ASPINALL REVEALS BIZARRE PRE-MATCH RITUAL

NATHAN ASPINALL has revealed his bizarre pre-match ritual involves giving himself motivational pep talks in the MIRROR.

The Asp says he needs to build adrenaline before matches and even talks himself through the prize money at stake moments before playing on stage. 

The world No.14 seems to be using the superstition to his advantage after winning the German Darts Grand Prix already this season. 

Aspinall revealed he does not hit himself before matches, unlike two-time heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who was slapped by his coach during his fight against Fabio Wardley. 

Aspinall told the Double Tops Podcast: “It’s like motivational speaking to myself in the mirror. Like jeeing myself up, pep talk.

“It’s more, you know, just trying to get… I need adrenaline. 

“If I’m flat, there’s no point in me even going on stage. You know what I mean? So, not to the point where, like, [Daniel] Dubois’ coach is slapping him the other night in the corner. 

“No, I’m not slapping myself or anything, but I am talking to myself in the mirror. Come on, Nath, come on, 10 minutes. Because obviously the games are so quick.

“You know, you can do your three-hour practice, it’s 15 minutes most of the time, it’s best of 11.

“So, before I go on, I’ll look in the mirror and go, come on, Nath, 20 grand, come on, you know, that type of thing. Then if I walk off and win, I’ll go, well done.” 

Aspinall also opened up on how dramatically darts has changed over the last 15 years, insisting the sport is no longer just played in pubs.

The Stockport thrower believes the rise of darts academies is transforming the next generation of talent, with waiting lists now stretching into the dozens. 

He added: “The kids in it now, like the academies that there is now is unbelievable.  

“You know, even when I first started playing 15 years ago, I practiced in a pub. That’s how I started playing darts in a pub. 

“Now, you’ve got that many academies, and I’ve got one in Stockport. 

“We’ve got like a waiting list of about 40 kids because you just physically can’t get the staff. 

“I know there is ones with 300 kids in it, Littler’s got one in St. Helens, and they’re all over the place. 

“So now it’s not a pub sport anymore. People still say it and it grates on me. It’s becoming like football. 

“It’s just figuring now we’ve got to get to that next step where we train these kids for media, because social media is a vile place. 

“These kids coming through, they need to learn about this like they do at football. I think it’s in that position now.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.