MARK McGEENEY is ready to be a big hitter again after losing SEVEN STONE in weight.

The former Lakeside finalist wants to get his career back on track following the incredible loss of pounds.

McGeeney, managed by Scottish promoting legend Tommy Gilmour, admits he’s had to learn to play again because of his new physique.

He revealed: “I lost seven and a half stone, dropping from 20 to 13 stone.

“It made a massive difference to my throw. I lost my balance, my fingers shrunk.

“Unicorn had to make me new darts, I’ve had to re-learn the entire game again.

“I’ve now got a slightly heavier dart but the entire grip changed, they have completely re-designed my darts by making them thinner to fit my fingers.”

McGeeney, 50, has just narrowly missed out on big stage glory finishing runner-up to Glen Durrant in the 2018 BDO World Final and twice a losing finalist in the World Masters.

But now he is bidding to regain his top flight status by getting his PDC Tour Card back in 2023.

He added: “I’ve been practising really hard and doing the Challenge Tour, it didn’t go according to plan to start with but has improved. But I hadn’t been playing much since January.

“I’m slowly getting back into it and the aim is to get my PDC Tour Card back in Q School in early 2023.

“There’s four more Challenge Tour events to come. I’ve also got the Online Darts League plus a local league which also helps me get more watch practice.

“There’s a bit of luck involved at Q School. In January three of the games I lost I wired a dart to win the match. If I’d won those matches I would have won by Tour Card back.

“The aim is to get back to where I was but with a little bit more improvement.

“In my first year in the PDC I did really well. I got to the Players Championship and to the World Championship at the Ally Pally. But I need to improve further.”

McGeeney, nicknamed Gladiator, was also quick to praise the backing of his management and top darts firm Unicorn.

He said: “Dunvegan have been absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t have done this without the help of Tommy Gilmour and Unicorn. They’ve backed me to the hilt. “They’ve always been there for me, any problems I’ve had, they’ll help me out all they can.”

By Phil Lanning