Darren Johnson has already reached the finals of a WDF tournament twice this year. The 55-year-old is currently seventeenth in the WDF world ranking.
ADVERTISEMENT
Johnson had a PDC Tour Card between 2013 and 2018 and this included a run of form in 2017 including his first PDC final which was suddenly taken away from him.
"I tore a rotator cuff in my right arm and struggled for two years after that, I had to change my throw. I was playing in pain. I didn't play pain free until at least two years after that, it just took ages to heal. A rotator cuff injury in the throwing arm is probably the worst injury, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy," said Johnson to Inside the WDF.
He reached the final at the England Open and Denmark Open and currently has a spot at Lakeside confirmed which will likely end his PDC return.
"If I'm in the WDF World Championship I don't see myself doing Q-School. I've not even played yet, to where I am now I know when I click, I'll win one of these events very soon."
Also he has played on the World Seniors Tour up there in the rankings but his future participation depends on changes to the qualification criteria.
"I can remember Martyn saying have you entered the Seniors, I said no have I hell. I said I'm not interested in that, he said well you're old enough and I said I know I am. I said I'll keep you company and enter and give it a go. To be fair, I have quite enjoyed it. Whether I do the tour next year depends on how many TV spots they allocate to the Order of Merit."
ADVERTISEMENT
"I understand why they are doing it as they want the sponsors, the big names but if they're only going to give one place to the tour then I'm not going to be on the tour."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
"I've not even played well yet. When I click, I'll win one of these events."
@DarrenDJ180 discussed his form on the WDF circuit this year and suffering a rotator cuff injury soon after reaching his first PDC final on this week's show.
Listen 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/epi…