I was in Man United academy and rejected a contract at Rangers but became a major darts world champion

Nathan Aspinall has recalled his academy days at Manchester United before swapping football for the darts.

Aspinall is 11th in the PDC Order of Merit and reached the semi-finals of the 2025 World Championship.

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He lost to eventual champion Luke Littler but has had his own share of success on the big stage as he won the World Matchplay in 2023.

The 33-year-old is one of the best darts players around but his life could have looked very different as a goalkeeper.

“Yeah, back in the day I was,” he confirmed on Hawksbee and Baker on talkSPORT. “Up until about 15, I was on United’s books.

“I played semi-pro for Cheadle Town but I wasn’t tall enough to be a goalkeeper, so started going to the pub and then fell in love [with darts].”

As per The Mirror, Aspinall even rejected a contract at Rangers as his family didn’t want to make the move to Scotland.

His decision may have been a blessing in disguise though as he looks towards another busy year on the PDC circuit.

Aspinall is due to play Andrew Gilding in the first round of the 2025 World Masters later this week.

This will be swiftly followed by the Premier League Darts, with eight of the world’s best players selected as part of the lineup.

The elite cast features Aspinall, who also spoke on the difference in pressure at the Premier League compared to the Worlds.

“I do think it is different. Obviously the World Championship is all knockout, so if you lose you’re going home.

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“There’s a lot of pressure in that first game because you don’t want to be getting beat before Christmas. I’ve been there, done it, the kids have an awful time, so there’s a lot of pressure on you.

“But the Premier League, it’s week in, week out, you’re playing the best of the best.

“If you’re not on your a-game, you’re going to get beat and the big crowds, you look at Ally Pally, it’s what, 3,000?

“Berlin is pushing 20,000 people, so walking out in front of them big crowds, it does bring a different pressure.

“But I come alive on the Premier League stage and I can’t wait to get going next week.”

Aspinall was competed at the Bahrain Darts Masters earlier this month, where he progressed to the quarter-finals before another loss to Littler.

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He was then reportedly in hospital with an elbow injury, but was able to play down the severity of it ahead of the Premier League.

“I was in Bahrain last week, woke up and had a big lump on my elbow. It’s something called bursitis, so basically just a bag of fluid in my elbow,” Aspinall said.

“It’s nothing serious, it will go in time. A bit of recovery, try not to overdo the practice over the next weeks and I’ll be fine.”

The Premier League Darts begins on February 6 in Belfast, where Aspinall has been drawn against Luke Humphries in their first match.