Stephen Bunting Reflects on Emotional Premier League Return
The Daily Record has learned that Stephen Bunting, also known as "The Bullet," has completed his Premier League campaign in Sheffield, finishing with a determined performance against Luke Littler. The match was crucial, as Littler battled to avoid finishing bottom of the darts table.
According to the Daily Record, Bunting’s return to the Premier League after a decade away has been an emotional journey. In an interview, he stated that there have been "massive positives" from his experience, but acknowledged that it was always going to be difficult readjusting to the top-level competition. "It was always going to be difficult going back into the Premier League after 10 years and then playing in the venues that we’re not used to playing at week in and week out," he said.
The Daily Record reports that Bunting struggled in the early weeks of the campaign, finding himself in a hopeless position in terms of making the play-offs by the halfway mark. However, he fought back to secure points and wins on the board during the second half of the campaign. Bunting attributed his improved performance to his mental toughness, stating that he has "performed really well" with his averages ranking in the top four for the Premier League.
In conversation with www.razed.com, Bunting discussed the challenges of readjusting to the Premier League, citing the increased scrutiny and attention from the media as a significant factor. "There’s a lot more scrutiny and a lot more eyes on the Premier League with the media. Your performances are analysed a lot more so that was pretty nerve-wracking for the first few and then doing the walk on in front of that many fans was always going to be a little daunting," he revealed.
The Daily Record understands that Bunting has received praise from his peers for his mental toughness, with Wayne Mardle commending his ability to persevere despite a difficult start. "I believe Stephen has shown more strength mentally than any other player in the Premier League," Mardle said. "After losing for eight weeks running it would have been so easy to have been beaten and just roll over and think do you know what I have had enough of this."
Bunting reflected on his experience, stating that the support of the fans has been a significant factor in his performance. "Having not been in the Premier League for that long, you don’t realise how loved you are in the big venues where everyone is singing your walk on song back to you. It brought on the emotion being alongside my family and feeling the love from the fans welled me up. It’s special and you need those fans behind you and they’re a big part of the game. Long may it continue," he said.
The Daily Record notes that Bunting has one final match to complete his Premier League campaign, against Luke Littler in Sheffield. Despite being disappointed with his double percentage, Bunting remains positive about his overall performance. "I think I’ve performed really well to be honest. You look at the averages and I’m in the top four for the Premier League. The only thing I have been disappointed in more than anything is the double percentage which I am down at the bottom," he concluded.
According to the source, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/other-sports/darts/emotional-stephen-bunting-what-made-35268442, Bunting has shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity, and his determination has earned him praise from fans and peers alike. As reported by the Daily Record, Bunting’s emotional return to the Premier League has been a testament to his mental toughness and dedication to the sport.
