"I wish I was as greedy as Luke Humphries" – Ryan Searle starts latest quest for TV breakthrough with statement Clayton win

Ryan Searle opened his European Championship campaign in style on Thursday night, beating Jonny Clayton 6–3 in Dortmund to kick-start what he hopes will finally be a defining run on the televised stage.

The 36-year-old from Somerset, one of darts’ most gifted yet quietly spoken figures, has long carried the tag of a dangerous outsider. But after a string of early exits at major events, Searle admitted he’s now eager to turn consistency on the ProTour into a real TV breakthrough — even if he’s still not wired like world number one Luke Humphries.

“I wish I was as greedy as Luke Humphries,” Searle laughed in his press conference after beating Clayton on Thursday night in Dortmund. “He wants to win everything. Maybe I need some advice from him. But if you look at where I’ve come from and what darts has done for me, it’s changed my life massively. I can only thank the PDC for that.”

Searle’s win over former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton was exactly the composed, confident start he needed. After a scrappy opening leg, he settled into rhythm and punished the Welshman’s rare missed doubles to pull clear.

“It was one of those that started a bit scrappy,” he reflected. “That first leg was messy – I didn’t really find my rhythm. But after that I played pretty well. There were a few moments where Jonny missed three darts at double, and that doesn’t happen very often when you play him. You’ve got to take those chances when they come, and I did.”

The result ends a frustrating run of early exits in major tournaments, including first-round defeats to Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price at recent TV events.

“To be honest, I didn’t think about it too much,” Searle said. “Those are brutal draws. But when you’re outside the top 16, you have to expect that. I just need to get back in there to avoid them.”

While his TV record has been mixed, Searle’s ProTour form tells a different story. He’s already won two titles this season and reached another semi-final, proof that his game remains in excellent shape.

“On the floor I’m playing really well,” he said. “On stage it’s been a bit hit and miss. Little things make a big difference – a couple of bounce-outs, a missed 180 – they can knock your confidence. But with my eyesight the way it is, I’m just proud to do what I do up there. There’s no cure for it, so I just get on with it and try my best.”

His honesty about vision problems has made him one of the tour’s most respected figures — a player who refuses to complain but never hides the reality of the challenge.

Unlike many of his rivals, Searle doesn’t obsess over titles. He’s refreshingly open about the fact that he’s simply not built that way.

“Honestly, it’s still the same,” he said. “I’ve won two titles this season instead of one, which is a step forward. I used to just pick up one a year – that was my thing. So this year’s already an improvement. I’d love to be one of those people who live for every victory, but that’s just not who I am. I don’t think I can change that. But trust me, when I’m up there on stage, there’s no one who wants to win more than I do.”

That calm realism doesn’t mean a lack of ambition — just a different kind of drive. “In tennis or golf, the top players are bred for it from a young age – that’s all they know. Darts is different. Most of us had jobs first and then turned pro later. I only started playing seriously when I was 21, which is quite late. Everyone’s motivated by different things – titles, money, whatever. I’m probably more driven by money than trophies if I’m honest. And I think a lot of players are, even if they don’t say it.”

Searle’s relaxed personality contrasts with his walk-on anthem — Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne — and his nickname ‘Heavy Metal’.

“I’ve thought about changing it, yeah,” he said. “But a lot of people know me for that song, and it works as a walk-on. I’ve had a few others in mind – like Bodies by Drowning Pool, which was used in the old ECW wrestling shows – but that’s probably a bit too heavy for the darts crowd,” he grinned.

With two floor titles this season and a confidence-boosting win over Clayton, Searle looks primed for another push in Dortmund. The man they call Heavy Metal doesn’t need to shout to make himself heard — his darts are loud enough.