"Our 20th wedding anniversary... And I forgot" - Premier League focus leads Jonny Clayton to painful blunder

The Premier League Darts keeps throwing up striking storylines this season, and this time it wasn’t just the darts doing the talking. Jonny Clayton caused a stir in Rotterdam by revealing he had completely forgotten his 20th wedding anniversary, simply because he was fully focused on his showdown on Night 11.

The 51-year-old Welshman, who currently tops the Premier League Darts table, candidly admitted after Night 11 that he had made a rather painful oversight. His wife Ellen stayed at home in Carmarthenshire while Clayton prepared in the Netherlands for another marquee clash. "I had to do something special because it is our twentieth wedding anniversary. And I did forget. Maybe this makes it alright," the Ferret admitted.

The fact that Clayton is playing such a prominent role in this Premier League Darts campaign is a surprise to many. Before the tournament, bookmakers and analysts even had him down as one of the leading candidates to finish last.

That didn’t leave him unmoved. “It hurt a little bit when somebody said I was favourite to finish bottom. That really hurt. That really annoyed me a bit to be honest."

That criticism now seems to have fueled him. Clayton is in excellent form and has won three of his last four meetings with Littler. In Rotterdam he again came out on top, beating the teenager 6-4 in the night’s final.

The clash between Clayton and Littler captures the imagination due to the 32-year age gap. The Welshman approaches that contrast with humor. "The grandfather and the young kid,” he joked.

Behind that light tone, though, lies plenty of respect. "All jokes aside, I have got total respect for Luke. He's absolutely amazing. This guy has got years ahead of him. Sadly at my age, my darts are going down a bit."

Clayton, the 2021 Premier League Darts champion, is proving this season that experience can still be a decisive factor. "I have been here three times before and got to the finals night, so hopefully I can prove people wrong," he explained. "It's going well for me now and I have a massive smile on my face."

The combination of a rejuvenated Clayton and the ongoing spectacle around Littler makes this Premier League one of the most compelling editions in years. One thing is certain: both on and off the stage, darts keeps delivering surprises.