Lets Go Bunting Mental: Stephen Bunting left in shock as manager's hashtag finally catches on with Ally Pally in fine voice

Stephen Bunting produced the best display so far at the PDC World Darts Championship with the in-form Bullet firing his way to a whitewash win over Ryan Joyce with a 107 average.

Bunting now returns to face Florian Hempel after Christmas and brushed aside a player who like the St Helens ace has been in utterly superb form as of late. But it was the whole spectacle with fans singing his walk-on song Titanium loud and proud with Bunting receiving a new fanbase through his TikToks and social media presence which has seeped into the Ally Pally folklore.

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"It was just all about getting over the line for me. The performance was second, the win come first. I'd have took winning with a 70 average in getting through. I remember on the back hand of it, I've lost and it's been a terrible Christmas but I've had a Quarter-Final, Semi-Final in the last two, I've come in full of confidence, the form is really good and I'm doing everything right so long may it continue," said Bunting post match.

Michael van Gerwen could yet await with the Green Machine having Richard Veenstra and Bunting sees it as a stepping stone en route to the title if he gets past Hempel.

"I can't look too far into the future. I've got a really tough game on the 27th/28th and I'll make sure I'm 100% for Florian. If Michael (van Gerwen) does end up in my way in the Last 16, I've got to beat him but I've got to beat every single player in this tournament to win the title. If I produce darts like that I've got a chance."

As well as to further his own ambitions with a Premier League return in his sights and he hopes by going all the way, he gives the selectors no choice but to pick him.

"I'd like to think so. To be in the Premier League, you need to be the elite, you need to be winning stuff. But I'm doing the right things at the right time. I'd love to be part of those tournaments again but I'm working hard behind the scenes to push myself back. The big aim was to get back into the top 16 which I think I've done now. I just need to keep my feet on the floor, my head focused on the darts. If you win this title, you're going to be in those anyway."

But speaking of the atmosphere, his manager has long tweeted Let's Go Bunting Mental and it finally paid dividends when the crowd were singing it to the former Lakeside champion in a cacophony of Ally Pally noise.

"You heard it tonight, that is the loudest I've heard Ally Pally in a long long time. I was so proud they were cheering my name.

"My manager (Mark Dean) manages all my social media and he always does #LetsGoBuntingMental and I always tell him off as no one ever sings it. Then tonight walking out everyone was singing it. I was like oh my god. Every little tweet he sends out is worth it for that moment. If I never play darts again, that moment will live with me until the day I die."

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