Stephen Bunting responded emotionally after claiming his first-ever Premier League nightly victory in Belfast, saying critics had been ‘writing me off’ before the event and insisting he deserved his place in the competition.
Bunting produced one of the best displays of his career. He beat world No. 2 Luke Humphries 6-4 in the quarter-finals, followed by a flawless 6-0 victory over Jonny Clayton to reach the final against World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen. Bunting then defeated the Dutchman 6-2 to secure his first Premier League night win after 19 previous attempts.
‘Everyone was writing me off before the tournament,’ he said, pointing to doubts from pundits and fans. ‘People were saying I shouldn’t be in it but I know how hard I work. These are the nights I play for and the crowd pulled me through. I’m the only darts player at the moment with a one-year-old child. I have to juggle family life. I have a lovely family at home.’
Despite the defiant tone, Bunting emphasised that a difficult run last season taught him resilience. Losing several matches in a row, he said, gave him experience and perspective, and prepared him for competing against the best players night after night. ‘Last year — losing seven or eight games on the bounce — really helped me. It gave me a lot of experience in this field,’ he added, admitting he was emotional after his first game but managed to hold it together.
Bunting also credited steps away from social media, a strong support team and even hypnotherapy for helping his form and mindset. ‘I believe I am one of the best players in the world and deserve to be in the Premier League. This goes a long way to showing I should be here. Every time I step up, I still believe I am one of the hardest players to beat. People find their best game and I always seem to lose to the winner. Tonight, I am the winner.’
Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle praised Bunting on Sky Sports, noting the difference between perception and reality. ‘It’s great to hear that he wasn’t lacking in confidence and panicking about the situation,’ Mardle said. He added that while observers assumed Bunting was struggling, the player proved instead to be ‘unplayable’ on the night — a status that earned praise after his wins over top opponents.