GLEN Durrant goes to the oche at Alexandra Palace this afternoon in the Darts World Championship in the hope he can reignite his best form on the final tournament of the darts calendar.

Middlesbrough born Duzza is in action in the second round against Irishman William O’Connor at Ally Pally. The 51-year-old has endured a torrid year in front of the dartboard leading to his immediate exit from the Premier League and losing the defence of his 2020 title.

Prior to his 2021 collapse, it’s been a meteoric rise through the professional game to the lofty heights of PDC titles. He went from housing manager to being amongst the top dartsmen in the world winning three consecutive BDO World Championships in the process.

But Durrant is one of the most humble and level headed sportsmen you are likely to come across and he realises just how his psychological game has been impacted.

He told the Guardian: “It’s been a traumatic year but I’m quite philosophical about everything. I’m not sat crying at home, feeling sorry for myself. If you ask me a question, I’ll give you an honest answer. That’s my values, the way I’ve been brought up. Darts has been very, very good to me, and you take the good with the bad.”

“If you look at the Premier League final, there was something creeping into my game. It’s not a natural throw. It’s pretty mechanical. I knew I was extending my arm too far back. Then you begin to overthink, and you start losing, and the confidence aspect comes into it. Like a golfer having the yips, or a footballer who can’t score from six yards out. I was in panic mode.”

Despite a rough year, Durrant remains 24th in the world rankings and is now stranger to upsetting the odds over the years and he would be keeping on brand if he were to do the same in London again before the close of 2021.

“My only focus for a long time has been Ally Pally” he added.

“If I can raise my game there, then as bad as the year’s been, it wouldn’t be the biggest disaster of all.”

Durrant is due to play O’Connor at 1:30pm this afternoon.