Darts star Eric Bristow sorry for 'footballers wimps' comment amid abuse scandal

Former world darts champion Eric Bristow has apologised for calling footballers "wimps" in relation to soccer's ongoing abuse scandal .

He was angrily confronted on television by Marilyn Hawes, mother of three sexually abused children and charity founder, who told Bristow: "If I had a set of darts I would stick them where the sun don't shine."

Bristow was also berated by Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan, who called on the "Crafty Cockney" to apologise for writing on Twitter: "Might be a looney but if some football coach was touching me when i was a kid as i got older i would have went back and sorted that poof out."

He added: "Dart players tough guys footballers wimps".

Bristow told GMB: "It was worded wrong. I apologise, it was a miswording. They're not wimps."

Bristow said he wanted young children to speak out if they were being abused.

He added: "I want youngsters now to go out and complain straight away. There's no point complaining 30 years later."

Bristow was dropped by Sky Sports as a pundit after making the comments on social media.