on Sky Sports News HQ, and the draw will also be streamed for free on Skysports.com.