Nathan Aspinall turns his attention away from the Premier League as he cites a move up the rankings

Nathan Aspinall was one of the many stars to go to the 2025 Target Launch in Manchester, which was something he was really pleased about, as he highlighted the strength in depth the city has at the moment.

"Yeah, it’s amazing. Like you just said, in Manchester – when I found out it was going to be here, I was buzzing to be honest," Aspinall said in an interview with Online Darts. "We normally go down to London, but I think it just shows how booming Manchester is as a city at the moment. Obviously you’ve got Oasis doing the tour, you’ve got myself, Luke Littler… it’s amazing to have it here. And what an amazing shop.

Change of equipment

The Asp revealed a change in equipment after couple of disappointing performances with his old darts, going back to his Gen 1s he previously utilised at the start of the year.

"I’m going back this weekend. I got those darts in January this year, but I didn’t really have time to practise with them because I had seven weeks off," he said. "I thought I’d give them a go – they’re a hell of a lot slimmer, different grip at the back, different grip in the middle. I actually feel quite good with them, but I’ve not got the confidence yet. I need to practise more before I start playing games. I was very disappointed with how I played on Saturday, so that being said, the Gen 1s are back at the weekend."

At this level in the sport, all fine margins will be punished, especially when there is a lot on the line. Aspinall's return from to the Gen 1s from the Gen 2s is not an unusual occurrence in darts, as he states that he needs to stick with them to achieve the best results.

"I think it’s about sticking with them – that’s the main thing. If you have a bad game, don’t change. But where I’m at at the moment, I just don’t think it’s the right time," Aspinall said. "I thought it was, but I’m still chasing the playoffs for Minehead, and with big TV tournaments coming up I need to get back into the top 16. I don’t think it’s the time to be tweaking equipment. I felt good with them, but something’s missing – and I think that’s confidence. How do you get confidence? By winning with them, simple as that. When a player changes darts, if they start missing doubles, they’ll think, I’d have hit that with my old darts. It’s all in your head. Realistically, we should be able to throw anything. It’s definitely a mental thing. They’re not gone for good, but I’ll play with the Gen 1s this weekend and maybe give the new set another go in a few months.

Minehead pressures

Aspinall's chances of returning to the Players Championship Finals are up in the air. After leaving it too late last year, The Asp is at risk of replicating that as he currently sits outside of the top 64 provisional qualification spots. However, Aspinall will not go down without a fight, confirming that he loves a scrap.

"Yeah, I think so. I like fighting for things," he said. "When I get things too easy, I get complacent. I know what I’ve got to do – to get back in the top 16 by the end of the year, to qualify for Minehead, to get into everything next year. It’s in my hands. Minehead’s tricky because everyone knows my love for Pro Tours isn’t strong. But it’s the Players Championship, it’s a TV event, and it falls on Kirstie’s birthday weekend – so I’d love to play it. But if I don’t, I’m not too bothered, if I’m honest. Still, I’ve got eight Pro Tours left, I’m only a couple of grand off, so I think I’ll be there this year."

Premier League ambitions

Despite enduring a positive year compared to the struggles on the oche in 2024, Aspinall's Premier League spot ins under consideration. There were questions raised on if he deserved to be in last year's competition, but he proved them all wrong by qualifying for Finals night, and pushing Luke Humphries in a tight semi-final.