Clayton was a major outsider with bookmakers to win this yr’s match. He wasn’t even fancied to make finals evening.
Given his file, it was one thing that clearly rankled with the previous plasterer.
Talking on the Premier League media launch in early February, Clayton mentioned: “It motivates me alright as a result of individuals do not fee me, clearly they fee the others extra. Let’s examine on finals evening.”
A 6-4 victory in opposition to Luke Littler within the Rotterdam last final day out earned Clayton back-to-back evening wins for the primary time this season.
He now holds a 16-point buffer over defending champion Luke Humphries who’s fifth going into evening 12 in Liverpool on Thursday.
“He has sewn up a spot on the O2 in London,” Sky Sports activities pundit Wayne Mardle mentioned of Clayton after his triumph in Rotterdam.
“Jonny Clayton shall be there, that’s sure. He’s thus far away from the remainder.”
Every week earlier, Clayton produced a outstanding comeback to win 6-5 in opposition to seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen in Brighton having been 5-2 down within the last.
After his victory in opposition to reigning world champion Littler in Rotterdam, Clayton revealed he re-watched his win in opposition to van Gerwen from per week earlier.
“I do not watch many video games again, however I watched final week’s recreation in opposition to Michael and it damage a bit bit when anyone mentioned I used to be favorite to complete backside. That basically damage,” he mentioned.
“That basically irritated me to be trustworthy. It is going nicely for myself and I’ve bought an enormous smile on my face.
“I have been right here 3 times earlier than and I’ve achieved finals evening on each.”
At 51 Clayton is comfortably the oldest participant on this yr’s area, though he’s persistently proving to be a thorn within the aspect of the sport’s youthful skills.
And with the £350,000 Premier League winner’s prize nonetheless nicely inside his sights, Clayton can don’t have any doubts that his long-delayed full-time transfer into darts was completely justified. After which some.
