JAMES WADE is "excited and nervous" ahead of the start of the McCoy's Premier League Darts season.
The 2009 champion will open his challenge for a second victory in the £520,000, three-month event when he faces debutant Wes Newton in Belfast on Thursday night.
Wade will be making his first competitive appearance since reaching the semi-finals of the World Championship when he steps on stage at a sold-out Odyssey Arena on Thursday night - but believes his hard work on the practice board over the past month will pay off.
"I've said many times about practising and doing the right things, and I haven't put down a dart since the World Championship," said Wade, in an interview with Rod Harrington for the PDC YouTube channel.
"I've done everything right. I want to play darts and I want to win, so that's good - it's genuine enthusiasm as well - I've practised for three months solidly.
"In 2009, I practised for a long, long time and I did well that year, and I believe for most of that year I was the best player in the world
"In this year I've done a similar format [in practise] and it's great for me, best of five legs. It's simple practise - practise doesn't need to be complicated.
"What I've been doing in practise is quite good. I'm nervous because I don't know how well I'm going to play, and I'm excited because I think I know how well I'm going to play, but until you get up there you don't know."
McCoy's Premier League Darts
Night One - Thursday February 7
Odyssey Arena, Belfast
Andy Hamilton v Robert Thornton
James Wade v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
Simon Whitlock v Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm