‘They don’t know me’ says James Wade as he questions level of promotion in new era of darts

In an interview with Unicorn Darts, the veteran said: "People forget the amount of finals I've been in. If I've won 10 finals, I must have lost in 20 finals… because of a little Phillip Taylor. He beat me a lot of times.

"That kind of frustrates me a little bit. And I guess with the new age and the new era of darts fans or the people who watch darts, because I'm not pushed or promoted like players that are well under me as well, they don't know me.

"They think I'm just a miserable bloke with a beard that looks quite sulky. But there is more to me. And I've been around a long time."

Wade has been with the PDC since 2004 and is currently enjoying a second wave of success.

The Machine claimed the UK Open title in 2021 before making the semi-final of January's World Darts Championship.

Since then, Wade has qualified for the Premier League and reached his first final of the season last week in Belfast.

It was during that final match with Gerwyn Price when Wade was on the wrong end of a nine-darter - something which has happened regularly throughout his career.

In fact, out of the 66 televised nine-darters, eight of them have been hit against Wade.

When asked about his record, The Machine argued that it was his missed double which allowed the latest nine-darter to take place. He said: "If I would've hit the double 10, I would've won the game.

"So it's a bit strange that all the publicity is 'Gerwyn Price is amazing'. He did play very very well and he is a great bloke and I get on very well with him. But if I would've hit the double 10 he would've lost 6-4. That's why I lost 6-4 because it was the most important leg of the game. If I would've hit the double 10 I know I would've won.

"I look back on all the nine darters and I've done something…. and I've seen other players do it. Players try to slow them down on their third approach or their second 180 and I don't.

"If someone hits 180, 180 I get out of their way because it's a big thing, a nine darter. Not so big now as it used to be but it's a big thing. And I've never ever inconvenienced or slowed anyone down on a nine-darter. I've never ever done that."

Wade will return to Premier League action on March 3 in Exeter when he takes on Gary Anderson in the quarter-final.