Nathan Aspinall believes he had a "better season" than a number of players who made the 2026 Premier League line-up as the fallout continues over the PDC's selection.
Earlier this month, the Premier League line-up was announced ahead of the opening night in Newcastle on February 5, with the remaining wildcard spots being confirmed following much debate.
Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen are the four highest-ranked players in the PDC Order of Merit, meaning they automatically qualified for this year's event.
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The remaining four spots were up for grabs and, after much deliberation, the PDC sent invitations to Wales' number one Jonny Clayton, as well as Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock and Gerwyn Price.
Nathan Aspinall, who took part in last year's Premier League and enjoyed a decent season in 2025, was one of the players to miss out alongside James Wade, Danny Noppert and Ryan Searle, to name a few.
Speaking in a recent interview with Online Darts, Aspinall namedropped a handful of players before suggesting he had a better season than "some of them lads".
"No, I still thought I had a chance, if I'm deadly honest with you," he said after being asked about missing out on the Premier League.
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"Noppert went out early, Gezi (Price) went out the round before me, Josh Rock didn't have a great run, and Bunting went out before me. I think I had a better season than some of them lads that were in that Premier League line-up, but a couple of people had to miss out.
"Unfortunately, this year it's myself and Noppert, and last year I got in when maybe I shouldn't have got in. S*** happens. Of course I'm gutted. I absolutely love the Premier League, and I'm not going to smoke up my own backside, but I think the Premier League will miss me this season.
"But I've got to concentrate on myself. Disappointed, of course I was, but I can concentrate on my ranking events, get back in that top eight, top four, and I'll be back next year. I have no qualms, I know I'll be back in it next year."
Nathan Aspinall reveals how he found out about Premier League snub
The Stockport-born thrower was sat next to Stephen Bunting on a flight when he received a text message from the PDC about this year's Premier League line-up.
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"We were at an event and I was travelling with Stephen Bunting on a plane and he got a text message at 3.15pm saying he was in, I got a text at 3.21pm saying I wasn't in," Aspinall said.
"It was a difficult trip home. Matt Porter explained the reasons why I wasn't in.
"I felt like I backdoored it last year. I probably didn't deserve it last year. I felt like I deserved it this year if I did get it. You take the rough with the smooth. I am not dwelling on it."
"I haven't put anything on social media because I can't be bothered with people jumping on it," added Aspinall. "I have accepted the decision, we move forward, and it gives me the hunger and fight to not miss out again."
Topics: Darts
Jack Kenmare