“Regret? Not one bit!” – Josh Rock stands by antagonising of Glasgow Premier League Darts crowd

Josh Rock is making his Premier League Darts debut this season. After three nights, he is still without a win, exiting in the quarter-finals each time. Yet Rock is far from discouraged.

On the third night of the Premier League Darts in Glasgow last Thursday, Rock lost 6-2 in the quarterfinals to Luke Humphries. The Northern Irishman had a turbulent evening, as a seemingly minor incident turned into a hot topic. Beforehand, he had said he hoped the venue would be packed with fans of football club Rangers FC, since city rivals Celtic were playing in the Europa League at the same time. Rock himself is a Rangers FC fan. The opposite proved true in the arena, as Rock was booed loudly by the Celtic fans in attendance.

This comes a week after Rock admitted that washing his hands, prior to his game in Antwerp had been the cause of a poor display. “I've been laughing about it,” Rock says with a smile to Oche180. “I put some wet wipes beside my case, just as a laugh to obviously make a bit of fun of it!"

Anyone who knows Rock a little knows he is not the type to dwell on negativity. “Stuff like that doesn't bother me. I don't dwell on anything bad.” That mental resilience may be his biggest weapon in a competition like the Premier League Darts, where every misstep is under the microscope.

Although the results don’t fully reflect his performances yet, Rock is positive about his level. In two of the three weeks he produced excellent darts. “I’ve been playing decent enough in this Premier League Darts,” he says. “I just haven’t got the results just yet. But that will turn.”

One of the biggest challenges for Premier League debutants is playing in front of huge crowds in roaring arenas. While some players need time to adjust, Rock seems to thrive on it. “The crowd? I love it,” he says without hesitation. “If you watch my walk-ons, I've been smiling every time as I walk down. I know what I’m there for, the Premier League, playing in these big arenas.”

He describes how he was already on stage practising before the doors opened. “We were all having a practice on the stage, and I looked around. Wow. It’s big. These are arenas you dream of as a kid. I’m just grateful I am playing in them.”

In Glasgow, Rock deliberately engaged with the crowd. With a much-discussed 3-1 gesture aimed towards those booing Celtic fans in the stands, he showed he is not afraid to meet confrontation head-on. Some raised eyebrows, others enjoyed the fire. When asked if there were any regrets? “No, not one bit,” he says firmly.

This Thursday, the fourth night of the Premier League Darts takes place in Belfast. In front of his home crowd, Rock faces Gian van Veen in the quarterfinals.