Bunting believes he is ready to prove himself in darting elite: "it's time to man up and become a proper dart player"

Stephen Bunting produced a superb display to dump out Luke Humphries and will return on New Years Day for a clash with Michael Smith at the PDC World Darts Championship.

Bunting has almost done his first job of defending his money from two years ago and now he has his sights set on becoming part of the darting elite.

"I want the best players in the world, I want to prove myself as being one of the best players in the world. I know I am, I put the effort in this year," said Bunting.

"Sometimes in the past I can be accused of being a lazy dart player sitting on my butt playing the PlayStation a lot, I'm really good at FIFA now," he joked.

"But it's time to man up and become a proper dart player again and I love it. When you look at the crowd and they're all on your back, I look in my corner and I have my son cheering me on, missus and my manager. I play for them."