Mark Webster on Sky Sports duty (Image: Getty)
The Premier League call came a little too soon for Mark Webster. The Welshman, now a Sky Sports commentator, was a wildcard selection for the 2011 tournament.
It was a logical decision following his run to that year’s semi-final, which included a victory over But playing the best in the world on a weekly basis in front of baying crowds is a different kettle of fish.
Webster, by his own admission, was “terrible” as he finished at the foot of the table with just two wins in 14 matches. It was a stark realisation for the 2008 Lakeside world champion that he wasn’t quite in the elite bracket of players.
He admits: “My memories of it obviously aren’t great. I probably wasn’t ready to go in the Premier League, but I’d had a little spell [of excellent form]. There’s a real risk of picking a player on a spell, and I was a classic example of that.
“But if you get asked, you’re not going to say no. It’s a tough learning curve, and it’s probably when I realised that I wasn’t going to compete at the elite end of the game, although I still had a good career.
“Playing elite players week in, week out, I got found out. So it was a bit early for me. If I’d been in it a year after – I’m not saying I’d have pulled up any trees – I wouldn’t have been as bad.
“But I was terrible, and they couldn’t give me another go. They [the PDC] were looking out for me [by not picking him for 2012], not being detrimental. It was a great experience but a tough one.”
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Experiences like Webster’s have made the PDC extra careful over selection in recent years, and there isn’t a single debutant in this year’s line-up. Of players who have never graced the tournament before, World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker and European Championship winner Ritchie Edhouse are among the high-profile omissions.
Speaking before the Premier League line-up announcement, Webster says: “It’s about doing something here [at Alexandra Palace], this is the big one. If you can handle the pressure of being in the World Championship and get to the back end of it, you’ve got something about you.
“It’s such a competitive field. Chris Dobey finished seventh in a couple of years ago but was brilliant. Someone’s got to finish seventh and eighth.”
There were question marks over whether Luke Littler, who had just turned 17, should have been jettisoned straight into the Premier League following his momentous run to the 2024 World final. The Nuke wasn’t just any debutant though, taking the competition by storm and winning it in thrilling style.
Mark Webster won the BDO world title and reached the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship (Image: Getty)
“There was always the duty of care [to consider] because he’s so young, but he had to be in, and he went on and won the event,” adds Webster. “He deserved to be there, the sport needed him there, and he set it alight. He’s in it for as long as he wants to be now.”
The format, which sees a mini tournament on each night with quarter-finals, semis and finals, is entering its fourth year and there have been calls for a revamp and for more players to be involved.
“It gets a bit of stick, but I don’t mind it,” says Webster. “The PDC don’t generally stand still. If it needs a freshen-up, they’ll freshen it up. But I think it’s OK.”
Webster with Sky Sports colleagues Wayne Mardle and Emma Paton (Image: Getty)
Webster, still a relatively young 41, no longer looks at today’s stars with envy, having stepped away from the pro game in early 2020.
“I don’t really [miss playing],” he insists. “Sometimes, when you watch, there’s a little buzz. When I first stopped, I was a bit envious of the players when I was commentating here.
“But the last time I qualified was 2018. I’m used to it now, and I’m enjoying it [commentating]. As long as my bosses want me, I’ll keep doing it.
“It’s good being part of these events and it takes me around the world. It came along at the right time for me while my playing career was tailing off.”