‘Never needed them’ – Ex-world champion Michael Smith cut friendship circle amid lonely struggle

Michael Smith has opened up on his lonely past 12 months, after overcoming injury struggles to win his World Darts Championship opener.

Smith, who lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2023, put a difficult few years behind him on Thursday night to beat Lisa Ashton 3-0 at Alexandra Palace.

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For ‘Bully Boy’, victory represented a long journey back to the top of darts, having suffered badly with arthritis for much of 2025.

Prior to his clash with Ashton, Smith revealed he had taken injections in his wrist and ankle in order to be able to compete.

And the decision paid off, as he clinched a nervy opening set before breezing through the next two to reach the second round.

This saw the 35-year-old make a triumphant return to the sport’s showpiece event, 12 months on from his crushing second-round exit which knocked roughly £500,000 off his ranking.

It marked the start of a rough 12 months for Smith, who dropped out of the top 16 in the PDC order of merit and effectively ended his chances of competing in this year’s Premier League.

On top of his arthritis battle, the former world no.1 also revealed in January that he had a grade two acromioclavicular shoulder injury, a hole in his groin and a further ankle ailment.

Despite this, Smith has bounced back more recently, reaching the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts in November.

‘Fighting mentality’

After a triumphant return to Ally Pally, the Englishman opened up on a testing period, where he admitted his support network had shrunk whilst he struggled at the oche.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Smith said: “For me, over the last 12 months I’ve learned who my actual friends were. 

“I had a circle that became like a line. It went from like 10 people to two people and it happens. Players that I speak to as well, the circle went to a line.

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“Coming into Players [Championship events], only a select few messaged me through the year.

“I won’t mention the PDC, but you just realise a lot of things and then you realise by yourself that you never needed them –  you think you did.”

While Smith admitted it had been a lonely time for him, he insisted his recent displays has proven his individual strength.

He continued: “And the other thing I realised is showing the kids we can do it by ourselves, we only need us. We work hard, we get on with things and just never quit. 

“I could have cried off on the Grand Slam. I could have cried off on the Players, I never did.

“I just show what I’ve shown for the last 19 years on the PDC –  just a fighting mentality.”

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Smith targets 2026 comeback

Having enjoyed a change in fortunes in recent months, Smith revealed he was targeting a positive run at Alexandra Palace over the coming weeks that could reinstate him to the top of darts.

In 2023, he made history by hitting a memorable nine-darter in his victory over Michael van Gerwen in the World Championship final.

When asked how important the new few weeks could be to his future success, the current 28-ranked player, replied: “Massive.

“Because I’ve never ever doubted myself that I can win things. 

“So say if I win the tournament, we forget the last 12 months, because if I pocket £1million, I’ll probably go to second in the world. 

“I don’t think I’d get first, so I’d definitely go to second in the world. [I’d be] guaranteed that for two years, and everyone forgets that.

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Smith continued: “My aim was to get past this first round, obviously get past Christmas.

“But if I can go into the New Year this year, which would be the quarterfinals, I’ll be back in the top 16, back in all the tournaments. I can be back fighting again.

“That’s what annoys me the most – I’m just thinking about getting to a certain day instead of winning tournaments. 

“So I’ve got to get back home, give myself a kick up the backside and go back to: ‘I’m here to win a tournament’, not win matches and that’s what I need to think about now.”