Clayton admits he needs to insure valuable hands

By Phil Lanning

EXCLUSIVE

JONNY CLAYTON has vowed to get his hands insured because he enjoys his plastering job too much.

The Pontyberem star, who still works for Carmarthenshire County Council, stormed to the top of the Unibet Premier League with seven points on his debut campaign.

But Clayton, 46, confesses he needs to protect his assets for throwing darts which have helped rake in over £250k in two years – and winning the Premier League on May 28 finals night would double that income.

He revealed: “I’ve not got my hands insured yet but I need to sort that out. I just don’t think about things like that. It’s normality. I get up in the morning and I go to work. But I will get the insurance done because it’s in my head to!

“When I go to work now, I’ve got to be honest, the first thing my colleagues say to me is ‘what are you doing here?’

“The second thing they say is it’s your round on getting in the coffees!

“I am what I am, I’m no different to anyone else. I have played darts as a hobby from the word go.

“Do I want to finish work? I’d love to finish work. The reality is that I enjoy it too much. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, that’s true.”

Clayton hit a nine-darter and stormed to the top of the table but still fears a second Covid test the most after a positive result last time saw his Welsh buddy Gerwyn Price ruled out.

He added: “The Covid test again is a worry, it’s the same for all of us. Personally, this tournament needs Gerwyn Price. He’s proven himself as the World Champion and World No.1.

“There’s not many players who can say they’ve taken the World No.1 spot off Michael van Gerwen. He needs to be here.

“But with this Covid, nobody is guaranteed. It’s a horrible thing especially for Gezzy. How do you get around this?

“My kids are back in school, could they bring something back from school? Life has got to go on as well. I’m obviously going to be worried about it. But it’s going to be what it’s going to be.”

The Ferret, having beaten Gary Anderson to go top, now faces Dimitri Van den Bergh on Monday night. He added: “I’m chuffed to bits to be honest. I’d just tried my very best to play my best darts but it’s gone really well for myself.

“I didn’t feel as good last night as I did tonight but Rob (Cross) smashed me so at the end of the day, it is what it is. I’m a happy man to beat one of my favourite players in Gary.

“It’s a dream. On Monday night against Peter (Wright), I think I should have had two points there so it could have been a bit better but whatever it is, I’ve got seven points and it’s massive.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.