We’re going to start this off by confessing that we’ve never been the most die-hard darts fans, only occasionally watching the odd game when it’s on in the pub and not knowing much beyond the big names — but there’s one name that everyone’s tipping to join them: Luke Littler.
For a lot of people who’ve recently gotten into the arrows, the famous nine-dart finish from the 2023 World Darts Champion Michael Smith against Michael van Gerwen — which went down as ‘the greatest leg ever‘ — will have likely been their way into the sport. It certainly caught our attention.
However, despite last year’s thrilling winner and crowd favourite crashing out, young Luke Littler isn’t just exciting his fair share of fans, players and pundits alike with his senior debut but he could genuinely go on and win the lot and is rapidly attracting a raft of new viewers who suddenly have someone to support.
Oh yeah, and did you know he’s still only 16?
Sit back and enjoy the best bits from Luke Littler's win over Brendan Dolan 🎯 pic.twitter.com/qQmdaFDUBb
Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler doesn’t look nervous standing up there in front of all those people. Not one bit.
On a serious note, the constant reminder of his age may have become a bit of a meme, especially given the whole looking a bit older than a teenager thing (insert tired Wolfy from The Inbetweeners joke here), but, at the root, it’s simply because it’s so hard to believe he’s already that good.
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That’s not to say that the youngster born just down the road in Runcorn and based even closer in Warrington is new to the game though; the 16-year-old told Sky Sports that he’s had a set of darts in his hand since he was “18 months old” and grew up idolising his sporting hero, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
Littler also became the first two-time Junior Darts Corporation world champion in history back in November 2023, making it consecutive wins barely a fortnight before entering his first-ever senior World Championship as an unseeded teen who is now being considered as the genuine favourite to win it.
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Other players have won the WDC on debut in the past, his upcoming semi-final opponent Rob Cross being one of them back in 2018, but very few have ever arrived at the oche looking so at home and so supremely confident as such a young age.
Luke Littler is the youngest player in history to reach the PDC World Championship semi-finals 👏
Having secured his spot in the final four on New Year’s Day after beating seasoned pro and infamous big game pest, Brendan Dolan, the local phenomenon became the youngest player in history to reach the semi-finals, taking home a cool £100,000 in the process. Not bad for being basically fresh off his GCSEs.
The chants of ‘he’s got school in the morning!’ have been ringing around Alexandra Palace ever since he stepped foot in the place but it can’t be overstated just how true that is. The local lad and avid Manchester United fan only just finished secondary school this past summer and is now being discussed in the same breath as the game’s very best. Again, he’s 16.
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What’s more is that it’s not just the obvious natural talent which he’s apparently boasted since the age of four that’s earning him so many fast fans and new eyes to the sport, in general: it’s his whole demeanour. He struts around the stage like he’s been there as long as any other player, rarely so much as a set and doesn’t just brush off the age jokes, he seems to almost thrive on the noise and the hype.
From conducting the Ally Pally crowd to the PDC’s famous ‘Chase The Sun’ theme song, winking, grinning and showboating at all the right moments; joking with interviewers about his post-match victory kebab and a coke, snapping selfies with famous footballers already enamoured with his meteoric rise and more — he really does look to have it all.
16 and Premier League footballer are already fanboying over him. Mad. (Credit: Luke Littler via Instagram/Live Darts via X)
Everyone’s new favourite 16 year old is now just two games away not just from greatness, he’s already well and truly on that road, but a seriously immense bit of darts and sporting history full stop.
While van Gerwen became the youngest player to ever win a PDC major at 23 back in 2012, the youngest World Champion was Adrian Lewis at the age of 25. If Luke ‘The Nuke’ does goes on to lift that trophy, he’ll be comfortably in the history books before his career has even really started.
Moreover, the fact that he literally looks like half of the blokes most people went to school with (only with much better beard coverage than most of us had at that age) means that it’s been easy for fans and newcomers to latch on to him and a sport that’s viewership jumped 33% from 2022 to 2023 alone.
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It was only after Christmas chats with nine-year-old nephews, hearing our nans talk about ‘that brilliant young darts lad’ and watching a packed out Mulligans full of people from all walks erupt in cheers and pure limbs after his previous win that it hit home just how massive a prospect he is for the future of darts.
He isn’t just the bookes’ favourite, he’s Ally Pally’s too.
With MvG now out and only former champ Cross, fellow unseeded underdog Scott Williams and another heavy favourite in Luke Humphries left standing in his way, he admitted he really is “starting to dream” that he can do it and, more importantly, he believes he can.
Luke Littler is looking like a truly generational talent who is already on the brink of history in what is sure to be a blockbuster all-English final two rounds and could truly change the game for decades to come.
No pressure — not that he’d feel it anyway.
It’s absolute fairytale stuff and we can’t wait to see how this chapter pans out. If you’re not into darts yet, we’d bet a fair few of you are about to be.
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"𝙄'𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬."
