Johnson aiming for Lakeside debut: "If I'm in the WDF World Championship, I don't see myself doing Q-School"

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.

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."

"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."