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?
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.
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.
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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A young cancer survivor is taking on the Great Manchester Run for the hospital that saved her life
Danny Jones
A former cancer patient from Manchester who was diagnosed at the age of just 17 is taking on this year’s Great Manchester Run on behalf of The Christie, the hospital she credits with helping save her life.
24-year-old Lea Abell from Failsworth is set to run the event for the first time on Sunday, 26 May to raise funds for The Christie Charity where she now works after completing her treatment.
Lea was sadly diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma cancer back in March 2017 and had to undergo intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at The Christie’s TYA (Teenage and Young Adult) unit.
Thankfully, she showed plenty of Manc spirit even at such a young age and in September 2018, Lea was told her treatment had been successful and is now looking to dedicate her efforts this May to the local life-saving institution.
Lea (Credit: The Christie)Credit: The Manc Group)Thousands took on the Great Manchester Run in honour of the Christie in 2023 (Credit: The Christie/The Manc Group)
After so much support and care from The Christie during her time there, the youngster decided that she wanted to give back and be a part of it all herself, going on to become part of the foundation’s mass participation events team – hence where the Great Manchester Run comes in.
Speaking on the hospital and the ward she spent her time in, specifically, Lea said: “The TYA, where do start? They are absolutely amazing! Every single member of staff from Julie the receptionist to Hanna Simpson, the head nurse and all of the other doctors and nurses were incredible.
“They make you feel so at home, and they support you mentally and physically throughout your treatment – they are all so positive, so you don’t feel like you’re going there for cancer treatment. I really wouldn’t have got through it if it wasn’t for the people there, so I owe them everything!
“Hanna and Julie always went out of their way to check up on me and tried to make my days better in any way they could, and I’ll never forget that.” Having turned up with the events team to the Great Manchester Run last year and seeing what a “brilliant day” it was, she decided 2024 was her year.
She’s becoming the latest among the hordes who run on behalf of The Christie at events across the globe every year.
Having only recently started her running journey this year and with the popular running event just around the corner, it’ll be a massive achievement for the young survivor and her team at the charity, with plenty of people backing her and a simple aim in mind: raise as much money as possible.
Lea has only recently started her running journey this year, so to take on the Great Manchester Run will be a big achievement for her, but she has plenty of people in her corner.
She went on to add: “My immediate family includes my mum Nicola, my dad Gary, and my brother and sister Jake and Sophia who were all there for me during treatment, and they will be there on the day of the Great Manchester Run to cheer me on alongside my other family members and friends.”
You’re going to absolutely smash it, Lea, we know it.
As for the charity themselves, The Christie’s mass participation events development manager, Lindsey Farthing, added: “Lea is a valuable member of our team and we’re all really touched that she has chosen to run the Manchester 10K for our charity.
To have a member of staff in our team who has been treated at The Christie and wants to give something back to the organisation that saved her life is really special for us all. We couldn’t be prouder of her and we wish her all the very best.”
If you want to help do your bit, you can donate to Lea’s fundraiser HERE and be sure to turn up in your droves come race day to cheer her on along with the thousands of runners raising money for charity.
Club captain and ‘legend’ Paddy Madden bids fond farewell as he prepares to leave Stockport County
Danny Jones
Paddy Madden has said farewell to Stockport County after announcing that he will leave Edgeley Park this summer, bidding an emotional goodbye to his teammates and the adoring fans who have already as a “club legend”.
The Irishman joined County in March 2021 and won the National League title in his first full campaign with the club, going on to net a total of 65 goals in 155 appearances for the Hatters, including four hat-tricks in all competitions this season alone.
Scoring 17 times for County throughout their promotion-winning year, his second with the club in just three short seasons, not to mention grabbing six assists, he was without a doubt one of Dave Challinor‘s most crucial players and has been ever since he arrived in Stockport.
Jumping on social media after the club announced that their captain and fellow fan favourites Myles Hippolyte, Ryan Croasdale and several others will depart following their contracts expiring, Madden was full of nothing but positivity about his time in blue.
— Stockport (C)ounty (@StockportCounty) May 7, 2024
Madden writes: “Stockport County, thank you so much for an amazing three years, me and my family have loved every minute of it. Being your captain was an honour. To play a part in getting such a big club back in the EFL and then into League One has given me memories I will never forget.
“To my teammates I had the honour of sharing the pitch with, I couldn’t ask any more from all of you, you kept your standards high from day one and that kept us on track to reach our goals.
“To the coaching staff, thank you for pushing the squad every day and to the staff behind the scenes a big thank you for your hard work, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Last but not least, thank you to you County fans for the amazing support from the first day I arrived. I’m over the moon to see the club back in League One, you all deserve it so much for sticking with your club in the dark days. Up the County.” It’s no secret how much the fans are going to miss their captain either.
Paddy Madden will go down as *the* signing of the Mark Stott era.
Dropped down two leagues at the time, constantly set the tone, scored goals, worked unbelievably hard, understood the club, connected with the fans, and came in clutch at the biggest moments.
Paddy Madden made himself a County legend in just three years.
The worst decision Stockport County has made in recent times is letting go of club legend Paddy Madden, 10th all-time goal scorer. A leader who brings much more than just goals. His next club is getting a very good player. He He deserved whatever he asked for.#StockportCounty
The failure to extend his stay hasn’t gone down well with everyone.
Paddy Madden will always be a County legend but never appreciated how quickly he has got to his goal tally when compared to his Scunny and Fleetwood goals per game ratio @CountyPodcast@HattersMatterspic.twitter.com/Om3eWVMM19
As for the club themselves, despite attempting to sign a new deal for the 34-year-old – who now goes down as County’s 10th all-time leading goalscorer and is still the third most prolific in the history of the third division (114) – they said that “both parties could not come to a satisfactory agreement.”
Madden is now being linked with a move to Chesterfield FC who have just climbed out of the National League as County’s number nine did back in 2021 and would be set to join Will Grigg up front, who sits just four in front of him in all-time League One goals.
Reacting to his bittersweet departure, the Hatters added: “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon. The defining signing of the Mark Stott era, and forever a Stockport County legend. Thank you so much for everything, Starman.”
While the Hatters will no doubt miss out on his experience as they return to League One after 12 years away, they’re still in very good hands up front with top scorer Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe managing 22 goals this season and they have plenty of strong candidates for a replacement captain too.