STEPHEN BUNTING is looking forward to a complete trophy collection for Liverpool next year and dreams of showcasing some silverware to the residents of Manchester next month.

The Bullet prepares for the third round, where he will face Latvia’s Madars Razma, with hopes of making a remarkable run at the PDC World Darts Championship.

Stephen Bunting is into the third round of the PDC World Championship

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Stephen Bunting is into the third round of the PDC World ChampionshipCredit: Getty
He was the King of Lakeside 11 years ago

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He was the King of Lakeside 11 years agoCredit: Getty

Only four players—Dennis Priestley, Phil Taylor, John Part, and Raymond van Barneveld—have successfully won world titles in both the PDC and BDO categories.

This is the challenge that bespectacled Bunting is currently facing, 11 years after he was crowned King of Lakeside.

If he prevails over the upcoming ten days, the fervent Liverpool supporter is eager to reveal the tungsten trophy before the Reds’ intense match against local rivals Manchester United on Sunday, January 5.

There is added excitement as Arne Slot’s Premier League frontrunners are competing for multiple trophies this season.

Bunting, 39, remarked, “I’d absolutely love to do that again. I did it when I won the Lakeside trophy, but back then, I didn’t have a big fan base.

“I was walking around the field, and no one recognized me while everyone was chanting: ‘There’s only one Phil Taylor’.

“If I win this title, everyone will know who I am—perhaps I’ll even receive a few cheers. That’s a dream that I can’t help but fantasize about as the tournament unfolds.

“Nevertheless, that idea energizes me, and I would be grateful to have that experience.

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“Can you envision walking out with it against United—that would be a dream fulfilled, wouldn’t it?

“Just picture what a world champion’s trophy looks like! I can almost hear what the Manchester United fans might shout at me!”

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“And I bet it wouldn’t be: ‘There’s only one Phil Taylor…’”

Bunting, who enjoys a large TikTok following, maintains a close friendship with Liverpool’s Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who steps in whenever No 1 Alisson is unavailable.

The No 8 seed shared, “I recently sent him a set of darts and a shirt. He contacted me about nine months ago.

“He asked for a video for his brother, a lower league player who’s a massive fan, and they all wore Bunting shirts for a stag do.”

Bunting credits his career resurgence to adopting hypnotherapy—he won the Masters last February, showcasing the transformation in his mindset.

He feels a deep connection with fellow St Helens player and No 2 seed Michael Smith, who unfortunately was the highest seed to exit Ally Pally.

Smith, the PDC world champion from two years prior, faced an unexpected defeat by Kevin Doets in the second round, making his journey back to prominence quite difficult.

Bunting commented, “I probably won’t drop by, but I’ll send him a message. He knows how talented he is.

“He likely returned home right after the match. Losing on such a large stage is incredibly challenging. With the holidays approaching, he has a young family to consider, too.

“Once you invest so much effort to reach the worlds, it can all end in moments, making it tough to head home and keep a positive outlook during the festive season.

“So I truly sympathize with his disappointment, and thankfully it’s not me facing a tough Christmas.

“I genuinely feel for him. My hypnotherapist did reach out to him, but I’m not aware of the details. I’m very content with my hypnotist; he’s worked wonders for me.

“There are many strategies to explore. For instance, diet influences energy levels during play.

“Every player is unique, so I wouldn’t presume to tell others; ‘this is your way,’ but I do believe in learning from the best.”

List of all-time Darts World Champions

BELOW is a list of Darts world champions by year.

The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.

That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is listed only once – he has also won four BDO titles, and none of Eric Bristow’s five BDO trophies are included.

  • 1994 – Dennis Priestley
  • 1995 – Phil Taylor
  • 1996 – Phil Taylor (2)
  • 1997 – Phil Taylor (3)
  • 1998 – Phil Taylor (4)
  • 1999 – Phil Taylor (5)
  • 2000 – Phil Taylor (6)
  • 2001 – Phil Taylor (7)
  • 2002 – Phil Taylor (8)
  • 2003 – John Part
  • 2004 – Phil Taylor (9)
  • 2005 – Phil Taylor (10)
  • 2006 – Phil Taylor (11)
  • 2007 – Raymond van Barneveld
  • 2008 – John Part (2)
  • 2009 – Phil Taylor (12)
  • 2010 – Phil Taylor (13)
  • 2011 – Adrian Lewis
  • 2012 – Adrian Lewis (2)
  • 2013 – Phil Taylor (14)
  • 2014 – Michael van Gerwen
  • 2015 – Gary Anderson
  • 2016 – Gary Anderson (2)
  • 2017 – Michael van Gerwen (2)
  • 2018 – Rob Cross
  • 2019 – Michael van Gerwen (3)
  • 2020 – Peter Wright
  • 2021 – Gerwyn Price
  • 2022 – Peter Wright (2)
  • 2023 – Michael Smith
  • 2024 – Luke Humphries

Most World Titles

  • 14 – Phil Taylor
  • 3 – Michael van Gerwen
  • 2 – John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
  • 1 – Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries