"It's a complete kick in the privates, there's no apparent reason why": James Wade 'bitterly disappointed' amid Premier League Darts snub

James Wade may have edged through the first round of the 2026 Winmau World Masters with a hard-fought 3–2 set victory over Madars Razma, but it was clear afterwards that the lingering frustration of his Premier League omission still weighed heavily on his mind.

Despite coming off what he repeatedly described as a “bloody good year”, Wade once again found himself overlooked, a decision he admitted was a major blow, both professionally and personally. “Of course I was bitterly disappointed,” Wade said in his post match press conference. “There’s only three players that have done better than me. Statistics, facts don’t lie.”

He revealed how he tried to rationalise the decision away from the oche, even questioning himself in moments of doubt.

“I said to my wife, ‘Is it because I’m overweight?’ No, because there’s someone else that’s that size. ‘Is it because I’m old?’ No, because there’s someone else there. ‘Is it because I’m not great-looking?’ No, because there are some others that aren’t so great-looking. So it’s obviously the way I am. I’m quite awkward as a character.”

Wade did not shy away from how deeply the decision affected him, particularly given his openness around mental health. “It’s hard to chew when you have the condition I have. It’s a complete kick in the privates. It really knocks your confidence, knocks you for six, because there’s no apparent reason why I shouldn’t have been in,” he admitted.

While accepting the commercial realities of the sport, Wade was candid about how difficult that reasoning can be to process. “As a business, I wasn’t in their business model, which is fair enough. But for someone with mental illness, it’s quite hard to chew.”

All of that context framed a performance that Wade described as solid, if not spectacular, as he battled past Razma in a tense opening-round contest. “I thought I played alright,” he said. “I was fortunate he missed opportunities, but I probably missed a few as well. Apart from it slowing down, it was all good.”

Asked about dealing with opponents who vary their pace, Wade was characteristically blunt. “When you’re doing it to another person’s detriment, I think it’s quite awful,” he said. “But if they’re doing that, then they’re a little bit nervous or worried themselves, so it’s good.”

Wade also explained that when faced with those tactics, he tends to react in his own way. “Unfortunately with me, I just go the other end of the scale. Everyone’s different.”

Despite the frustrations of late 2025, Wade was keen to emphasise that his overall form remains strong, even if momentum is hard to carry across seasons.

“I had a disappointing back end to last year. I didn’t get the pick for anything. I had a disappointing World Championship, but I had a bloody good year,” he said. "It’s kind of hard to gather ground and gather momentum, even though I was good last year. It’s a game of restart.”

That restart mentality also shapes how he approaches tournaments like the World Masters. "It’s as important as all the others,” Wade said. “We’ll just see what happens.”

Wade’s acknowledged that his honesty can sometimes land him in trouble especially with Premier League selection on his mind. “I’m awkward. I know I’m awkward,” he said. “It’s not great for me, though, because I get in lots of trouble.”

But it is that same honesty that has defined his career and, now, his role as a parent. Wade spoke movingly about seeing aspects of himself reflected in his young son.

“I’m still an 11-year-old kid inside, a 12-year-old kid inside,” he explained. “So things are really hard to accept. Things are devastating. Things are hard work. I’m watching my seven-year-old son go through the same things, and I will advocate and do my best to make sure my son doesn’t have to deal with and put up with things I have to deal with, even now.”

Asked whether his own experiences help him as a parent, Wade was typically honest. “I try, but you always get it wrong as a parent, don’t you? You bugger up as a parent all the time, so it’s quite frustrating. But yeah, I try my best.”

Now into his third decade in professional darts, Wade admitted that his relationship with the sport has changed — but not disappeared. “Early days I was very passionate about it. It was all new and all exciting,” he said. “It’s not so exciting now, and it’s not all new, but there must be some love there, otherwise I wouldn’t keep doing it.”

Much of his motivation now comes from home “I’m immensely proud, but I do it for my family, for my wife, for my children,” he said. “We all go to work, don’t we? Fortunately and unfortunately, mine’s darts.

“Most of the time it’s amazing. Sometimes it’s a little bit sad. But I just keep going. I’m very privileged to be in the position I’m in.”

Wade is no longer one for rigid targets at the start of a season. “I don’t set goals. I just see what happens,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for 24 years.”

But when pressed on what would define success in 2026, his answer was simple. "Win a title. A TV major. At least one.”

And when the conversation returned to the Premier League, his stance remained unchanged. “It shouldn’t have to be where someone has to pick you,” Wade said. “It should be where you do enough, and I believe I did enough. I did more than anyone else, apart from the top three or four.”

Wade now turns his attention to the next round, where a quick-fire format leaves little room for error, and potentially a mouthwatering clash with Gary Anderson. “It’s a very quick format,” Wade said. “I think I’m playing Gary next. In my opinion, he’s the second-best player of all time — and he’s starting to be interested again a little bit. We’ll see what happens.”