Luke Littler reflects on reaching the Semi-Finals to continue his historic debut run and responds to Premier League speculation ☢️🗣️
Featured Images — Luke Littler (via Instagram)/Sky Sports
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Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly earns surprise England call-up
Danny Jones
Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly has earned himself a surprise England call-up for this upcoming international break.
The impressive young utility player, who has been deployed as both a defender and a midfielder under Pep Guardiola, has proved to be a popular member of the squad among Man City fans.
A north Manchester-born academy product, O’Reilly has represented the Three Lions throughout various age groups across the youth level, but this England camp will be his first senior call-up.
Yet another local lad flying the flag for 0161 in the national team.
The 20-year-old arrived at St George’s Park on Monday afternoon along with a number of ther young English stars such as Myles Lewis-Skelly, Elliot Anderson, Jarrel Quansash, who have recently been integrated by national team boss, Thomas Tuchel.
O’Reilly has been added to the squad following the withdrawal of fellow defender Reece James, with the Chelsea fullback having picked up yet another injury in the Premier League.
As detailed by England Football: “The Chelsea captain sustained an injury playing for his club over the weekend and has been ruled out of England’s October internationals following medical assessments.”
With O’Reilly able to play not only in defence but on either flank, as he has already done in Guardiola’s ever-fluid system, the versatile Man City rotation player isn’t just looking more and more like a first-team star but could soon be a capped England international.
Looking forward to seeing more of this on the big stage:
As you can see, Pep has continued to deploy him in even the biggest of games, and it seems as though he’s clearly impressed Tuchel enough to make him first in the queue to replace James.
Rightly so, we’d hasten to add; it remains to be seen whether or not he will feature in the two upcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia.
Commenting on the moment of recognition, City expressed their pride and congratulations, insisting that the decision “also helps further cement what has been a quite magnificent start to the season for the 20-year-old” in which he’s already made nine first-team appearances across all competitions.
That now makes the number of Greater Manchester-born/based players in the current England squad to four (just one of those being from Man United in Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford) – an admittedly smaller number than we’ve come to expect over the years.
Nico O’Reilly signed a fresh new deal at Manchester City just last month.
English rugby legend Lewis Moody reveals MND diagnosis
Danny Jones
Much-loved English rugby legend Lewis Moody has revealed his heartbreaking MND (motor neuron disease) diagnosis.
The Leicester Tigers and Bath icon, who was captain of the Rugby World Cup-winning England squad back in 2003, unfortunately announced to the world that he is now suffering from MND, also known as ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).
Moody, 47, is just the latest well-known rugby player to have developed the progressive neurological disorder, with both former players and others being forced to retire due to the condition.
The Ascot-born rugby union veteran has admitted that the news has come as a ‘sudden shock’ to him and his family, but has been left moved by the overwhelming wave of positivity he has received since making the health update public.
We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Lewis Moody's MND diagnosis and join the entire rugby community in getting behind Lewis and his family at this extremely difficult time ❤️ pic.twitter.com/46doNRQFvq
Sharing a lengthy message online, Moody wrote: “I’m writing to share some tough news. I have recently been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND). This has been incredibly hard to process and a huge shock to me and my family.
“I feel fit and well in myself, and I’m focused on staying positive, living life and dealing with the changes / will experience as they come.
“I am being well supported by my family, friends and medical professionals, and I’m truly grateful to those who, in their time, helped progress research to support others, like me, living with this disease.”
Notable ex-pros who have sadly passed away from the disease in recent years include Doddie Weir and, of course, Rob Burrow MBE.
There is currently no known cure for MND at present, but as Burrow’s best mate and inspirational teammate, Kevin Sinfield has famously, the belief is that this is because it remains “underfunded” and a breakthrough could still be found.
Speaking to BBC Sport with his long-term partner on Monday, 6 October, ‘Mad Dog Moody’ gave a very open and honest interview about the last few weeks, going from noticing some weakness in his shoulder at the gym to having now been given the tragic diagnosis.
Lewis’ statement continues: “Since retiring from the sport I love, and alongside my wife Annie, I’ve been able to dedicate much of the past 12 years to fundraising for The Lewis Moody Foundation in support of those affected by brain tumours.
“My plan is to continue with this, but to also create an opportunity to support a charity closer to my current situation. I would be so grateful for your help with this and look forward to sharing more, once l am clear on what this looks like.
“For now, please know I feel your love and support; all l ask is that I am given some space to navigate this with my wife and sons, and those closest to us – but without doubt, I will continue to embrace life and grasp opportunities in the same way I always have.
Sharing a post of their own on social media this morning, the Red Roses wrote: “Everyone at England Rugby is saddened to learn that former captain Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
“All of our thoughts are with Lewis, his family and friends as they come to terms with this diagnosis. We will be offering both practical and emotional support, and know the entire rugby community will stand with them at this incredibly difficult time.
“We encourage people to show their support through the fundraising initiatives now being set up and available through GoFundMe.”
Sending our strength and support to Lewis Moody, as well as his family, friends and fans; you can donate to his fundraiser down below.
Danny Jones -
2nd January 2024 
