Stephen Bunting has backed the firm stance taken by Gerwyn Price after crowd disruption briefly halted their Premier League Darts semi-final in Sheffield, insisting there is “no place” in the sport for spectators who deliberately try to put players off. Bunting ended his Premier League campaign in style on Night 16, beating Jonny Clayton, Price and Luke Humphries to claim his second weekly title of the season and finish fifth in the final table.
But his semi-final win over Price was briefly overshadowed by an incident in the crowd, with a spectator whistling during play. Price spotted the culprit and refused to continue until the matter was dealt with. Bunting fully supported him, later revealing that the Welshman told him not to restart until both players were ready. “I think obviously Gezzy pointed it out,” Bunting said in his post-match press conference. “He actually seen the guy who was doing it. And it wasn't just against me, it was against Gezzy as well.”
The interruption came during a high-class semi-final, with Bunting eventually coming through 6-3 after producing a brilliant burst of finishing. A 161 checkout gave him the lead for the first time, before later finishes of 100 and 104 sealed victory. But Bunting made clear afterwards that the players were right to take a stand. “He was just an idiot in the crowd who wanted to disrupt the game and yeah, I was totally with Gezzy on that,” he said. “Gezzy said to me, ‘Don't start until we're ready.’ And yeah, I agree with him. I think it's a great way to point someone out like that.”
The incident added another flashpoint to a Premier League season in which crowd behaviour has repeatedly become part of the wider conversation. Bunting said he had no issue with passionate support, but drew a clear line between atmosphere and deliberate disruption. “I know he gets a couple of minutes of fame, but yeah, there's no place for people like that in our sport,” he continued. “Cheer as much as you want, shout as much as you want, but to boo and to whistle is unacceptable in my opinion and Gezzy's opinion and yeah, people like that shouldn't be allowed in here.”
Once the semi-final resumed, Bunting stayed composed and carried that momentum into the final, where he beat Humphries 6-3 with a 106.37 average. It was an emphatic way to close his campaign, even though he had already missed out on a place at Finals Night at the O2. Bunting admitted the win still meant a huge amount after a season in which he felt he had again proved his level. “To finish fifth in the league is a huge honour,” he said. “And if someone pulls out, I'll be ready to step in.” The night also gave Bunting a major lift for the rest of the season. “When you can win a Premier League night, you can beat anybody,” he said. “To beat the biggest players on the biggest stages is a massive confidence builder.” Bunting also admitted that playing with slightly more freedom may have helped him produce one of his best performances of the year. “Maybe the pressure was off me because I couldn't qualify and yeah, maybe it was slightly more relaxed,” he reflected. “But yeah, note to oneself, try not to work yourself up. Go in more relaxed.”
