“I didn’t want that tag” - Luke Humphries reveals fear that fuelled late Premier League Darts surge

Luke Humphries admits the thought of missing the O2 as defending Premier League Darts champion became the driving force behind his late-season revival, but now believes he may arrive at Finals Night in the strongest form of anyone in the field.

After spending much of the campaign outside the top four, Humphries forced his way back into the play-off places with a surge across the final weeks, reaching four consecutive weekly finals and winning Night 15 in Birmingham before securing third place in the final table. That turnaround has left him facing Jonny Clayton in London, with Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price meeting in the other semi-final.

Speaking to talkSPORT ahead of Finals Night, Humphries said his motivation was not about answering outside criticism, but avoiding the “tag” of being the reigning champion who failed to even reach the stage where he could defend his title.

“I don’t tend to look too much into the people that doubt you or the things that people say, because it’s really on you. You can only change it,” Humphries said. “I got asked earlier today if the doubters and what people were saying spurred me on, but it wasn’t actually that which spurred me on. It was more thinking to myself, I don’t want to become one of the very rare players to be trying to retain the trophy and not actually be at the O2.”

Humphries’ Premier League title defence looked in real danger during the middle part of the campaign. While Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton pulled clear at the top, the reigning champion was caught in the battle around the cut-off line with Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen. For long spells, Humphries was chasing rather than controlling his place in the top four.

The final month changed that. He reached four consecutive weekly finals, won Night 15 in Birmingham, then used the final regular night in Sheffield to move ahead of Price and secure third place. “That spurred me on more than anything,” Humphries explained. “You don’t want to have that tag of not even having a chance to try and retain it.

“I think that really did spur me on and made me want to get in that top four more than ever, because the last two years before it had been very simple for me. I started off great and did a lot back. I was always at the top and there was never a worry of not being in it," added the world number two. “This year was a lot tougher. I was outside it more than I was inside it in the top four. I think I’m more proud of myself for that more than anything.”

That late climb mattered beyond simply qualifying. By finishing third, Humphries avoided Littler in the semi-finals and instead set up a meeting with Clayton, while Price was left with the tougher-looking route against the table-topper. “Everyone’s entitled to an opinion,” Humphries added. “It’s just not really relevant until the final dart goes in on Night 16. Fortunately for me, it was good enough. It was a season where I didn’t play well in parts, but I did enough.”

Humphries’ confidence is not only based on scraping through the race for London. His scoring level has risen sharply across the closing stretch of the Premier League. He pushed Littler to deciding legs in Aberdeen and Leeds, reached the final in Birmingham before winning the night, then beat Michael van Gerwen and Littler in Sheffield before losing to Stephen Bunting in the final despite averaging over 102.

That run has changed the feel of his title defence. A month ago, Humphries was fighting to stay alive. Now he believes the pressure of that chase may have sharpened him.

“This whole scenario I’ve been in during the Premier League this year could stand me in good stead,” Humphries said. “In the last few weeks of the Premier League over the last two years, I’ve kind of been relaxed and not really had to win anything. I’ve just done it because I’ve been so relaxed. Whereas maybe because I’ve been a bit more fiery and thinking, ‘Right, I need to win, I need to put in performances,’ I’ve put myself in this zone now of being really, really consistently good.”

Humphries now sees himself as the form player heading to the O2, even with Littler finishing top of the table and Clayton producing one of the most consistent league campaigns of the season.

“I’d say out of everyone, I’m probably playing the best darts,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean I win tomorrow, but it certainly helps my cause and helps my brain to think, you’re playing the best out of everyone at this moment in time. If you carry on, it’s going to take a really tough performance to beat you.”

The one clear issue for Humphries remains finishing. He has repeatedly scored heavily across the league phase, but too often left himself with work to do because of missed doubles. That weakness did not stop him reaching the O2, but Finals Night is a different kind of test, with two matches required against the strongest players from the campaign.

“If I look back at the stats from this season, my average is better than anybody’s and it’s better than I’ve ever done. I think it’s over 101,” he said. “With my finishing being so low, imagine what it could have been if my finishing was good. All I need is for that finishing to really come alive and then I stand myself a really good chance of retaining it.”

Humphries has already done the hard part by turning a vulnerable title defence into a genuine shot at back-to-back Premier League crowns. Now comes the sharper test: proving that the late surge was not just enough to reach the O2, but enough to leave it with the trophy again.