Smith sets sights on World Darts Championship glory: "I won’t stop until I’ve lifted it"

Michael Smith has for a long time been aiming to finally break his major title duck and he believes it is only a matter of time and that he wants to now get on with the matter in hand.

“I just like to get on with it, I’m not one for hanging about. That’s just the way I am. I try not to show any emotion, and when I do people say, ‘Look, he’s giving up already.’

“You can’t please everyone – and as long as I know my game is heading in the right direction, everyone else can do one," said Smith to Oche.

“I broke my hand in the World Championship final against Michael (van Gerwen) when I was only 2-0 down, but that was just frustration and it was the only way I could let it out.

“If I shout and scream my head off up there, people just slate you anyway, so it’s easier to do it behind closed doors so no-one else knows.

“I’m happy because I’ve got the game to push anyone. I need to get my game head on because last year I had to wait until the last session before Christmas to play my first game. I was looking forward to Christmas, lost just before Christmas and had the worst one ever."

For Smith though, he is taking his mind off darts with other distractions at home which are growing all the time.

“I spent the next three weeks clearing out the horses’ paddock because I had nothing else to do.”

“We’ve got two horses, two swans, five dogs, two tortoises, 29 chickens, 17 ducks and four geese. And I’ve just got permission to keep pigs as well.

“We’re looking at farming as a side business because you don’t know how long you’re going to be playing darts, or how far downhill you could go.

“I want to open a cafe where everything is free range and it all comes from my backyard, so by the time we’ve added some pigs we’ll have everything to cover a full English breakfast. I’d probably call it Bully Boy’s – I might as well put my name to it.

“I’ve got four turkeys – three female, one male – we’re going to keep one of each, and the other two are called Christmas Day Dinner and Boxing Day Dinner.

“Don’t get me wrong, darts is my main focus and I’m not going to stop until I lift that World Championship trophy. I might win the UK Open or the Grand Slam first, but the World Championship is the one I won’t stop until I’ve lifted it – even if I’m still talking about it when I’m 109.

He also discussed all the talk about being a nearly man but that he has aims to be the next Jonny Clayton.

“Am I the best player never to win the world title? James Wade gets asked that question every year, but he’s in a different category – he’s won 10 majors, I haven’t won any yet. I’ll have to keep my mouth shut for now.

“The best player never to win a major? Well, I’m in the same bracket as Terry Jenkins there – and we’ve even got the same nickname as well!

“But I don’t stress about it – good things come to those who wait, and although it is getting a bit frustrating now, I know there will be other chances, and when I do get that first one, I’ll be doing what Jonny Clayton has done this year and winning two, three, four of them.