Former professional darter Matthew Edgar has criticized the PDC for not having a reserve player on standby for this season's Premier League Darts. The issue came to light in Glasgow on Night 3, where Michael van Gerwen withdrew due to illness, leading to Luke Littler receiving a free pass to the semi-finals without throwing a dart. Edgar argues that keeping a ninth player ready would have ensured a complete line-up every league night.
Edgar pointed to past precedents to support his view, noting that during the Premier League in Covid times, a ninth player was on standby in Milton Keynes in case anyone failed a test. He also referenced the World Championships, where reserve players were available. According to Edgar, there is typically always a next player in line, but this principle is ignored once the Premier League starts, making it "16 weeks or nothing." He specifically mentioned that at the start of the campaign, there was debate over whether Stephen Bunting or Danny Noppert should be included.
In Edgar's eyes, Danny Noppert would have been a logical standby candidate. He suggested that the PDC could have told Noppert, "You are number nine on the list, but if there is ever a week, just be ready. Because if someone pulls out, we will pull you in and you might get four weeks or nothing." Edgar added that such an arrangement would have offered future benefits, blooding Noppert into the Premier League environment to assess his readiness for future campaigns, despite him already being given World Series events. Noppert narrowly missed out on a Premier League invitation this season despite an excellent performance.
