'I'd love the opportunity to be back in the Premier League' - Motivated James Wade eyes up top four spots with Premier League return on the cards

It has been three years since James Wade featured in the Premier League Darts. Despite impressing in 2022, a lack of form pushed him away from the big stage, but now The Machine is ready to rejoin the big time.

Wade reached the semi-finals back in 2022, achieving two nightly wins and placing himself third in the table, qualifying for finals night. It was halted by a resurging Michael van Gerwen, who stormed to his sixth Premier League triumph.

Despite this success, this was his last match in the Premier League. Poor results in the following time period led to him missing out on the selection, but things could change this year with the results Wade has produced.

Rejuvenated Wade Premier League bound?

He has reached two major finals - the UK Open and the World Matchplay, losing both to a certain Luke Littler. These performances have seen him shoot back up the rankings to fifth in the world, around £14,000 behind Stephen Bunting, who slots in fourth.

This is key for the Premier League, with the top four automatically gaining entry to the 17-week tournament. Wade has likely done enough at this point to confirm himself a place, but that all may change with a jam-packed end to the year, culminating in the World Championships.

Wade will have to defend the money he won from a European Championships final and Grand Slam semi-final from two years ago, but if he does and is able to add to it, that top four is a lot more likely. If not, winning a major would all but confirm his place, and there are plenty of opportunities to do that.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Wade said: "Top four is a dream position to be in, but it is achievable. Staying in the top 10 is a hard job. I'd love the opportunity to be back in the Premier League but we'll see what happens - I think I need to be in the top four to be in there."

He also touched on the growth of darts from its roots, reminiscing on his first appearance at the O2 in front of a huge crowd. "It's amazing how far the game has come, going from little pubs to darts around the world," he said. "I remember first time playing at the O2 in front of 12,500 people - that was a magical moment in darts."

Wade's decorated Premier League past

Wade first featured in the competition in 2008, after a breakout year saw him clinch both the World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix. He impressed, reaching finals night but being overpowered by Phil Taylor in the final.

He would make two consecutive finals nights, getting his hands on the trophy in the next year, overcoming Mervin King in the final. He would again go on to lose against Taylor in a closely-contested final.

He just missed out on making it four in a row in 2011, before being dumped out in at the semi-final stage in 2012 and 2013, losing each time to the eventual winner. He was not chosen in the 2014 event, but returned from 2015-2017, achieving average results. He did not feature in 2018, but reached his sixth semi-final and first since 2013 in 2019, losing to reigning world champion Rob Cross. This was not enough to earn him a place in 2020, whilst only appearing in 2021 as a late replacement for Gerwyn Price. His last campaign resulted in him playing consistent high-end darts again, but it would not be enough to reach a first final since 2010.

If this shows anything, then it is Wade's consistency over the past two decades to find himself competing consistently with the best players. A prime example is the darts he has produced this year, ever-brilliant on the doubles, and starting to find his scoring power. There is a very promising chance that if he does make it into the 2026 version, he could add a second title to the one he achieved as a 25-year-old.