"He’s buzzing, I want to jump off the plane": Nathan Aspinall brutally received Premier League snub sat next to Stephen Bunting minutes after his inclusion

Nathan Aspinall insists he has already made peace with his Premier League omission – and after grinding out a 6–4 win over Lourence Ilagan at the 2026 Bahrain Darts Masters, the Stockport thrower sounded more motivated than bitter.

Aspinall was left out of the Premier League line-up despite believing his 2025 season compared favourably with several players who were selected. But rather than dwell on the decision, the former Matchplay champion is choosing to see opportunity where disappointment once sat.

“Of course I’m gutted – I absolutely love the Premier League,” Aspinall admitted to the media. “But I’m not going to smoke up my own backside. I think the Premier League will miss me this season.

“At the same time, I can concentrate on my ranking events, get back into the top eight, top four, and I’ll be back next year. I’ve no qualms – I know I’ll be back.”

The omission came in brutally direct fashion. Aspinall revealed he found out while travelling alongside Stephen Bunting, who received confirmation of his own selection minutes earlier. “He got a text at quarter past three saying he was in. I got a text at 21 minutes past three saying I wasn’t,” Aspinall said. “He’s buzzing, I want to jump off the plane. It was a difficult travel home.”

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter later explained the reasoning to him face-to-face, with Aspinall accepting the verdict, even if he disagreed with it. “My ranking was too low as simple as that,” he said. “Last year I probably didn’t deserve it and got in. This year I felt like I probably did deserve it and didn’t get it. You take the rough with the smooth. I’m not dwelling on it.”

Instead, Aspinall sees freedom. After three consecutive seasons in the Premier League, he believes stepping away from the relentless weekly schedule could prove a blessing in disguise. “I’m defending £47,000 until October, which is peanuts,” he explained. “If I play all the Pro Tours and Euro Tours I missed last year, I’m probably earning another £50–80k in ranking money that the Premier League boys aren’t making.

“I’ll play everything. I’ve got no excuse not to turn up. It gives me a massive opportunity to climb back up the rankings and play darts without that pressure.”

That mindset carried into his opening match of the new season, even if the performance itself was far from vintage.

Aspinall was made to work hard by Lourence Ilagan – a player he openly admits he dreads facing – but ultimately got the job done. “It wasn’t a great performance, but I won,” he said. “He’s hard to play – I don’t care what anyone says. Forget about performance level, he’s a tough player to beat, but I got the job done.”

The issues were familiar. Long waits between throws, broken rhythm and missed doubles crept in, particularly when Aspinall had chances to pull clear.

“When you’ve not really got the crowd to feed off and you’re waiting that long in between throws, it’s hard work,” he said. “The amount of doubles I missed when I had three in hand… the composure went.”

Still, victory was all that mattered, especially against an opponent Aspinall had feared drawing again. “When the draw came out, it was my worst nightmare,” he admitted. “I’ve played him three times in 12 months. He hasn’t even got a Tour Card and I’ve played him more than half the tour.”

Despite previous comments labelling Ilagan “annoying”, Aspinall was keen to stress there is no personal animosity – just professional frustration. “I said to him, ‘You’re a f***ing nightmare to play,’ and he just laughed,” Aspinall smiled. “He’s a lovely guy, honestly. We’ve spent a bit of time together and he’s great company. He’s just an absolute pain in the arse on a dartboard.”

Comparing Ilagan’s style to Madars Razma, Aspinall explained how the erratic tempo can disrupt even the most experienced professionals. “He’ll throw fast, then slow, walk around the stage, pull his sleeve up. Razma’s similar – and he’s a nightmare too. And he knows it.”

The Bahrain Masters itself, Aspinall admitted, has taken on a different feel without Premier League commitments hanging over him. “I brought my dad with me and I’m enjoying myself,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d even be invited when I didn’t get the Premier League, so I’m using it as a bit of a holiday. I’m here to win darts, of course, but I’m also here to spend some time with my dad. I’ve got nothing to prove.”

Looking ahead, Aspinall believes the coming months could quietly set him up for a strong run later in the year, particularly with fewer TV events and more opportunities to build momentum away from the spotlight. “I’ll be fresher going into the Matchplay,” he said. “I won’t be coming off 17 gruelling weeks travelling Europe. I can enjoy my darts again, enjoy time with the boys and the family, and just play.”

And while the Premier League absence still stings, Aspinall is adamant it has already sharpened his focus. “I’ve accepted the decision,” he said. “It gives me hunger and fight to make sure I don’t miss out again.”