STUART Kellett returns this weekend to a stage on which he collected the joint biggest pay cheque of his burgeoning darts career earlier this year.

The Northwich thrower makes his debut tomorrow, Friday, at the Cash Converters Players’ Championship Finals in Minehead, scene of his run to the final of the UK Masters in March.

Then he banked £10,000 after finishing as runner-up to three-time world champion John Part.

Kellet’s form in the calendar year’s remainder, at the end of which he will be ranked 18 in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) ProTour Order of Merit, secured his place in this weekend’s £250,000 event.

Gary Anderson will be his first round opponent at the Butlins Resort, in Somerset, during the opening day’s afternoon session.

ITV4 will broadcast the match live.

Kellett will arrive at Minehead buoyed by scoring a first win in a televised match at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts earlier this month.

He recovered from 4-2 adrift to beat Kevin Painter during that competition’s group stage, but fell short of reaching the knockout stage following a 5-2 defeat against Aussie Paul Nicholson.

The Players’ Championship features the leading 32 players from this year’s ProTour Order of Merit, comprised of prize money won away from the big stage at a series of 32 European Tour events, Players’ Championships and UK Open qualifiers.

Holland’s Michael van Gerwen is the number one seed with reigning world champion – and victor at the Grand Slam – Phil Taylor defending a title he won last season.

The tournament continues on Saturday with second round games split across two sessions, while the quarter finals follow on Sunday afternoon.

It concludes with the semi finals and final later the same day.

First round matches are the best of 11 legs.

Cash Converters Players' Championship Finals
Friday November 29
First Round
Afternoon Session (from 12.45pm)
Ian White v Ronnie Baxter
Kim Huybrechts v Terry Jenkins
Wes Newton v Andy Smith
Gary Anderson v Stuart Kellett
Brendan Dolan v Wayne Jones
Jamie Caven v Colin Lloyd
Peter Wright v Michael Smith
Steve Beaton v James Wade

Evening Session (from 7pm)
John Part v Andy Hamilton
Simon Whitlock v Justin Pipe
Robert Thornton v Richie Burnett
Mervyn King v Raymond van Barneveld
Adrian Lewis v Kevin Painter
Paul Nicholson v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Jamie Lewis
Dave Chisnall v Jelle Klaasen