DENNIS PRIESTLEY has set his sights on winning a place in the 2007 Holsten Premier League, after his return to top form this year.
The seventh and final player for the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts will be announced at 1pm on Wednesday - watch the announcement live in DartsTV
The double World Champion has been one of the form players on the PDC circuit in the past six months, and he won the Stan James Players Championship last month in Gibraltar.
A run to the final of the Budweiser UK Open South-West Regional Final in Swindon last weekend has seen him move up to 11th in the World Rankings.
Although he was defeated by Mark Dudbridge in that final, Priestley is in confident mood that 2006 will be the year he regains major silverware.
"It was a good weekend for me," he reflected. "It's a matter of building on the darts I've been playing and not letting myself down because I've done quite well recently.
"I've won a final in Gibraltar, lost in the semi-final at Eastbourne and lost in the final last Sunday.
"Things are looking really good at the moment."
Priestley's run of form was perhaps sparked by his display against Phil Taylor in last year's World Matchplay, when he lost a classic contest 15-13.
"Blackpool was a nice little boost," he admits. "Everybody knows that I lost to Phil, but I went on and made the semi-final in the World Grand Prix.
"I was 3-1 up in sets against Colin Lloyd and with a little bit more resolve and determination I probably ought to have made the final.
"But it's still a learning curve, as old as I am! I'm doing nothing differently, I'm just more determined.
"I've got two lads travelling to events with me, giving me company whereas I was doing things on my own and they have given me that boost.
"I've appreciated it and I'm trying harder, knuckling down and trying to be a winner."
Priestley avenged that defeat to Taylor when the pair faced off in Swindon last weekend, taking a 5-4 victory on his way through to the latter stages.
"It's a long time since I've beaten Phil and we had a cracking game," added Priestley.
"I thought I'd blown it again in the final leg, Phil had the darts but I played really well and got to the double first.
"I had three darts right on the wire, but then Phil missed 43 and I didn't miss next time! I deserved to win, but I was fortunate to win in the end."
Priestley's rise up the rankings has seen the 55-year-old set his sights on a place among the leading players in the game and a spot in the seven-man Holsten Premier League.
"I'm moving up and I feel that I should be playing in the Premier League, so that's what I'm aiming for next year," he said.
"I look at the rankings and wonder how players have got so many more points than me, but there was a period a couple of years ago when I wasn't travelling to many tournaments.
"But it's a two-year system and they'll lose them soon, so it might be good for me.
"I still believe, if I play my game, there's only Phil Taylor who's better than me."
The 2006 Premier League begins on Thursday in Blackburn, but Priestley believes that it will be a tough task for the likes of Colin Lloyd, Ronnie Baxter, Wayne Mardle and Roland Scholten to wrestle the title from Taylor.
"I'll be watching the Premier League, but if anybody's a betting man they would be backing Phil," said Priestley.
"There's only one winner as far as I'm concerned, the others are playing for second, third and fourth."
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