, I was down to my last £20. That's all I had to my name. I'm not going to lie. It was a big worry. 'I've two daughters and I was going into games thinking: 'If I hit this double, I win £1,000 and that pays a month's rent.' That's how bad it was. 'I had quit my job, living off the sponsorship, but I wasn't performing well. I wasn't getting results. 'I always knew I could play darts and make money from it but when you are effectively playing for the survival of your family there's so much pressure. 'I remember it clearly. I had £21.98 in the bank and I wanted to use a cash machine in a Holiday Inn hotel which charged £1.99 to make a cash withdrawal. 'A mate transferred a penny into){kind=link}
NATHAN ASPINALL could cap a superb rags-to-riches tale this weekend – almost five years since having just £20 in his bank account.
The Asp takes on close pal Joe Cullen on Saturday night over the best-of-33 legs in the semi-finals of the Betfred World Matchplay.
The Stockport star won the 2019 UK Open but if he goes the whole way this weekend in Blackpool and lifts the Phil Taylor Trophy, it would represent the biggest moment of his career.
It would also see him receive the biggest oche pay cheque in the shape of £200,000.
The former accountant has won more than £1million in career prize money – close to £500,000 of that has come over the past two years alone – as throwing darts has transformed his life and that of his family, too.