Former world darts champion Michael Smith set to ignore doctor’s advice after getting ‘kick up the backside I needed’

MICHAEL SMITH has admitted being near retired of the upcoming Premier League Darts was a large "kick up the backside".

The erstwhile satellite champion, 34, has endured a hard clip with both signifier and injuries successful caller months.

Bully Boy crashed retired of the World Championship astatine the 2nd circular signifier successful December, his worst show astatine the lawsuit since 2021.

He flopped again successful past week's Darts Masters, losing successful the archetypal round to Danny Noppert.

Smith, who ruled the satellite conscionable 2 years, has been near retired of the lucrative Premier League Darts lineup.

And helium is using that snub arsenic a catalyst to reset his vocation - and get backmost connected the large hunt.

Smith told Sky Sports: "The biggest happening present is evidently being near retired of the Premier League.

"That was the footwear up the backside I needed. Especially aft winning the worlds and past not doing what [2024 champion] Luke Humphries did - conscionable going and keeping winning.

"I benignant of took clip away. I conscionable wanted to bask myself arsenic a satellite champion.

"And I deliberation that has been my hindrance. Being near retired the Premier League, it's clip to enactment hard again."

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Following his 3-1 decision to Noppert, Smith took to societal media to uncover helium was suffering from the lingering effects of arthritis.

He continued: "I've had it for a fewer years now. It was ever erstwhile it was winter so I thought it was conscionable the acold affecting it.

"But it conscionable keeps getting worse and worse.

"My wrist volition commencement swelling up and the changeless symptom wherever I can't crook it truthful it is getting a spot difficult."

Despite the pain, Bully Boy is determined to support playing - adjacent if it goes against doctors' advice.

He is undergoing an MRI scan connected Thursday, with the occupation stemming from erstwhile helium broke some wrists arsenic a 19-year-old.

Smith added: "I'll beryllium successful Wigan connected Monday and Tuesday [for the Players Championship].

"If the specializer says I can't, past evidently I can't.

"But past again I'll astir apt accidental nary to him and extremity up playing. I emotion to play darts, symptom oregon not."

Premier League Darts 2025 begins connected February 6 successful Belfast and volition tally for 16 weeks.

World champion Luke Littler is looking to support the crown helium won past year.

The remainder of the lineup consists of Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price and Chris Dobey.

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