Jonny Clayton reveals emotive message from his wife that reignited his darting drive

Welsh star has been wonderful at Winter Gardens and just two games from grabbing World Matchplay glory

Jonny Clayton has revealed the emotive family message which has reignited his darting drive.

The Welsh star is into the semi-finals of the Betfred World Matchplay with the hunger back and the desire to rejoin the elite.

Clayton suffered a career lull after the passing of his father John a couple of years and had a period when he simply had no interest in the game as it him him hard.

But the 50-year-old is showing his flair again and could cap the stunning revival with a magical success in the Winter Gardens.

Clayton said: “I don’t think I’ve hit top gear. I think I have produced better darts than I have done this week, but I’m back on the practise board, that’s something I haven’t done for probably a year and a half. We all know two years ago with the family with dad passing, darts was nowhere near.

“I just didn’t want to play. But I’ve got a smile back on my face, I’m trying hard again, I’m back on the practise board. I’ve got two kids that want me to do well. My wife is like: John, dad has gone, but you can still make a name for yourself and that is massive, there’s belief from elsewhere.

“I just want to do well. I want to be back. I want to be one of the elite players, I want to be back in the Premier League. When you are in there, you’ve done something right and that’s that’s where I belong.

“Maybe I felt down on darts and whatever, but I got the hunger back. I want to be one of the best, I really do. it hurts that I’m from world number five to nine, obviously with the money off the rankings here, but I’m climbing back up slowly and I want to be with it with the elite.

“When you’re there people respect you a little bit more than what they do if you refer that further down the rankings. If you’re not playing well, no matter where you are in the rankings, people pick up on that. But if you’re playing well, that might be a step in the right direction and people are thinking: I have to play well against him.”

An al-Wales final remains a possibility with Gerywn Price surging in the opposite side of the draw. Clayton faces resurgent James Wade in the last-four with The Machine purring and going into the game claiming he’s amonst the the best players to ever walk the planet in the past 20 years.

The Ferret said: “100 per cent. Look at his records. What is he, the third best dart player on earth? The fourth? “What he’s done you can’t take that away from him. That guy has done everything. I think to myself: I’ve got a massive game, he’s playing really well, he’s got all the experience. I’ve got some but nothing compared to James.

“We practise a lot together me and James and, you watch him, he’s hungry again. James being hungry is a different kettle of fish. He’s fantastic.”