"I know I’ve put pressure on Gezzy there as well": Jonny Clayton sets stall out for Welsh dream Premier League Darts final with Price with nine-dart finish

A special night awaits Jonny Clayton. When the Premier League Darts stops in Cardiff, the Welshman will once again perform in front of his home crowd — something he has been waiting several years to experience again.

“To be honest, I’ve waited three years to do this,” Clayton said. “So I’m really excited. I cannot wait. The Welsh crowd are second to none, so to be part of the screaming, the shouting and the singing — I cannot wait, to be honest.”

It is no secret that Clayton has a special connection with the Welsh capital. The Premier League night in Cardiff ranks among the highlights of the entire darts calendar for the 2021 Premier League champion. “The Premier League is my favourite tournament,” he said to Online Darts. “And Cardiff is my favourite arena. These are the sort of moments in your career that you really do it for.”

Clayton has long felt that Wales deserves more major darts events.

“Like I always say, it’s a shame there isn’t another major in Wales,” he explained. “Because as a Welsh darts player it would be great for us, and it would be great for the support in Wales as well.”

Cardiff nights in the Premier League are unique, according to the Ferret. “You can ask Gezzy the same question — there’s no better place,” he said, referring to compatriot Gerwyn Price. “It is fantastic, and the atmosphere tomorrow night is going to be special.”

With Price also competing in the Premier League, the prospect of a Welsh final in Cardiff has naturally been raised. “I want to play against Gezzy in that final,” Clayton admitted. “I know I’ve put pressure on Gezzy there as well, but it would be a great night if we could have the two Welsh boys in the final.”

For now, however, Clayton insists his focus is firmly on getting through the first match. “My aim is just to try and get over that first game,” he said. “Anything after that is obviously a bonus.”

Immediately after the Premier League night in Cardiff, the next major event is already waiting: the UK Open in Minehead. “It is unique, it’s exciting,” Clayton said. “It’s the FA Cup of darts, isn’t it?”

However, he insists the focus remains on the Premier League for now. “I’ve got to think about this Premier League night first,” he said. “Then obviously on the way down to Minehead it will switch mindsets, thinking of the UK Open — the FA Cup of darts.”

The tight scheduling is nothing new for players on the PDC circuit. “It’s not my first time in the Premier League,” Clayton said. “Before there used to be Exeter and then down to Minehead, so I’m quite used to that. We’ll finish Cardiff tomorrow night and then head down to Minehead.”

Playing in front of his own fans does add a different type of pressure. “Yeah, obviously it’s two different pressures really,” Clayton said. “You want to play well in front of your home crowd, definitely. And you don’t want to let yourself down by being beaten 6-0 like I was last week.”

The Welshman was referring to his heavy defeat against Stephen Bunting the previous week.

“Nobody likes to be whitewashed,” Clayton admitted. “But when Steve played like that I couldn’t get near him. He played really well — it was a 104 average — and if you’re not at the races, you’re not going to get near him.”

Despite the extra expectations of a home event, Clayton insists his preparation remains the same. "We all prepare the same each week,” he said. “I go about four hours before my game to the practice room. I chill out, I sort my doubling out and my scoring out — well, I try to — and then we’re ready to go.

“Preparation is massive in the professional game, so nothing really changes.”

Clayton has enjoyed an excellent start to the Premier League season and currently sits near the top of the table.

“It’s always important,” he said when asked about maintaining that position. “I always say if you can get two points each week, it’s hard for people to catch you at the end of 16 weeks.”

But the Welshman knows how difficult that actually is. “Getting those two points every week is pretty difficult,” he admitted.

His strategy remains straightforward. “My aim is to try and get over the first game,” Clayton said. “Win that and get the two points. Winning a night is a great bonus because you get five points, but the points are the important part. I’ve been here before, so I know what I have to do.”

Even though Clayton is performing well, several of the world’s biggest names are still expected to challenge for the top four.

“Maybe so,” he said when asked about the threat from the world number one and two. “But I think about my own game. I don’t really care about anybody else.

“I’m doing a job right so far, so all I need to worry about is keeping the points on the board.”

Clayton believes one key factor behind his strong performances so far has been his timing on important finishes.

“Consistency,” he said. “You get chances on the doubles, and my scoring has been good. When I get chances on the doubles, I’m taking them.”

For Clayton, darts is all about capitalising on opportunities.

“We can all throw darts, we all practise scoring,” he explained. “But it’s the timing of chances.

“If somebody misses a double and you’re on 110 and you take it out, that’s going to hurt your opponent. I’ve taken a few chances like that where people have missed, and that’s all that counts.”

If the Cardiff crowd could witness one magical moment from Clayton, he knows exactly what it would be.

“Well, I’d take all three of them,” he laughed when asked about the possibility of a nine-darter, a big celebration or a winning moment. “I just don’t want to miscount, because miscounting is not good.”

But one moment in particular would mean everything. “It would be a dream if you could hit a nine-darter in front of your own crowd,” Clayton said.

He pointed to Josh Rock’s perfect leg the previous week as inspiration. “Josh did it last week — he’s put the pressure on everybody else. To be fair to him, that was fantastic. Hopefully I can maybe do the same tomorrow night.”