"They’re always in separate practice rooms really": Jonny Clayton writes off Littler-Van Veen separation narrative, glad to use criticism as fuel

Jonny Clayton claimed victory on Night Ten of the Premier League Darts. The Ferret edged Michael van Gerwen 6–5 in the Brighton final. It is already his third nightly win of this year’s Premier League Darts.

In the final against Van Gerwen on the tenth night of the Premier League Darts, Clayton quickly fell 5–2 behind. At that point, the match seemed decided. Van Gerwen was strong, scoring heavily and clinical on the doubles. Clayton admitted afterwards that he had little belief in a turnaround at that stage. “I didn’t think I was going to win tonight," he said to Online Darts.

"Yeah, it’s a great feeling to be honest. Relief as well, because I was 5–2 down and I didn’t think at that point that I was going to win tonight. Mike was playing well, hitting good shots and taking out his doubles, so I was thinking my night was over.”

Yet the match completely swung. Van Gerwen missed chances at crucial moments and Clayton sensed his opening. His bullseye checkouts in particular kept him in it. “I think the bullseye tonight was my best mate. It just kept me in the game.”

From there, Clayton began to battle back leg by leg. His belief returned and that ultimately proved decisive. “You have to believe that you can win. If you don’t believe you can win, there’s no point standing on that stage. Then you just take it leg by leg, and at 5–5, my darts… I had a dream leg. That’s all that counts. Tonight was mine.”

The victory came at a crucial point in the tournament. The weeks leading up to Brighton had been extremely difficult for Clayton. He failed to pick up points and saw Luke Littler take over the lead in the table.

Still, he emphasizes that doubt never truly took over. “I don’t think there’s doubt. I don’t believe in that, because I had a great start so I knew I could do it. I know I can play darts.”

The defeat to Josh Rock earlier in the run hit hard. “Josh, to be fair, hammered me two weeks ago. Last week I thought it was a great game. My confidence was still high, but being four points down hurts. Maybe two each would have been alright, but four points down hurts.”

For Clayton the goal was clear all along: simply get points on the board.

“From the beginning I’m searching for two points. Anything more than two points is a bonus. Tonight I found five, so that’s all that counts.”

Thanks to his win in Brighton, Clayton retakes the lead in the Premier League Darts, leaving, among others, Littler behind him. The Welshman remains level-headed about his position at the summit.

“It’s obviously a nice feeling being on top. But at the end of the day, we’re all chasing week 17. I just want to be anywhere in that top four. If I’m in London, that’s all that matters.”

He is referring to the decisive night of the competition, where the top four players battle for the title. For him, the task is clear: finish in the top four.“Who cares if I’m number one? I want to be in that top four and I’m going to be happy.”

Whether his current points tally already guarantees qualification, he dares not say. “I don’t know. I hope so, I really hope so. But who knows? I’m just going to keep trying to pick up those two points and fingers crossed I get there.”

Afterward, Clayton was also asked about rumours surrounding players off the stage, particularly about practice rooms and possible tensions between players such as Littler and Gian van Veen. Clayton firmly dismissed those stories. “They’re always in separate practice rooms really. If there’s two rooms, myself, Mike and Luke Humphries are in one and usually Gian comes into that. Tonight Gian was with us and Luke was in the other one, so there’s nothing in that.”

According to Clayton, the focus is entirely on one’s own game and not on sideshows.

What stood out in Brighton was Clayton’s mental resilience. Even with a big deficit, he kept fighting and giving himself chances. That is essential at the highest level, he says. “You have to fight until the referee says ‘game shot’. Whether you’re the winner or the loser, you’ve got to keep fighting and keep believing. Tonight I had to believe, and I had to show some good darts. Thank God I got there in the end.”

The fact that rival Littler was knocked out early also gave Clayton extra motivation. “I saw Luke going out, so that gives me a chance then to try and get back level. Then it was my night.”

Finally, Clayton addressed the role of criticism and expectations. Does it motivate him when people write him off? The answer is clear. “Yeah, obviously it does.”

A striking moment in the final came when Van Gerwen went for a spectacular tops-tops checkout. Clayton reacted visibly energized on the sidelines. “It’s more like an exhibition shot, tops-tops. At the end of the day it’s a shootout. When you’re full of confidence you don’t care what you go for because you believe you can hit it. I was just glad he didn’t.”