SMITH REFUSES TO QUIT OVER INJURY CURSE

MICHAEL SMITH refuses to quit over his injury curse and wants to take the fight to the lethal Lukes. 

‘Bully Boy’ is a protege of Gary Anderson and was the golden boy of the sport just three years ago after hitting the perfect leg an epic final win over Michael Van Gerwen. 

But since then his form has slumped, the Lukes Humphries and Littler now dominate the sport and he’s been hit with crippling arthritis issues. 

However Smithy, 35, battles on and has undertaken pain-killing jabs ready to face pal Lisa Ashton for his Ally Pally opener tonight (Thursday).

He blasted: “Definitely not seen the last of me, otherwise I could have quit this year. 

“I’ve had times where for five months where I’ve not been able to throw a dart and I’ve just been turned up to PDC floor events with maybe half an hour in four weeks, five weeks and still going and playing. 

“I could have stopped then, but for me, there’s no question about quitting or stopping.

“I’ve just got to keep going and I’ve done that my whole career. That’s what I’ll keep doing until the very end when I do decide to call it a day.

“I’ve had cortisone in my ankle joints, my wrist and then hopefully my shoulder. I had to pass up on the shoulder because I’m only allowed one shot a week. And I had to sign another waiver so I could have two.

“And last time it made me feel like death, so I was out having three in one day. But everything seems to be sound. I’m walking fine now so it should be alright.

“I can actually practice now without that thing on my leg. It was like obstructing everything. Now it just feels like I’m free flowing again.

“I think Saturday was the first day I did more than two hours in a session this year. I know I did more than two hours because the back of my knee was killing. So I’d not stood there for that long where normally I could do five, six hours without stopping. So every day the intensity is getting higher and higher.”

Smith believes he can still take on Littler and Humphries for the big titles. 

He added: “It hurts rather than I’m jealous, which I’m far from. We’re all there to make a living and do what we do best.

“Both Lukes have proved that for the last two years. I’ve just had some time away with injuries and stuff. But if I can get back to where I want to be, I know where I can be.

“It’s just showing that what I’ve proved for the last 20 years, about 18 years I’ve been in the PDC.

“It’s just proved all those years why I’ve fought so hard when I’ve lost finals and kept coming back. 

“I’ve just proven that I am a fighter, a battler and I won’t quit until I get what I want and I think that’s been proven this last 12 months. 

“I know I’ve missed a few tournaments because of injuries, but so what, 2026 is round the corner and if I had to go on and say I’ve won the Worlds, you’d forget about the last 11 months and so would I. 

“One tournament can change the year and hopefully going into next year then. Everything’s right, practice is right, health’s good and who knows.

“I haven’t got much long left so I’ve got to keep enjoying going and playing.”

Smith also knows he’s in for a fierce battle against Ashton and will also be the villain with the fans. 

He added: “I just know that I’m playing Lisa plus 4,000 people, which is the difficult thing. 

“I’ve been through all them games before, I’ve played Lisa in the Grand Slam, I’ve played other places, I’ve played other women. Women can play darts as well, it doesn’t matter the sex or whatever.

“You’ve just got to go and do your job and my job is to make sure I’m back after Christmas.

“Opening night, you can swing in both ways. You get beat and then you’ve got to sit there for three and a half weeks or whatever it is.

“Or you win and then you’re in the tournament and then I’ve got a nice 10-day layover back on the 20th. So it’s just get that game out of the way, another solid 10 days of practice and come back for round two.

“I think every time I’ve been beat before Christmas, I’ve had a stupid injury where I’ve done my shoulder or broke both my hands. Because Christmas Day, I just don’t give a monkey’s about what I’m doing because I had no responsibilities after it. So that’s the plan.

“I need to get past Christmas so I don’t be an idiot Christmas and get another injury.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.