British darts professional Matt Clark has revealed he received a terrifying 'rest or die' ultimatum from doctors after being hospitalised with a life-threatening blood clot.
A Terrifying Health Ordeal
The 57-year-old from Dartford, known by the nickname 'Superman', was forced to abandon the World Seniors Darts Tour after medics delivered the grave warning. Clark was told his life was in immediate danger if he did not drastically change his routine and allow his body to recover.
"Midway through the seniors tour, I got a life-threatening blood clot in a not very pleasant place," Clark disclosed. He described the chilling moment in hospital: "When you are literally sat in front of a doctor and they say, 'If you do anything and that moves, you're dead', it kind of gives you a new perspective on life."
The medical team was blunt about the risks, stating that without immediate control, he faced the severe threat of either a brain haemorrhage or a heart attack. Clark was instructed that he could not work and needed complete rest.
Quiet Struggle and Comeback
Clark, who held a PDC Tour Card from 2003-2017 and again from 2019-2022, kept his condition private at the time. He explained during an appearance on the Tungsten Tales podcast that he downplayed the severity, letting people believe he simply had a bad leg.
"The TV events that I qualified for, for the seniors tour, I was getting hospital treatment for," he admitted. "I kept it quiet because you can't use that to make excuses." His recovery was lengthy; he was not discharged from hospital until February of this year and was initially forbidden from travelling or flying, forcing him to miss the start of the WDF season.
Remarkably, Clark has fought his way back to competitive darts. He is now seeded number seven for the WDF World Championship, where he is set to face Belgium's Francois Schweyen in the last 16. He continues to manage ongoing health issues, including a back problem for which he now wears a brace, but remains determined to compete.
A Career of Highs and Lows
Matt Clark's career highlights include reaching the last 32 of the PDC World Championship in 2006, where he was defeated by the legendary Phil Taylor. His best performance in a PDC major tournament was a run to the quarter-finals of the 2008 World Matchplay in Blackpool, where he lost 16-12 to James Wade.
After losing his PDC Tour Card, Clark switched to competing in the World Darts Federation (WDF). His resilience in returning to the sport after such a serious health scare underscores the 'Superman' moniker, as he continues to deal with his challenges head-on.
