'Not many people have a bit of aura about them': Experts see Nathan Aspinall's 'fear factor' on the rise

Nathan Aspinall heads into Premier League Darts Finals Night in a role he often knows and that is proving people wrong. 'The Asp' was called into question when it came to his selection but he was the one in pole position for Finals Night. Matthew Edgar and Abigail Davies see a fear factor emerging and an aura that others don't have.

Aspinall with his much discussed injury problems of the past could've easily quit but he has managed to fight on and Edgar sees it as testament to his character that he hasn't just rested on his previous success and is making players fear him again.

"It's not so much the physical side, it's the mental side. It makes you mentally weak and not trust yourself. It makes you doubt yourself in certain situations and go back to a safe space. The past is always safe. If he goes back to the titles he's won, he could sit there now and go well I knew I was going to do that and this because it's happened," said Edgar to Love The Darts.

"You've got to replicate that and do it again and then you go well actually I didn't feel like I did then, I don't feel as confident. I don't believe in myself, he didn't have that doubt at any single stage. It's going to be interesting to see what happens here and what happens for the rest of his season because I think there's a bit of a fear factor starting to come around Nathan now. Not many people have a bit of aura about them but I think he's starting to develop it."

While Abigail Davies also lauded him after emerging from the mental scarring he has got from missing out before to putting that to the back of his mind and thriving in this case in having his fate for once in his own hands.

"We know he has a fantastic record in the Premier League but the last two years finishing fifth in the manner that he has and then having that battle. He's gone from being the hunter to being the player not to be hunted but it's still that mental scarring. He's spoken about it over the last few weeks where he's gone I've learned a lot from the last few campaigns where in his words he said I need to not bottle it like I have the last couple of years," said Davies in response to Edgar.

"He's constantly been questioned and asked about the last couple of years where's he's agonisingly missed out. To put that to the back of his mind the way he has and talking about that rivalry with Michael van Gerwen who he often says is the best player to play the game. It's been fantastic."