ANDY FORDHAM admits preparing for his PDC Pro Tour debut feels like 'going to a new school'.
Fordham enters a new phase of his career when he makes his debut in a Players Championship at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
Fordham, nicknamed "The Viking", has enjoyed a decade of success in the BDO, winning the World Masters in 1999 and the Lakeside Championship in 2004.
However, his career has since suffered after he encountered health problems, which began in 2004 when he was forced to withdraw during The Showdown against Phil Taylor and later before the 2007 Lakeside Championship.
He has since lost 15 stones in weight, has stopped drinking alcohol and had the prospect of needing a liver transplant ended by his recovery.
Having overcome those problems, he then picked up a back problem at the turn of the year following his decision to join the Professional Darts Corporation - but he is now fit to return to the circuit.
He will compete in the two PDC Pro Tour events in Coventry, beginning on Saturday in a Players Championship before opening his bid to qualify for the Blue Square UK Open in Sunday's Regional Final.
Click here to see a special Andy Fordham Photo Gallery
"I'm really looking forward to it, but in a nervous way," said Fordham. "It's like going to a new school.
"I want to get back into it, but I don't know what to expect. I think most people know it's not going to be the best to start with.
"Lance Armstrong was saying recently that even though it was four years since he'd raced people were expecting him to go back and do exactly what he was doing before.
"It's like that for me, some people are expecting me to play like I did before, but it's like I'm a totally different person.
"One major factor is that I don't drink any more, so we've got to find out how that works, plus my body's a different shape, and my confidence is at rock bottom.
"The only way to get my confidence back up is by going and playing and it's very hard to get it going again.
"But I've got to start somewhere and hopefully it will go well at the weekend."
Fordham's new body shape means his stance and throw are now different, but he believes he will find his most comfortable position at the oche over time.
"I've tried to stand at the same angle but you probably adjust a bit without realising," he added.
"Until I get up and start playing competitive darts, I don't know what's going to happen."
Fordham made a brief comeback towards the end of 2008, in the Lakeside Championship Qualifiers and World Masters, before being sidelined by his back injury.
However, he admitted that just playing competitively again and travelling the darts circuit was a relief.
"When I was taken off the transplant list, that enabled me to be able to travel again," he said.
"I had to be within two hours of home when I was on the list, but then after I came off my back went.
"It was like everything was being put in my way of playing, and there were a few times I thought 'forget it'.
"But I've had a lot of support from a lot of people and that helped me through."
Click here to see a special Andy Fordham Photo Gallery