Newly-crowned World Professional Matchplay darts champion Rod Harrington has walked out of his victory celebrations into a major row over rankings.

As he targets the Professional Darts Council's world championship crown in December - the only major title to so far elude him - the Chelmsford ace is embroiled in a battle to win back his number one ranking.

Harrington lost his world number one tag to Peter Manley despite beating him 17-15 to retain his title in a hard-fought final at Blackpool.

It has left the Chelmsford man angry and bitter with the sport's official body who he claims have "left the players in complete turmoil after unofficially changing the guidelines in the publication of the ranking list".

Harrington said: "I and many others were of the opinion the list would be released twice yearly - on the first day of July and December.

"All of a sudden, half way through the Matchplay tournament, I learned that I have been relegated to the number two spot with Manley being proclaimed as the new world number one.

"I was so incensed that if I had been financially well off I would have pulled out in the semi-finals, leaving both the Professional Darts Council and Sky TV, who were covering the event, embarrassed.

"I'm sure Sky would have got to the bottom of the wrangle there and then."

Harrington added: "In my eyes you are not number one until you have officially been named as number one and frantic moves are currently afoot with officials to sort out the wrangle in the next few days.

"It doesn't help matters that certain players don't give a damn, but I am still the official number one in my eyes - a ranking I can win back anyway if I win the latest tournament in Sweden this weekend."

But even Harrington pointed out: "Until you win the World Championship itself no-one really rates you as the tops. I know I have the game to do that, I proved that last week, and I will be striving win the title later this year."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.