Durrant about taking on Sherrock in Premier League: 'She's the weakest challenger but it's the most difficult match'

Durrant spoke at a promo shoot at the Riverside Stadium, home of his beloved Middlesbrough about the moment when he received the call telling him he was in the line-up.

"I told my manager I didn't want to know but at about 5 o'clock he text me saying he'd normally have had the call but now but hadn't heard anything, he said it didn't look like I was in," said Durrant to Teesside Live.

"I accepted it. It would have been a dream but I started trying to look at the positives, thinking it would have taken a lot out of me and I do miss being at home. At 6 o'clock we spoke again. No call, not looking good.

"At five past seven we spoke on the phone and he said he couldn't hold on any longer, he had to tell me, I was in.

"When Barry Hearn came on the TV and confirmed it later that night it was like winning Lakeside all over again, my phone was going mad."

"It was a tremendous season and I knew I'd be close, but I thought Chizzy might have done enough," added Duzza.

One of his first tests will be against Fallon Sherrock in Nottingham with The History Maker likely to receive a rapturous reception.

Durrant admitted that he will have to deal with booing for the first time and that it becomes the match that in reality nobody wants.

"That will test every bit of mental strength I have," he said.

"It's another challenge. She's the weakest challenger but it's the most difficult match. That's absolutely nothing against Fallon but when you look at the other players, Bunting, Henderson, Dobey, Fallon is the weakest player.

But when you incorporate the crowd and the media interest, it suddenly becomes a game none of the Premier League players will have wanted.”

"But I've got to deal with it. I've got to deal with a huge crowd booing me, which has never happened before, but that's all part of the challenge.”

"I must win that game and get off to a good start. The Premier League has finished players off, I don't intend for that to happen. Every player every Thursday night will have to play well to beat me."

Another organisation close to the heart of Durrant is the BDO and despite not having a bad word to say about them, he admits after his first year he is glad he left when he did.

"I don't know what the BDO can do,” added Durrant.

"I certainly got out at the right time. Everything was hunky dory when I was there.

"I've never said a bad word about the BDO and I don't think I ever will. They helped me create my dreams.

"It's sad to see what's happening. There are giant strides going on with the WDF (World Darts Federation), I think they're in talks with the PDC so maybe for the first time there could be something going on where we come under the one banner or working alongside each other.

"After being in the PDC for 12 months, it's chalk and cheese, the Premier League and the Championship. It's beautiful to play darts in the PDC, playing in front of huge crowds.”