''Definitely one of the toughest seasons I’ve been involved in'' - Michael Smith working hard for points in this Premier League Darts campaign

The Premier League Darts is visiting Manchester on Thursday night. Michael Smith managed to take the weekly title there last year, also throwing an average of 110 in the final, can he do so again tonight?

Smith hopes to repeat that feat at this edition. ''Winning nights always gives you the confidence you need, but that was 12 months ago and this is now,'' the former world champion said in conversation with the PDC. "You can only look forward and not behind otherwise you will never move forward."

In recent weeks, Smith has been performing quite shakily in the Premier League, however. The past seven weeks of play produced two finals, but also five defeats in the first game.

''This is most definitely one of the toughest seasons I’ve been involved in,'' Smith acknowledged. ''You need to average 100 each week now, and even then it’s sometimes not good enough."

With Luke Humphries, 'Bullyboy' also meets a player in absolute top form in his quarter-final on Thursday night. ''If me and Luke are both firing tomorrow then everyone knows we can both average over 110 easily, and the crowd will be in for a treat!”