"That was a bit of a wake-up call..." - Glen Durrant opens up on struggles in his role on PDPA board

The Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months, with chairman Peter Manley in particular receiving a wave of criticism from current Tour Card holders. A number of players have claimed the PDPA is failing to adequately represent their interests on the PDC Pro Tour.

Much of the discontent stems from changes introduced earlier this year to the qualification process for European Tour events. Under the new system, the top 16 in the PDC Order of Merit receive byes into the second round, while the top 16 in the Pro Tour Order of Merit are guaranteed places in the first round. That leaves just ten spots available via the Tour Card Holder Qualifier, alongside four Host Nation Qualifiers, one Nordic & Baltic representative, and one East European qualifier.

Several lower-ranked players have voiced concern that the revised structure makes it increasingly difficult to progress through the rankings, with fewer opportunities to qualify for events and earn prize money. Manley responded with a dismissive message, telling players to “stop complaining and just play tournaments,” a comment that was met with a flurry of backlash.

Questions have also been raised about what exactly the PDPA delivers in return for the percentage of prize money that all Tour Card holders are required to contribute annually. But Glen Durrant – a former Premier League champion and now part of the PDPA board – has moved to defend the organisation and its efforts. “I get upset when I see so many bad things written about the PDPA, that we supposedly do nothing,” Durrant told the Weekly Dartscast. “I know there are four or five directors working incredibly hard. I can see that now from the inside.”

Although he holds a position on the board, Durrant admits he’s more focused on a specific area these days. “I’m on the periphery a little bit. I’m focusing purely on the coaching, which is going absolutely fabulously. This is actually my coaching room behind me.”

That coaching programme, which he’s helped to drive forward under the PDPA umbrella, is clearly a passion project. “I had a very successful business, but when the PDPA, in conjunction with First Coaching, started recognising darts coaching officially, I jumped at the chance. We’ve now got 56 qualified coaches across the UK and Ireland – even one in Iceland – all at Level One. And I’ve been working with Jamie Caven on the blueprint for Level Two as well.”

Yet while the coaching arm is thriving, Durrant admits that getting players more broadly engaged with the PDPA’s initiatives has been a challenge. “I put together a booklet explaining everything the PDPA does and handed out 128 copies at the ProTours. Nobody came over to talk to me about it, and 67 of them were left on the tables afterwards. That was a bit of a wake-up call. I had to rethink my approach.”

He tried again, this time going table to table at events in an effort to open up dialogue. “I even went around the tables trying to speak to players directly. I also sent out a survey to get some feedback on how we could better support them, but the response was disappointing.”

Still, Durrant remains motivated to make a difference – even if the current strategy isn’t delivering the results he hoped for. “I still feel I’m fairly relevant. I’ve got good relationships with a lot of the players. There’s definitely a job to do – but what I’m trying right now just isn’t working.”

He also took time to shine a light on colleagues he believes aren’t getting the credit they deserve. “There’s a guy high up on the PDPA board who just lives and breathes darts – Andy Scott. I’m in a WhatsApp group with him, and anytime there’s a nine-darter or a winner in Asia or another ranking event, he’s straight on it. People like that don’t get enough credit.”

While the criticism from parts of the playing group continues, Durrant is adamant that the PDPA is full of people who care deeply about the sport – and about making things better for those who compete.